Life transitions can be overwhelming, often disrupting our sense of self and daily functioning. During these times, emotions such as anxiety, stress, fear, anger, grief, low self-worth, and depression may surface. You don’t have to face these challenges alone.

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While the brain is remarkably capable, unprocessed experiences, such as childhood trauma, family-of-origin issues, and attachment wounds, can accumulate and influence thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Drawing from both my professional training and lived experiences, I work collaboratively with clients to support meaningful processing, insight, and emotional healing.

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I integrate talk therapy with my core modalities, i.e., Adlerian Therapy, Somatic Experiencing, and Internal Family Systems (IFS). I am also credentialed in Brainspotting, a powerful and resourced approach for trauma processing. With younger clients, I incorporate Play Therapy and Art Therapy to support developmentally appropriate expression and regulation.

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I believe effective counseling is rooted in a therapist’s ability to listen and nurture a safe, trusting relationship. My style is warm, compassionate, and genuine. As an Asian American therapist, I bring a multicultural perspective. I offer counseling in both English and Mandarin Chinese, in person and online.

Lauren Himes is a Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) practicing under supervision in California. She works with children, young children, and families using a relationship-centered and trauma-informed approach.

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Lauren has a strong interest in mindfulness-based therapies, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). She has extensive experience supporting early childhood mental health, particularly with children ages 0–5, as well as working with multicultural and neurodiverse families.

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Her clinical work integrates play-based and attachment-focused interventions to support emotional regulation, relational development, and family connection. Lauren also provides parent support and psychoeducation, helping caregivers better understand their child’s emotional and developmental needs.

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Lauren brings a warm, collaborative, and culturally responsive presence to her work, drawing from her background in early intervention, preschool education, and behavioral support.

Languages: English (fluent), Hebrew (native), Russian (native)

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Katya Gazit is a Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) practicing under supervision in California. She works with children, adolescents, and adults, providing trauma-informed and culturally responsive psychotherapy in both clinical and school-based settings.

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Katya integrates expressive and art-based modalities into her therapeutic work to support emotional regulation, resilience, and self-expression. She has experience addressing anxiety, trauma, and behavioral challenges through both individual and group therapy formats.

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With a strong background in education and art instruction, Katya brings a creative, structured, and developmentally informed approach to therapy. Her work is especially supportive for clients who benefit from non-verbal and expressive ways of processing emotions.

Before entering the mental health field, Katya worked in medical device quality assurance and regulatory affairs, contributing a high level of organization, analytical thinking, and ethical responsibility to her clinical practice.

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Katya is multilingual and works comfortably across cultures, supporting individuals and families from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

Lauren provides Cognitive Leap with insight surrounding all things related to child and adolescent mental health. She has a private practice in the Los Angeles area that integrates play therapy and mindfulness using a range of insight-oriented and evidence-based techniques. Lauren is one of the key persons behind the design of Cognitive Leap’s treatment programs for children using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

 

Lauren earned her MSW from the University of California, Los Angeles and went on to become a certified Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist (ECMHS) as well as a Registered Play Therapist. She has created her own EMDR tools, written a children’s book about emotional regulation called “Be Mindful of Monsters,” runs the popular blog CreativePlayTherapist.com, and also serves on the Executive Board for the California Association for Play Therapy.