Dr. Bill Cloke Psychotherapist

11/30/2025

Emotions can run high for the holidays. Hurt feelings can pop out of the woodwork when we least expect it. To keep our sanity there are a few things to keep in mind going into this yule tide season... https://billcloke.com/anxiety/three-tips-to-remember-during-the-holidays/

The purpose of psychotherapy is to understand what you want and need to make your life more producti

08/15/2025

Box boys

08/13/2025

Over the years, working with countless couples, I’ve seen one truth rise above all others—the health of a relationship isn’t measured by the absence of conflict, but by the ability to resolve it with care, respect, and understanding. That’s why I developed this simple approach I call WAVE: It’s not about being perfect. It’s about having a roadmap when things get tough. https://billcloke.com/therapy/riding-the-wave-a-real-path-to-conflict-resolution/

07/17/2025

We begin relationships with hope, kindness, and passion—but sustaining that warmth over years takes more than just good intentions. It takes awareness, effort, and a willingness to grow—both together and individually. https://billcloke.com/couples/how-to-make-love-last-the-quiet-work-of-staying-connected/

When we talk about making relationships last, we’re really asking a deeper question—how do we help love endure? It’s not about just staying together under one roof or marking anniversaries on a calendar. It’s about keeping that emotional bond alive through the inevitable storms life sends ou...

06/25/2025

2025 has been quite a year and we are only halfway through it. We lost our home in the Palisades fires and then the whole world caught fire. From wars around the globe to civil unrest at home, how are we all supposed to stay sane in all this? https://billcloke.com/anxiety/how-to-find-sanity-in-an-insane-world/

I grew up during the cold war and the communist scare. Civil rights demonstrations, free speech and segregation were the problems of that time. When we were all demonstrating and fighting for justice and change. We came together; we had hope for the future. A future where differences were more accep...

06/09/2025

Disaster doesn’t knock before it enters your life—it arrives uninvited, turning everything familiar into something unrecognizable. One moment, you’re stepping out the door like you have for years, and the next, life as you know it is gone. https://billcloke.com/psychology/finding-your-way-through-disaster-a-journey-of-loss-love-and-resilience/

Over 30 years of experience as a licensed psychotherapist and marriage & family therapist in Los Angeles successfully treating individuals + couples with a wide range of behavioral & emotional issues.

03/23/2025

11/14/2024

All couples experience conflict, and accepting that conflict is a natural process is an important step toward creating intimacy. Conflict resolution is a vital dynamic in creating lasting love, which is why I wrote the "6 Steps to Conflict Resolution" You can download it here. https://billcloke.com/all-services/conflict-resolution/

11/02/2024

Ben Franklin once said, “Choose your shoes and bed wisely because you will be in one or the other all your life.” I could add your LIFE PARTNER to that quote. https://billcloke.com/conflict-resolution/when-choosing-a-life-partner/

09/18/2024

Relationships are not superficial; they are incredibly complex. We bring our whole life experience to the table, including a myriad of defenses, the important ones being projection and entitlement. One of the tools I often use is the metaphor of living in a time capsule, the Yellow Submarine. Understanding & acknowledging these emotional memories can be a key to managing conflicts in relationships. https://billcloke.com/therapy/we-all-live-in-a-yellow-submarine/

04/08/2024

The oldest theme in literature is man’s inhumanity to man. Whether it is at a macro level like in Ukraine or the Middle East, or on a micro level in vicious and cruel relationships within ourselves and towards others. At the root of it is heartlessness. Here is how we attain "heart" and find peace.
https://billcloke.com/depression/my-own-worst-enemy/