Stephanie Guzman Lopez

My name is Stephanie A. Guzman Lopez; I am first generation bilingual (English/Spanish) Latina Licensed Clinical Social worker providing psychotherapy services in California. I use various therapeutic approaches to best support my clients in reaching their mental health goals. I am a client center and use Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic, Solution Focused, Trauma Focused, and Evidence-Based techniques (such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) to improve the client's mental health.

My approach

While working with each person, I like to take the time to hear the person's narrative. This allows the person to become an expert in their own life, experience, and story. By telling their stories we can identify the hidden lifelong patterns that are currently impacting their behavior and thinking in their everyday life. Once exposed we can begin to break down those patterns/habits. I combine numerous therapeutic approaches depending on each person's needs. I believe in creating a non-judgment, strong-therapeutic alliance where the client feels comfortable identifying their own mental health goal they wish to achieve.

My focus

I have experience working with clients who present with mild to moderate mental health needs. I have worked with clients in a short-term framework to even long-term services. I have experience working with teens, young adults, adults, and their families involved in the children from middle school to transitional age youth and adulthood. My training as a therapist has helped address a wide range of mental health issues, such as trauma, anxiety, depression, family conflict, acculturation, adjustment, life transitions, and intergenerational/first-generation issues.

My communication style

I utilize active listening to provide each client with a safe and supportive space to communicate their needs and process their feelings. I communicate in a caring, supportive, yet direct way to help maximize our time working together and help bring up challenging conversations that need to be addressed. I have great communication in and out of sessions. I respond to emails/calls/text prompts and communicate with my clients about any upcoming changes or concerns.

My journey to mental healthcare

As a child, I often had questions and always wondered why people do what they do. My interest in mental health services began when I was in high school after I took my first psychology course. In college, I began taking a few additional courses and soon realized my career path. That was solidified when I began to use mental health services to address my needs. The experience was eye-opening as I soon realized how helpful Mental Health services can be and how Mental Health is everywhere. After I realized how helpful Mental Health services were for me, I wanted to help people experience and get the help that I got when I needed them. As a first-generation Latina woman, I want to be part of breaking the stigma surrounding Mental Health that limited my family from accessing those services when they needed them.

My goals for you

My caring and compassionate personality helps create a trusting, non-judgment, and collaborative relationship where the clients can feel comfortable exploring their own areas of improvement that they wish to address. I support my client in identifying and utilizing their strengths while building new skills and achieving meaningful changes they wish to see. I believe the client is the expert. It is the therapist's role to empower each client by supporting them in working together to achieve a common goal.

My first session with you

During the initial session, I like to take the time to know more about the client's interests, strengths, and needs. I tend to ask many direct questions to ensure that I am the best fit to address your mental health needs. I also take this time for the client to get to know me and ensure that this is a good fit for both of us. The first session is used as a screening session, it tends to be more laid back with not so many therapeutic approaches being used, many questions being asked, and we begin to explore the clients' mental health goals that they wish to address.