From time to time, many of us can use someone to help make sense of our feelings. If you are…read morelooking for a psychologist who actively listens, offers sound advice, and genuinely cares, please consider Dr. Alicia Francois as your personal life coach and therapist. She's part of the Kelly Mothner Group and works out of the Hermosa Beach location.

Have worked with this therapist since she was located at the Saturday Center in Santa Monica CA…read more She is extremely professional and a kind therapist. She works around the disabilties you may have aswell as she allows input on what way the session needs to be handled time wise and other things you need you can tell her and she will edit it accordingly. She is very nice to work with and has helped me considerably and will continue to do so. Also she is Service Dog friendly as I require the use of a Service Dog she allows my SD entrance into her office and into the room with us and is very kind about it aswell as believes in the use of Service Dogs for Psychiatric disabilities. I highly recommend her to anyone!

Jeremy helped me through the loss of my dog and significant life transition stressors. He was also…read morethe first therapist to identify my symptoms of OCD, which previous therapists had missed! I have nothing but great things to say about him and would recommend him to any of my loved ones.

All I can say is he's the best! I had a very horrifying experience. I never thought I could go on…read morewith my life and I really didn't want too. Literally Jeremy saved my life. If you need help in any way please call Jeremy Bartz!

I have never found a therapist quite like Payton. She is an incredible listener, offers thoughtful…read moreinsight, and really is gifted at what she does. She created a warm and accepting environment. I have never felt judged and genuinely look forward to our sessions. I have had a variety of therapists and Payton just has something no one else has had. I highly recommend.

*after posting this review, 2 random reviews popped up in defense of this...within hours. They are…read moreboth 5 stars which leads me to believe the rest of the reviews may not be real. I am now validated in why I chose to write this. I actually came back on here to delete my review because I started feeling bad, and then when I saw the new fake reviews, I decided to leave it up. I am actually considering filing a formal complaint with the state licensing board of Psychology. I came to this therapy center based on reviews and seeking safety and understanding while navigating an extremely difficult and confusing relationship with my ex-husband, who is a covert narcissist and also works in a high powered job. In the beginning, she gained my trust, she listened, validated my experiences, and made me feel seen for the first time in a long time. I felt like I could work on the relationship despite some deeply disturbing foundational truths. However, I felt rushed to fix the relationship before addressing the financial and emotional abuse. Something felt off. I realized a few sessions in the therapist was an associate (with a supervisor), but I wasn't informed of this. It caught me by surprise that she asked her supervisor his opinion and shared that with us. I started to feel our situation was beyond her expertise. I stuck it out and over time, things shifted dramatically. After my ex had a 1:1 with her and shared his version of events, the therapist's attitude toward me changed completely. She began to dismiss my concerns, silence me so that he could speak but didn't silence him when he interrupted me, she minimized my experiences, and even reframed deeply painful events in ways that aligned with his narrative. Events that I told her in a 1:1 were beyond traumatic for me. She wanted us to co-parent which is understandable, but romanticizing my trauma was tone deaf. I left the last session feeling retraumatized, unsafe, and blamed for dynamics that were rooted in manipulation and control. He is now using me firing her against me too and has now called me bipolar. A very common thing for narcissists to say to try to devalue and confuse their victim. It's not true. Maybe he told this therapist that too and she took the bait? He's very smart and manipulative. I have trauma response that is anxiety, and once you leave a narcissist they lose their energy supply. They panic. They call you crazy and start to convince others you are. It was devastating to realize that someone I had trusted with my healing could be swayed so easily by appearances and authority, especially when working with a client already in a power-imbalanced and emotionally abusive situation. Literal facts about financial abuse and gaslighting in sessions. It was horrible. She couldn't spot this abuse. She did spot my trauma but then diminished it to please him. I share this review not out of bitterness, but to caution others: if you are leaving or recovering from a relationship with a narcissistic or manipulative partner, please make sure your therapist is deeply trauma-informed and understands the dynamics of coercive control and narcissistic abuse. Trust your gut!!! If something feels off, it probably is. Lisa assured me after I complained she would change things and take swift action, but I still fear for others who may experience this. What action would she take? How can this be prevented? Something horrible could have happened to a more fragile person. Maybe this review will save a life. Maybe Lisa did take me seriously and take action and make sure that will never happen again. But I can't risk it. I hope someone reading this will get some support from this and make sure they understand that not all therapists are skilled to handle narcissists or trauma. 1 star because Lisa did call me to apologize, she was very nice and helpful and told me she understood. (Fast forward a week I'm updating this to alert others she actually manipulated me and made promises that were not genuine. She was only trying to save her business and didn't care about me. She even sent me a ChatGPT response in her first response of my complaint and I let that go thinking maybe she was tired but now I see she didn't actually care.) I just can't not warn others...something was a miss here, and it could have ended in a very different way for someone else. Most victims of narcissists end up harming themselves because no one believes them. I will say this therapist is lucky I have another therapist outside of her and lucky that I realized what my narcissistic ex had done to her. She was so easily influenced by him, a hard lesson to learn, and luckily nothing tragic happened as a result of this manipulation taking over. Thank you for reading I hope you ask a lot of questions before booking, be very careful and make sure the therapist can pivot if needed, and make sure the therapist is a good fit first. Trust your gut.

I found Dr. Sepideh Bassi from psychologytoday.com when I was researching therapists. One thing I…read moreimmediately noticed about Dr. Bassi is she is accommodating, I had accidently went to the other location (Rolling Hills Estates) and drove to Hermosa Beach apologizing profusely, I was still able to get half a session in! Dr. Bassi said to me "I'm your therapist", it resonates with the conversations you've and with what you're working on to improve with yourself. Dr. Bassi is also a detailed note taker and writes down what you say. Dr. Bassi also provides structure behind therapy which I found that lacking in other professionals whom I had "trialed" with and that simple trait is a good starting point to improve whatever your seeking to improve on. Some people need structure instead of go with the flow. Dr. Bassi has two locations and this is for the Hermosa Beach location only. It has an ample parking lot that get's tight for larger vehicles. I suggest parking on the PCH or behind the building. The office is comfortable, soothing, and the couch is nice. You won't believe when I was interviewing professionals that I disquallified one cause the couch made too much noise! It's the little things right?!?!? Four stars so far and I'll update the review as I move along.

Jenny Moon is unbiasedly, an excellent therapist and individual. It is difficult to capture in…read morewords, how skilled and gifted she is as a therapist and also as someone who provides a service. She is extremely knowledgeable and excellent in her skill set and this is made clear to you in how you experience her intuitive, deeply compassionate and effective care. It is very difficult to find a qualified, trustworthy, and experienced Asian American therapist who can understand so many of the nuances that coexist within multiple cultures and generations, and then on top of that, finding someone who you can immediately feel you can be yourself with and trust is not easy! I've seen so many friends go through therapist after therapist unsuccessfully, and I can genuinely and honestly say that Jenny's practice should not be overlooked. I've confidently referred clients to her team of amazing therapists. Book a session with her!

Jenny has helped me throughout the years and her calm, quiet strength and grace provides a safe…read morespace to open up. Everything you say has weight and you never feel like she's taking anything lightly no matter how silly you think you sound. She helps guide you through whatever journey or path you're on at that time and ensures that you feel safe while also providing you tools to feel strong and confident on your own. A true gem of a human!

Without a doubt the single rudest psychologist I've ever spoken to. I do want to add the only time…read moreI write reviews is if I received spectacular service or the absolute opposite. We reached out to Michael on Friday. He was very prompt and instructed us to call him Monday morning. I tried calling, no answer. Michael got back to me at 4:30 p.m. I asked him what happened in a very calm tone of voice, his response: "oh I've been busy, this is how it works do you want to book an appointment"? In a short tempered way. That turned me off ASAP. Even though I'm going through a very hard time right now, I'd rather deal with the pain then pay him a dime. Massive red flags from this guy.

I value Mike's effective communication style. He finds a way to allow both my partner and I to…read moreexpress our concerns and leave with something to think about in terms of our own individual growth and the growth in our marriage. My partner sees him 1:1 as well and I feel there is a level of safety and respect between those visits that doesn't take away from our group sessions. It's unfortunate the other review was left in heightened emotion.

My initial intake with this agency was made through email contact - a query I sent them through…read moretheir website. It was answered swiftly, literately with a great deal of tact, poise and professionalism. I have yet to put a foot wrong with these people. Therapy has gone well, done to my schedule with no struggle to accommodate me in any way. Would recommend them to anyone, experienced with therapy or not. Great group.

From the owner: We are a small group of psychotherapists who provide individual, couples, group, and family…read moretherapy. We have a wide range of specialties, including treating depression, anxiety, substance abuse, postpartum depression, parenting issues, trauma and abuse as well as relationship issues.

Cathy is easy to communicate with and listens to both sides for couples counseling. She has…read moreflexible schedule to accommodate busy schedules

I've been seeing Cathy since 2018 for cognitive behavioral therapy after my divorce. I started off…read moreseeing her in person but due to Covid she also provides zoom calls. The transition was seamless and helped to be comfortable on camera. Cathy has helped me grow and see my own patterns in the years I've been seeing her. She truly pays attention and gives great advice with facts to back up the logic. And she has a great memory. I would highly recommend Cathy.

I normally don't do Yelp reviews but I just finished my last day of virtual IOP today and was blown…read moreaway by the amount of dedication, care, and time the therapists, counselors, and group facilitators put into their clients. I've been in an IOP before and it was terrible experience, so I was reluctant to try again but I needed the help so I took a leap of faith and I am so glad I did. The cohort I was in was amazing, everyone was so loving, accepting, and talkative. We were known as the talkative group. Throughout my 3 months here, I think there was only one issue with the program that I had, and it was resolved immediately. Not once did I ever feel unwelcomed, silenced, or judged. I work in treatment as well and cannot wait to refer patients to you guys. Chris, Stephanie, Derrick, Heather, Erik, Sauncia, Sydney, Amber, Justin, and others I may be forgetting (sorry), you guys were amazing and I attribute a lot of my growth to you all. Thank you especially to my therapist Amber who continuously pushed and challenged me, you have no idea how much you've helped me in just 3 months. Saying goodbye was very hard, which is how you know something truly made an impact on you. I love this place and would highly recommend anybody who is struggling to give Clear a chance. If I could give 10 stars, I would.

I don't normally write Yelp reviews, but given how few existing reviews there are for this…read morelocation, and how profoundly impactful my experience there was on my life, I feel obligated to share so that others who are struggling like I was 4 months ago can hopefully make the best decision possible for their wellbeing. For those unfamiliar with PHP/IOP treatment, it's essentially a middle ground between regular weekly therapy and full hospitalization. If you're in a crisis and are not currently receiving any kind of psychiatric care, this place can help you; if you're already receiving care, but it doesn't feel like enough, or you feel like you need something more intense--without being admitted to a psychiatric hospital (the image I had in my mind was being restrained in a straight jacket and surrounded by doctors in lab coats)--this is EXACTLY the kind of program you're looking for. Essentially, it's a 3 month commitment. After speaking to the admissions team and doing a remote interview with the program director, Tim, you'll likely begin within a few days--possibly within 24 hours. For 4 weeks, you show up every weekday at 9am and leave at 3:30pm. This is the partial hospitalization program, or PHP. You'll go through an extensive intake process where you'll be asked some very personal questions (I was uncomfortable at first, but trust me, the staff here are super caring and kind and you'll get to know all of them really well). You'll be thrown into the existing PHP group (mine was around 10 people) which is also nerve-wracking--but again you'll be surrounded by people who are probably there for similar reasons as you, and everyone will be totally understanding and welcoming). You'll be assigned a personal care team consisting of a therapist and a counselor, each of whom you'll meet with individually once a week. There's also a nurse practitioner who you'll consult with weekly, who can assist with prescribing medications or simply supervising/monitoring any existing ones you may be taking. There's a 30 minute lunch halfway through the day, as well as 10 minute breaks in between each group session. The sessions include traditional group therapy (known as "open process," led by one of the therapists); dialectical behavior therapy (DBT, led by a counselor); reading/journaling exercises on a whole range of topics related to things like coping skills, causes of anxiety, depression, trauma/PTSD, social skills, communication skills, etc. (the list goes on and on); and some interesting once-a-week sessions like art therapy, sound bath, and drama therapy (it's not what it sounds like, trust me). After that, you'll transition into the intensive outpatient program (IOP) over the course of 2 weeks; this is known as the "hybrid" period--hybrid PHP for one week (attending PHP for half days only, either 9am-12pm or 12:30pm-3:30pm), then hybrid IOP for another week (half day PHP on Tue/Thur, and half day IOP on Mon/Wed/Fri). The remaining 6 weeks are the IOP portion of the treatment, consisting of the same half days, but only 3 days a week (Mon/Wed/Fri); these types of programs are a "revolving door" of people entering and exiting, some at the start of their 3 months and some at the end, so when you transition to IOP, you'll be in a new group--same staff and care team, some new faces, mostly familiar ones, just a different room than PHP and slightly different activities and program structure. You'll still meet with your individual therapist and counselor every week. After 12 weeks, you'll finish and will be officially discharged from the program. The staff can help you get set up with an outside therapist and psychiatrist if needed. Now, logistics aside, this place changed my life. I'm not "fixed" nor did I expect to be. I'm not even necessarily doing "better"--but I am different; I think just a little bit differently, I feel just a little bit differently, I think about my feelings just a little bit differently. My life is more or less the same as it was before I went through the program, however--there are now small but powerful glimmers of change that I notice as I go about my days, little cracks in the behavioral patterns that have been on repeat for years, tiny moments of clarity where I understand what I'm doing, what I'm thinking, what I'm feeling, and why it's happening. It may not sound like much, but my time at Clear was without a doubt the most profound 3 months of my life, and attending was quite possibly the best decision I've ever made for myself. Special thanks to Mike and Lilly for being such a chill and awesome care team for me, Tim for creating such a thoughtful and in-depth program, Caroline for being so welcoming every day at the front desk, and everyone else for cultivating such a safe, kind, and respectful space each and every day--Sarah, Hailey, Donovan, Thomas, Kelly, Lainey, Gavin, John, Kristina, Logan, Joanna, Alexis, Wendy, Nathan, Jamie, Christian, Amanda, and uh...anyone I'm forgetting.