Sacramento Licensed Psychotherapist
Veronica Perez-Thayer, LMFT
Licensed Psychotherapist
pronouns: she, her, hers
Specialties:
Relationship Help for Couples & Individuals
Sex Therapy
Grief & Loss Counseling
I help people who feel BIG and care deeply. You know feelings are important, but right now you are feeling so overwhelmed and stuck.
You can experience more fulfillment in your life and relationships! I’m here to support you.
I’m the type of therapist who isn’t afraid to help you look deeply at your life and face the really tough stuff.
Sometimes life can feel very overwhelming!
As a therapist, I won’t just hand you some tips and tricks and send you on your way. I believe in building a strong therapeutic relationship with you as we explore the hurts, the fears, the frustrations, the dreams…all the parts of life that are important to you.
I understand that being truly cared about on a deeper level (even when we feel like we are at our worst) is the most healing experience in life–I will seek to do this for you and if you are bringing your partner to therapy, I will help you do this for each other.
I will create a warm, welcoming, and nonjudgmental space for my clients, and enjoy using authenticity, hope, empathy, and creativity as we collaborate together to identify your strengths and goals.
My path into the mental health profession was inspired by my own personal challenges in life both as an individual as well as in my family and romantic relationships.
I see the world as one large web of intertwined relationships.
In my work I help my clients acknowledge the complexity of their lives and relationships as well as identify where they may find strength, hope, and relief.
I welcome anyone regardless of their age, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, class, or ability.
My overall goal is to help my clients develop the necessary skills to create healthy and satisfying lives relationships according to their own unique beliefs and values.
My areas of expertise are:
I help hurting couples find a way through their differences to a place of love and togetherness.
When our relationships are in jeopardy, we may feel isolated, anxious, angry, sad, or confused. You may desire the relief of support from your loved one(s) however conflict or challenge has gotten in the way. We will work together to improve your connection and communication, so you can both feel more fulfilled in your relationship.
My favorite part of sex therapy is helping couples learn to talk freely and openly about their sexual desires and frustrations. Great sex starts with communication–and most of us never learned how to talk about sex with a partner without feeling super awkward, scared we’ll be judged or worried about hurting the other person’s feelings.
We’ll get to the heart of the matter in our sessions and I’ll point you in the right direction on how to have conversations or new sexual experiences with each other at home, so you can both feel happier when it comes to sex.
Many of my clients find themselves exploring themes of loss in their therapy with me. Whether it’s the death of a loved one, conflicted feelings about a recent or potential break up, or the grief that we carry when our parents weren’t able to support us the way we needed and deserved in childhood…we all experience heart-wrenching loss in our lives. I won’t tell you to get over it. Instead I’ll tenderly support you through these complicated feelings to a stronger sense of relief. We grieve because we are human…because we are capable of love. You are not alone.
And on a personal note…
I love reading and visiting bookstores, gardening, anthropology, hiking, creating art, watching horror movies, and traveling to places where I can reconnect to nature and solitude. However, what I love most is spending time with my wonderful husband and our beloved dog, 2 cats, and 2 guinea pigs.
Formal Credentials
License
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, #123137: Licensed to practice psychotherapy in California
Education
M.A., Marital and Family Therapy: Alliant International University (Sacramento & Los Angeles)
B.A., Anthropology: Oregon State University
B.A., Ethnic Studies with minor in Chicano Studies: California State University, Sacramento
Advanced Trainings/Certifications
Buehler Institute: Sex Therapy Blended Program, working towards sex therapy certification
Gottman Method Couples Therapy: Level I
Emotionally Focused Therapy with Sue Johnson: Attachment -based interventions for Couples in Crisis
Foundations of Theory & Practice of Narrative Therapy
LGBTQ Clients: Clinical Issues & Treatment Strategies
Grief Treatment Certification Course: Evidence Based Strategies for Helping Clients Make Meaning After Loss
Additional Trainings
Anti-Racism Training, Diversity & Resiliency Institute of El Paso
Discernment Counseling for Couples Considering Divorce
Brief Assessment: Working Effectively with Sex Issues & Sexual Desire Issues in Couples Therapy
NARM & Cultural Misattunement: Addressing the Impact of Cultural Trauma from Systemic Oppression
Cultural Somatics Training & Institute Ecourse
Janina Fisher on Using Neuroscience, Body-Oriented and Parts Therapy Approach to Treat Trauma
Mary Jo Barett on Relational Trauma Therapy for Transformative Results
Peter Levine on Somatic Experiencing (SE) to Heal Trauma and Stress Disorders
Pat Ogden on the Sensorimotor Approach to Healing Trauma through the Body
Bessel van der Kolk on Advanced Trauma Treatment Interventions
An Ecological and Culturally Relevant Framework for Prevention and Clinical Interventions with Latinx Populations: One Size Does Not Fit All
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