I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Registered Art Therapist, working in a private practice setting in Woodland Hills. I have a Bachelor of Sciences (BS) Degree in Child and Adolescent Development (and a minor in Graphic Design) from California State University, Northridge (CSUN). I have and currently hold a Master of Arts (MA) Degree in Psychology, with an emphasis on Marriage and Family Therapy as well as Art Therapy from Phillips Graduate Institute (PGI). I have been practicing therapy since 2010 in many capacities – from traineeship to internships to licensure, from agencies to group practice to my own private practice call The Art of MFT (which opened January 2020). My main experience has been in school-based settings, but I've also worked in shelters and transitional homes running individual sessions as well as group sessions such as support, educational, parenting, emotional management, life skills, and art therapy groups. Additionally, I've worked with children of Autism practicing Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA).
I am a Christian and bilingual therapist, in Armenian (both western and eastern dialects). I value giving back to my community as well as working within other diverse cultures and backgrounds. My passion and specialty is in working with young children (0-10) of divorce and abuse/domestic violence who many be experiencing anxiety, depression, anger, or fear of abandonment. I utilize a unique combination of therapies, making me an eclectic therapist. For example, I utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Narrative Therapy, Attachment Therapy, in addition to Expressive Arts Therapies such as Art Therapy. I am a certified SoulCollage® Group Facilitator as well as a Domestic Violence and Grief Specialist.
The Art of MFT was founded in the principle that there is an art to Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT), an art to the psychotherapy process. While the field of psychology and it’s related theories and methods are a science, there is an art to how and when we apply them to support our clients in a meaningful and purposeful way. No two clients are alike so care is always individualized and created based on their needs. I believe the most important art of therapy is how we build and maintain a healthy relationship between therapist and client. My goal is to be warm, creative, compassionately listen and, at times, even utilize humor to aid in building rapport and trust with my clients as a solid foundation to begin work from. There is an art to balancing this compassion while also providing your child the tools to need to grow and heal from within. My dream is to inspire and instill hope in children so that they can lead healthier and more resilient lives. My mission is helping children look up and into their future with less worry and fear and more confidence and happiness.
