Verenice Rivera

Hello/Hola! My name is Verenice Rivera. I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I work with children, teens, adults, and families utilizing an integrative approach, tailoring my sessions based on the needs of my clients. I work with strengths-based approaches to address emotional and mental health needs. Focus areas of practice include but are not limited to Life Skills, Emotional Regulation, Healthy Relationships, Mood Management, Self-development, Behavioral Issues, Coping Skills, Anxiety, Depression, Family Conflict, Grief, ADHD, School Issues, Parenting, Relationship issues, Self Esteem, Self-harming, Life stresses, OCD, Trauma and PTSD.

My approach

My approach is to use tools from several best practice therapy models depending on my clients' needs. Such models include EMDR, Psychoanalysis and Psychodynamic, Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Client-centered Therapy, Integrative or Holistic Therapy, Therapeutic Play, Solution Focused, and Family System Therapy.

My focus

I have worked with children, teens, adolescents, adults, and families for many years. I have a passion for working with clients with Anxiety, Depression, Mood Disorders, and Trauma. I love the excitement of helping clients explore their goals and drawing a map for how to achieve them. We will figure out what skills are needed to build and address any barriers. As collaborators, we will find a creative way to overcome limitations that have kept you from being the best version of yourself. Together we will bring clarity to questions where clients feel stuck and create a plan that is unique to the client.

My communication style

I work to build a strong rapport with my clients so they feel comfortable, never rushing, and using psycho-education to teach and validate the clients, interventions to process their story, and skills to help the client utilize as needed. I create a safe environment where confidentiality is paramount. I am compassionate and will treat you with respect and care. I strive to understand clients' values and will always treat them with equality and dignity. I am a bilingual Spanish/English speaker.

My journey to mental healthcare

I graduated from California Baptist University (CBU) in 2019 with a master's in Counseling Psychology. I have many years of working in group homes, residential facilities, and with at-risk youth which sparked my passion for learning more about Mental Health and helping others gain a better understanding while normalizing mental health. I always had a passion for hearing and supporting others in times of need or distress. I strive to help others become the best version of themselves and work on growing emotionally and mentally to live a happier life.

My goals for you

I approach goals in a collaborative way. It will be a slow process as I enjoy getting to know my clients beyond their symptoms and experiences. I strive to approach goals to be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and specific to each client's needs. Together we will plan steps that can be taken to obtain goals and update as needed.

My first session with you

In our first session, clients should expect a supportive and safe environment. I will initiate rapport building in hopes of building a strong therapeutic alliance. I like to normalize that it can be weird, awkward, and anxiety-producing to meet a therapist. I will provide a clear understanding of what our session will look like. I will ask open-ended questions to know what has been going on and get to know each other a little better. I will provide clarification to any questions the client may have, conduct a focused diagnostic evaluation, provide feedback to the client, and share the initial plan.