| Kris Topaz, MFT, M.A., MFT License No. 34269 Areas of professional interest include Adolescents, Children, Communication Skills, Couples Counseling, Depression, Families. Language(s) spoken include English, Spanish. |
| kristopaz@sbcglobal.net | |||
| Office |
|
||
| Theoretical Orientations: Humanistic/Existential Therapy | |||
| Ms. Topaz comes from a background of teaching people from birth to adult prior to receiving her second Master�s Degree in Marriage, Family and Child Counseling. During that period she provided energy balancing healing, taught courses in meditation and healing, and taught in public schools. After 14 years in foster care, she continues to express her passion toward emotional wellness in her private psychotherapy practice, healing practice and teaching at the University of Phoenix and Gerry Grossman Seminars. Ms. Topaz serves as pro-bono Clinical Director, L.A. Chapter, A Home Within and as a director on the Board of Directors, AAMFT Ca. Division. She also volunteers her services as a supervisor at a local mental health center. Read more about Ms. Topaz at www.LIFEcounselinggroup.org. Tambien proveo sicoterapia en espanol. About therapy with me � A friend once described herself as "old as dirt" and it stuck in my memory as a humorous way of listing background references. I don't claim to have wisdom but I do believe that life experience is a good teacher. As I reach out to you who are seeking greater personal stability or growth, I offer not only my studies, but my integrated life experiences. I have gathered and want to give to you. I will walk strongly with you as you explore your path. I will support you when the path is rocky and I will caringly push you when you feel like stopping. If you feel lost, I will guide you to discovering your own way. Then you will celebrate because you did it! Emotional traumas are not "just in your head". You can't just "get over it" until the issues are understood, mourned, confronted, chewed up and spit out. Emotions are powerful and have a life of their own separate from the mind. Emotions release stress hormones which affect the body. I am here to offer you a symbolic shoulder to cry on, intelligent reflection of the issues, and guided processing to assist your mind in getting back in the driver?s seat while still respecting the emotional self. We might reframe how you see the situation, do spiritual connection work, a ceremony as our ancient memories yearn, or just cry and talk, talk, talk it out. I might tell you to "get over it" if you are ruminating, and help you to get a Life. Learn about positive thinking, use imagery and visualization, notice patterns and symbolic events and become aware of the various aspects of the Self. We have a nurturing parent inside, a critical parent, a child, an adult, and other aspects with which to dialogue. Let's get someone constructive in charge and enjoy life to the fullest! As a healer and minister I have treated many health conditions and terminal illnesses with Hands-on-Energy-Balancing Healing. I worked in hospitals, healing centers and presided over many marriages and funerals. I provided CEUs to nurses and taught in two training centers for the Healing Arts. Energy exists; use it well! I treat problems with children through you, their adult. It takes two to tango. I will assist you in changing the games the two of you are engaged in. I have been working with children for 45 years through clinical settings, infant-toddler centers, preschools, daycare, and public schools. As a foster care social worker, I worked with children in foster homes and provided trainings to foster parents for 14 years. As a Marriage and Family Therapist, I have over 10 years of experience providing psychotherapy to individuals, families and children. I was approved by L.A. Dept. of Probation and provided therapy to teens on probation. I am a Medi-Cal provider treating children with medical conditions for California Children?s Services. I supervise interns at a community clinic, and I also teach in the counseling and psychology programs for the University of Phoenix. I teach CE and exam prep courses for Gerry Grossman Seminars. I also have years of experience providing psychotherapy in English or Spanish for patients treated with medications for conditions such as anxiety disorders, Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder and OCD. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a serious disorder or if you think that you or a loved one may need help for a serious condition, I will work with your psychiatrist to provide mental health services to compliment the medical services. As a LMFT since 1997, I have provided therapy to children who have been victims of crimes and to adults who have been victimized. I have been deemed an "expert witness" in the Dependency Court of Los Angeles because of my experience treating victims of crime. If you or someone you know are a victim of a crime, the State of California may pay for your therapy. I offer you gentle but firm help to assist you in healing from the multi-faceted traumas. My purpose in life is to enjoy and teach others to enjoy! | |||
