Thrive and Feel Therapy - Psychologist in Pasadena and Los Angeles

10/16/2025

Psychological + Neuropsychological Testing Now Available at Thrive and Feel

I have been thinking (and talking) a lot about psychological assessment lately.

Why? Because we have officially launched comprehensive psychological and neuropsychological testing at Thrive and Feel, and I could not be more excited.

These evaluations are designed to help you better understand yourself—your strengths, areas for growth, and how your mind works.

Our offerings include:
Adult autism assessments
ADHD testing
Mood and personality evaluations
High Stakes testing accommodations evaluations

We are proud to be providing therapeutic assessments, which means we have taken steps to develop a process that is neurodiversity-affirming and trauma-informed.

This expansion would not have happened without our amazing team—Lisa, Winnie, Lizbeth, Precious, and Chiara—who brought care, thoughtfulness, and joy to this process. I’m endlessly grateful.

We offer virtual assessments or in-person evaluations at our Pasadena office. Schedule a free consultation to learn more:

📞 https://www.thriveandfeelpsychology.com/work-with-me

10/15/2025

Which sitcom character are you?

Archetypes help us understand why we do what we do—and how we relate to others.

Whether you are a Seeker always chasing new paths or a Caregiver who shows up before anyone (even without being asked), your personality patterns help to define you.

As a psychologist in Pasadena, I use archetypes to help highly sensitive clients explore their inner world so that they can better regulate their emotions and improve their relationships.

Ready to understand your patterns?

Explore the 12 archetypes through the lens of your favorite sitcoms in my latest Psychology Today article:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/action-based-dbt/202509/the-12-jungian-archetypes-and-their-sitcom-alter-egos

If you are going to be doing this deep inner work, you might as well have some fun with it!

Ready for more resources from a psychologist in Pasadena?
https://www.thriveandfeelpsychology.com/sign-up

09/22/2025

Feeling like your emotions get the best of you? I have a skill that can help.

As a highly sensitive person therapist and HSP myself, I know how intense emotions can hijack your day. The DBT skill “Opposite Action” helps decrease the intensity of whatever emotion you are experiencing, which gives you more agency to make a choice (rather than just listen to your feelings).

When we act in ways that are consistent with our emotions, we reinforce those emotions (and sometimes even make them stronger). When we act in a way that is “opposite” to our emotions, we can reduce their intensity and even change them altogether.

For example, if you are feeling down and your sadness is telling you to avoid social situations and hide from everyone, practicing Opposite Action means doing the opposite of what you feel like doing.

You might go out and socialize with people, even though your sadness is saying, “I just wanna be alone and depressed!" When you do the opposite of what your emotion is urging you to do, you give that feeling less power.

Opposite Action is not about denying your feelings or pretending that they do not exist. It is about acknowledging your emotions and choosing to act in a way that's more helpful and effective.

This simple yet powerful DBT technique is a game-changer for HSPs, artists, and those who think and feel deeply.

Read the full article here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/action-based-dbt/202509/why-highly-sensitive-people-need-the-opposite-action-skill

Bonus: You do nothave to white-knuckle it alone. As a DBT Therapist in Los Angeles, I can help you build emotional regulation tools that actually work.

👉 Interested in healing through DBT Therapy Los Angeles?

Schedule a free consult here:
https://www.thriveandfeelpsychology.com/work-with-me

08/23/2025

Is being emotionally sensitive the same as being a highly sensitive person (HSP)?

Is sensitivity just drama in disguise?

Is it a weakness?

No, no, and definitely not.

In my latest article, I break down three common myths about emotionally sensitive people—including the idea that they’re the same as highly sensitive people and that their sensitivity makes them weak.

Whether you identify as an empath, a super feeler, or someone who just feels a lot—this post is for you.

Check it out here:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/action-based-dbt/202507/three-myths-about-emotionally-sensitive-people

08/19/2025

Feeling disconnected?

You’re not alone. One of the most common patterns I see as a therapist is clients pretending to feel okay when they are not actually feeling okay. Not out of dishonesty—but out of fear.

We perform happiness. We pretend we're fine. But that mask? It is often what fuels loneliness.

In my latest article, I unpack the subtle and exhausting habit of "faking it"—and offer a few gentle ways to start reconnecting with your real self.

You don't have to go through this alone.

Read here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/action-based-dbt/202507/the-problem-with-faking-it

We pretend we are OK to protect ourselves, but we pay a psychological price. Learn how to break the cycle of inauthenticity.

07/28/2025

Hello all - we have a big update!

We are now offering comprehensive psychological evaluations for adults, both in person (in Los Angeles) and virtually across California.

We have made a significant effort to develop our testing process so that it is truly trauma-informed, therapeutic, and culturally responsive. We specialize in adult autism evaluations and differential diagnosis for bipolar and psychotic spectrum disorders.

You can learn more about our assessment process on our website. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at support@thriveandfeelpsychology.com.