Welcome to my resource page!
Please read the disclaimer, especially with regard to the use of this page.
I do not receive any monetary or other compensation for any of the listings here. The conduct or information of any individual or organization listed below is solely their own responsibility, not mine.
***Note: Please do not contact me and request for your resource, agency, business or organization to be included on this resource page.***
General Resources:
Suicide Prevention Hotline: (800)273-8255 in Spanish: (800) SUICIDA (800-784-2432)
Trans Suicide Prevention Hotline: Website and hotline/lifeline staffed 24/7 by trans people for trans people.
877-565-8860
LA County Resource Line: staffed 24/7; provides referrals to food, clothing, shelter, and many other resources. Call 2-1-1, or check out their website.
In Long Beach, the Jewish Community Center offers affordable counseling and many other family/community services. There is no requirement to be of Jewish heritage or culture, in order to join or participate in the programs offered.
The Center in Long Beach also provides a variety of programs and services to the community. Many of this agency’s services are designed to support LGBTQI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, queer, and/or intersex) persons and their specific needs.
Trauma:
Many people ask me what they could read to better inform themselves regarding trauma and somatic psychotherapy. Peter Levine’s “In An Unspoken Voice” is the first book I usually recommend, because it is so thorough, well-researched and inclusive of so many different schools of healing. It’s dense, but accessible and a great read.
Somatic Experiencing: The Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute website includes a practitioner directory.
Hakomi: The Hakomi Institute is a gentle form of somatic trauma therapy: sort of a cousin to SE.
Bodynamics: The Bodynamics approach to trauma healing was founded in Denmark. It works with human developmental stages, and the associated muscles for each new function that comes on line as the child grows. Bodynamics informs the work of many SE practitioners.
Car Accidents: For those suffering from the traumatic aftereffects of auto accidents: Dr. Heller’s previous book, co-authored with his ex-wife, Diane Poole Heller, is a wonderful work that can be used conjunctively with somatic psychotherapy. “Crash Course” provides education and guidance to help the body release the traumatic residue of auto accidents.
Developmental Trauma: Drs. Larry Heller and Aline LaPierre are both very experienced practitioners of somatic psychotherapy. They co-authored a book called Healing Developmental Trauma. This book describes some of the core dynamics of developmental trauma, and goes into some of the approaches to heal it.
Kathy Kain and Steve Terrell have authored a wonderful book called “Nurturing Resilience“. In it they describe the foundations of their work in healing developmental trauma. Since babies’ cognitive, memory and verbal systems are still developing, early developmental trauma is stored in the deepest layers of the bodymind. Their approach supports trauma resolution at these deepest levels. I am trained in their work and I do not receive anything for posting this information here.
Developmental shock trauma: You can find a wonderful article about it here. It’s written by two master SE practitioners, who are also informed by the contributions of Bodynamics: Dr. Raja Selvam and Dr. Lori Parker. Freeze Response: Dr. Leon F. Seltzer wrote a wonderful article for Psychology Today about trauma and the freeze response. He does a great job of explaining why we might go into immobility, even at times when this response works directly against our best interests.
Conforming to Social Pressures: Joe Brewer has written a wonderful piece about the profound stress on our physiology, when we go against whatever the predominant culture is doing. Those of us who have ever found ourselves on the outside, for any of a multitude of reasons, may find it exciting and validating to see that someone is actually writing about this!
Complex PTSD: Pete Walker, LMFT, lives in Berkeley, CA. He’s a specialist in Complex PTSD, and has written extensively about the topic. Some of my clients have found his work very helpful as an adjunct to the work they have done in my office. In addition to his books, his website provides copious information about the disorder and his body of work.
Attachment: Jeremy McAllister is a Hakomi trained therapist in Portland, OR. He wrote a two part article for GoodTherapy.org explaining the dance of anxious/avoidant attachment. I consider this article a masterpiece. It takes the concepts out of dry academia and into the felt experience of everyday people. His GoodTherapy page (linked above) contains links to many excellent articles he’s written on trauma and attachment.
Diane Poole Heller has long served as a Somatic Experiencing faculty member. Her work, Dynamic Attachment Repatterning Experience, blends her deep knowledge of human development, the autonomic nervous system, and trauma responses. I have found it a very helpful guide to helping the body unwind old defensive adaptations that get in the way of current personal relationships.
Children: For parents and other adults working with kids, there are two versions of a book written by Peter Levine and Maggie Kline (who was my own SE teacher). “Trauma-Proofing Your Kids” is the condensed, layman-friendly version, whereas “Trauma Through a Child’s Eyes” is more extensive and research oriented. Both are wonderful resources for helping children develop and access their own inner resources to build resilience in the face of adversity.
How climate change can impact children’s mental health, an article on eco-anxiety and other consequences of climate change for children.
Stress and Illness: Dr. Gabor Mate is a Hungarian born physician who lives and works in Canada. He uses a harm reduction model, and he works with multiply diagnosed persons who have mental illness and addiction. Dr. Mate wrote a book describing the relationships between trauma, stress and major disease processes. “When The Body Says No” draws on case examples, copious research and physiology. In my opinion, it’s very brief regarding potential remedies for the stress-processing problems he describes in such detail. Please keep in mind that somatic psychotherapies are designed to re-regulate the chronic stress response (and lifestyle). Outside of this publication, Dr. Mate has become somewhat controversial for his advocacy of ayahuasca in the treatment of PTSD. This is a stance which I personally do not agree with. I see the somatic psychotherapies as a much more gentle and less dangerous manner of metabolizing the stuck traumatic memories and responses.
The Importance of Sleep: “Sleepless in America” is a free online documentary I recommend to nearly all of my clients. It was produced in partnership with the National Institutes of Health (USA). Basically, they want this information to get out there, about how incredibly vital it is to get enough sleep. If you haven’t watched it–please do. Here is a review and one link to the video.
Disability and Ability:
It is always important to be an ally to those who are living with various disabilities. According to the CDC, one in four Americans lives with a disability (61 million adults). Acquired disability can happen to anyone at any time! Even if it doesn’t happen to a particular individual in their lifetime, here are some opportunities to become more empathetic and aware:
Resource Center: Long Beach is home to the Disabled Resource Center, founded in 1976 to support maximum independence, decision making and self advocacy for people with disabilities.
Developmental Disabilities: Harbor Regional Center will always hold a very dear place in my heart for the many years I worked there (1994-2000) as a case manager. Persons with developmental disabilities (congenital or aquired prior to age 18) are entitled to lifelong support, case management and advocacy services. HRC also supports a thriving community of developmentally disabled folks and those who love them.
Traumatic Brain Injury: The Betty Clooney Center in Long Beach was founded to support those with Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI). They don’t seem to have a web page of their own, but this resource list for TBI at traumaticbraininjury.com, lists their contact information.
Student Services: At California State University, Long Beach, there is a Disabled Students Services Center to provide support with things such as counseling, accommodations, etc. It also has the Bob Murphy Access Center.
Chronic Pain: Maggie Phillips and Peter Levine have co-authored “Freedom from Pain”. The book details how to work with and deactivate the nervous system’s “loops” of chronic pain.
Disability Advocacy and Social Justice:
Crutches and Spice: Imani Barbarin has created a clear, concise and extremely informative webpage called Crutches And Spice. She “writes from the perspective of a black woman with Cerebral Palsy.” I have just begun to peruse her spicy writings about the daily struggles of folks with various disabilities, and the way the larger systems have failed them time and again. I am grateful for the nascent understanding she is helping me build.
Disability Visibility: Alice Wong’s Disability Visibility Project is a compendium of writings interviews, books, podcasts and other resources regarding disability. Her company, Disabilitiy Visibility LLC, “offers a range of research and consultation services centered on disabled people.”
Demystifying Disability: Emily Ladau is a writer, speaker and activist in the disabled community. Her book “Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say and How to be an Ally” is a guide to being a thoughtful and informed ally for disabled people.
Exploring Identities and Antidiscrimination Work: Van Ethan Levy, LMFT, LPCC, has created a workbook to assist people in exploring our feelings, beliefs, thoughts and internalized constructs, around our identities. Some aspects of our identities may include gender, cultural, racial, neurodiversity, and many other variables. This book is designed for all people, not limited to people with any particular traits or variables. Van’s information and explanations are delivered in a nonjudgmental, non-charged, very clear way that affords readers the opportunity to do internal work in a safe space. The interplay between writing things down in the workbook, re-reading it and receiving more insights, can also be a helpful journaling process.
Ecopsychology:
Ecotherapy: This wonderful book by Linda Buzzell and Craig Chalquist (who is also mentioned above) is a primer and overview on the many facets of healing the relationship between humans and our environment. I can’t recommend it strongly enough!
Dr. Andy Fisher’s book, Radical Ecopsychology, is a sensitive, in depth look at the academic and practical aspects of healing our wounded and destructive relationship to Planet Earth.
Eco-Anxiety: the feelings of dread, anxiety, worry, anger, terror (etc) about the ongoing destruction of the natural world. This is a very normal reaction to the ongoing destruction of the earth’s life support systems. Dr. Craig Chalquist offers realistic hope for the survival of our biosphere, as well as guidance in facing all that we must face to heal the wounding we’re causing. Be sure to check out his YouTube video called “Apacohope List.”
Suicide: Education and PreventionInformation and understanding are the most powerful tools we have against suicide. The website of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill has a helpful section to begin to orient loved ones to suicide prevention. The CDC’s website also has a page with a lot of resources for information, education and organizations dedicated to preventing suicide and supporting survivors.
Touch in Psychotherapy:Zur Institute’s Ethics of Touch in Psychotherapy.Another article from the Zur Institute regarding the use of touch in therapy.
Inpatient Treatment Programs:
Del Amo Hospital Trauma Treatment Program, Torrance, CA: Note: To my knowledge, this program does not offer a comprehensive somatically based treatment of trauma, except that it may employ some somatically trained therapists as consultants. However, it is a well-known program which offers trauma treatment and accepts various forms of insurance. It offers partial hospitalization and outpatient follow-up.
The Meadows, Wickenberg, AZ: Nationally known program for treating trauma and addictions. I am told that this program does incorporate some Somatic Experiencing ® into its program; and Dr. Peter Levine is a Senior Fellow and clinical consultant there:Sierra Tuscon: Nationally known program for the treatment of addictive and behavioral disorders. I believe this program does incorporate some Somatic Experiencing (R).
Lido Wellness Center is a relatively new intenstive outpatient program in Newport Beach, CA. Its director, Dr. Lesley Tate-Gould, is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, and they do offer SE as one of their treatment modalities.
Reconnect Los Angeles is a local treatment center specializing in the treatment of trauma, including Somatic Experiencing.
Redgate Memorial Treatment Center provides detox and multiple other modalities of addiction treatment, and my understanding is that it is able to work with persons with reduced access to health insurance or other financial resources.
Professional Organizations:
Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute: The SETI website is new and improved, offering more information about Somatic Experiencing, SE training for practitioners, blogs, current events, etc.
Dr. Peter Levine’s personal website provides updates on the trainings, seminars and publications offered by the founder of Somatic Experiencing.
United States Association of Body Psychotherapy (USABP):
USABP code of ethics for body psychotherapists:
Ofer Zur Institute: Noted researcher regarding ethics and other aspects of psychotherapy.Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk, noted trauma researcher and colleague of Dr. Levine.
Dr. Stephen Porges, developer of the Polyvagal Theory, regarding the role of the vagus nerve in social engagement, fight/flight, and freeze states.
Child and Elder Abuse: General Information: Awareness is key to preventing and stopping abuse and its potentially terrible after-effects.
Child abuse is a crime in the state of California, and I am a legally mandated reporter of child abuse, or any reasonable suspicion thereof. People who have knowledge or a suspicion of child abuse in Los Angeles County, are encouraged to call the Department of Children and Family Services at (800)540-4000. In Orange County, the number is (714)940-1000. Please consult the internet or yellow pages for local referrals in other geographic areas.
Here is a link to some helpful resource information posted by DCFS LA County.CAMFT may be contacted at (858)292-2638, for those desiring further information on the subject.
Abuse of elder and/or dependent adults is also a crime in California, and I am also a legally mandated reporter of this type of abuse. An elder adult is a person 65 years of age or older. A dependent adult is someone over the age of 18, who is dependent on others’ care and/or mentally/physically impaired. This includes people with developmental disabilities.
Reporting elder/dependent adult abuse: Here is a link to Adult Protective Services in each California county.Did you know that elder abuse can also include self-neglect?