I have never found a therapist quite like Payton. She is an incredible listener, offers thoughtful…read moreinsight, and really is gifted at what she does. She created a warm and accepting environment. I have never felt judged and genuinely look forward to our sessions. I have had a variety of therapists and Payton just has something no one else has had. I highly recommend.

*after posting this review, 2 random reviews popped up in defense of this...within hours. They are…read moreboth 5 stars which leads me to believe the rest of the reviews may not be real. I am now validated in why I chose to write this. I actually came back on here to delete my review because I started feeling bad, and then when I saw the new fake reviews, I decided to leave it up. I am actually considering filing a formal complaint with the state licensing board of Psychology. I came to this therapy center based on reviews and seeking safety and understanding while navigating an extremely difficult and confusing relationship with my ex-husband, who is a covert narcissist and also works in a high powered job. In the beginning, she gained my trust, she listened, validated my experiences, and made me feel seen for the first time in a long time. I felt like I could work on the relationship despite some deeply disturbing foundational truths. However, I felt rushed to fix the relationship before addressing the financial and emotional abuse. Something felt off. I realized a few sessions in the therapist was an associate (with a supervisor), but I wasn't informed of this. It caught me by surprise that she asked her supervisor his opinion and shared that with us. I started to feel our situation was beyond her expertise. I stuck it out and over time, things shifted dramatically. After my ex had a 1:1 with her and shared his version of events, the therapist's attitude toward me changed completely. She began to dismiss my concerns, silence me so that he could speak but didn't silence him when he interrupted me, she minimized my experiences, and even reframed deeply painful events in ways that aligned with his narrative. Events that I told her in a 1:1 were beyond traumatic for me. She wanted us to co-parent which is understandable, but romanticizing my trauma was tone deaf. I left the last session feeling retraumatized, unsafe, and blamed for dynamics that were rooted in manipulation and control. He is now using me firing her against me too and has now called me bipolar. A very common thing for narcissists to say to try to devalue and confuse their victim. It's not true. Maybe he told this therapist that too and she took the bait? He's very smart and manipulative. I have trauma response that is anxiety, and once you leave a narcissist they lose their energy supply. They panic. They call you crazy and start to convince others you are. It was devastating to realize that someone I had trusted with my healing could be swayed so easily by appearances and authority, especially when working with a client already in a power-imbalanced and emotionally abusive situation. Literal facts about financial abuse and gaslighting in sessions. It was horrible. She couldn't spot this abuse. She did spot my trauma but then diminished it to please him. I share this review not out of bitterness, but to caution others: if you are leaving or recovering from a relationship with a narcissistic or manipulative partner, please make sure your therapist is deeply trauma-informed and understands the dynamics of coercive control and narcissistic abuse. Trust your gut!!! If something feels off, it probably is. Lisa assured me after I complained she would change things and take swift action, but I still fear for others who may experience this. What action would she take? How can this be prevented? Something horrible could have happened to a more fragile person. Maybe this review will save a life. Maybe Lisa did take me seriously and take action and make sure that will never happen again. But I can't risk it. I hope someone reading this will get some support from this and make sure they understand that not all therapists are skilled to handle narcissists or trauma. 1 star because Lisa did call me to apologize, she was very nice and helpful and told me she understood. (Fast forward a week I'm updating this to alert others she actually manipulated me and made promises that were not genuine. She was only trying to save her business and didn't care about me. She even sent me a ChatGPT response in her first response of my complaint and I let that go thinking maybe she was tired but now I see she didn't actually care.) I just can't not warn others...something was a miss here, and it could have ended in a very different way for someone else. Most victims of narcissists end up harming themselves because no one believes them. I will say this therapist is lucky I have another therapist outside of her and lucky that I realized what my narcissistic ex had done to her. She was so easily influenced by him, a hard lesson to learn, and luckily nothing tragic happened as a result of this manipulation taking over. Thank you for reading I hope you ask a lot of questions before booking, be very careful and make sure the therapist can pivot if needed, and make sure the therapist is a good fit first. Trust your gut.

Cathy was an absolute mastermind at helping me to assess my personal goals, to overcome some…read moredifficult obstacles and to understand the work required to get stuff accomplished and to find the discipline necessary to make these little leaps and bounds toward improving my life. I was transitioning out of a traditional, financially secure career into starting my own business. As a single woman with no financial support from anyone else, this was a daunting decision, even scary to me. When you're inundated with stress, you need someone like Cathy to help you see the forest for the trees so you will not not give up on your goals. She was able to help me find clarity, which I couldn't have done on my own. I especially like her easygoing, affable approach to communication. Now I am making a living by doing what I love (helping others find their power), and my goals are my own, not those dictated by society or tradition. Thank you, Cathy, for helping me make such fabulous changes to my life. You have a wonderful gift.

Cathy is easy to communicate with and listens to both sides for couples counseling. She has…read moreflexible schedule to accommodate busy schedules

Such an amazing safe healing space! Dyana and her staff are so kind, professional and…read moreknowledgeable. The space is beautiful, pristine and very welcoming. Best place to experience mental wellness.

Review of Dyana Ko, PMHNP - Heart + Mind Wellness…read more If I could give Dyana Ko more than five stars, I would. Words feel entirely inadequate to describe how much she has meant to me and my healing journey. For years, I lived with invisible illnesses, complex trauma, and debilitating symptoms that were repeatedly dismissed or misunderstood by providers. I experienced deep medical gaslighting--told "it's all in your head" or made to feel like I was asking too much. That cycle led to a profound mistrust of the entire medical system. Then I found Dyana. From the very first session, I felt something shift. Dyana met me not just with clinical expertise, but with genuine presence. She listens in a way that makes you feel seen. She holds space with empathy, never judgment. And most importantly--she believes me. I can confide in her without fear. She has been the first psychiatric provider who has truly understood the complexity of living with chronic illness and trauma. She doesn't offer one-size-fits-all answers--she tailors care to me, with compassion, skill, and holistic insight. She's helped me find treatment paths I didn't know were available, validated my experiences, and advocated for my wellbeing in ways no one ever has. Dyana Ko has restored something in me I thought was gone: trust. The trust that someone can actually help. The trust that I deserve care, answers, and healing. She is the rare provider who changes your life--not with a miracle cure, but with the power of being exactly what the system failed to be: safe, smart, human. If you're struggling with complex mental or physical health challenges, and you've felt dismissed or hopeless--please know that there are people like Dyana out there. She's the one.

Jenny Moon is unbiasedly, an excellent therapist and individual. It is difficult to capture in…read morewords, how skilled and gifted she is as a therapist and also as someone who provides a service. She is extremely knowledgeable and excellent in her skill set and this is made clear to you in how you experience her intuitive, deeply compassionate and effective care. It is very difficult to find a qualified, trustworthy, and experienced Asian American therapist who can understand so many of the nuances that coexist within multiple cultures and generations, and then on top of that, finding someone who you can immediately feel you can be yourself with and trust is not easy! I've seen so many friends go through therapist after therapist unsuccessfully, and I can genuinely and honestly say that Jenny's practice should not be overlooked. I've confidently referred clients to her team of amazing therapists. Book a session with her!

Jenny has helped me throughout the years and her calm, quiet strength and grace provides a safe…read morespace to open up. Everything you say has weight and you never feel like she's taking anything lightly no matter how silly you think you sound. She helps guide you through whatever journey or path you're on at that time and ensures that you feel safe while also providing you tools to feel strong and confident on your own. A true gem of a human!

After going through some major life and health events in 2019, I found myself struggling with…read moreanxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, etc., which made caring for my 2-year-old twins very difficult. I knew that I needed to talk to someone, and fast. I tried finding a therapist through my insurance, but that proved to be futile. Most therapists never even returned my call. I eventually came to terms with the fact that I was going to have to pay out-of-pocket and started focusing more on finding a therapist that would be a good fit for me personally. I came across Dr. Ruthie's profile on Yelp and started reading about her life and experience. After reading her bio, I knew that she was the therapist for me. She shared many similar life experiences, including going through cancer, and has a wealth of experience. I'm also a night owl, so the fact that she keeps later hours and does longer sessions was very appealing as well. From our first meeting, we totally hit it off! Dr. Ruthie is definitely someone that I would also love to just be friends with. She's easy to talk to, asks thoughtful and compelling questions, has practical solutions, and always keeps up with current research. I really appreciate the fact that no matter what issue or topic I bring up she is equipped with a study to base her feedback on or is able to suggest a book or article that is relevant to the topic. She is so smart and quick-witted, and has been such a huge help in getting me through the last few years. I expected therapy to be long and drawn out with me sitting and crying for hours on end, but that just isn't the way that Dr. Ruthie operates (unless that's what you need). She is very positive and very pragmatic. She is also straightforward and will call me on my BS and let me know that there may be another side to the story. She is such a comfort and our sessions fly by. She has given me so many useful tools to deal with the issues that I was having, and no matter what I'm going through or how bad I feel like a situation is, after a session with Dr. Ruthie I come out with a new perspective and with hope and practical strategies as to how I am going to move forward. I have so much love and appreciation for Dr. Ruthie and highly recommend her to anyone who is looking for a smart, kind, caring, and thoughtful partner in therapy!

My husband and I came in for couples counseling. In one discussion, we happened to mention that we…read morehold our 6 year old's hand at bedtime, for about 5-10 minutes each night. This is something that my husband and I are not disagreeing about. It was just one fact mentioned in a story. Ms Barrett interrupted the story and said that we have to stop holding her hand, because that's a problem. Three things: 1) my husband and I didn't ask for parenting advice (nor is Ms Barrett a parenting expert), 2) my husband and I aren't disagreeing about holding our daughter's hand at bedtime, and 3) we didn't need to be interrupted while talking. Ms Barrett interrupted a lot, and I didn't feel that the interruptions were for good reason. One time I wanted to talk about something slightly off topic. She interrupted me. I said I still wanted to discuss it. Afterwards, she repeated that she didn't want me to go off topic, and she "saw that coming." She does have a lot of good information though. Maybe it was just a personality difference.

I first started with Janet 16 years ago and was with her for a few years; she was instrumental in…read moremy growth at that time. I had a change in health insurance and could not see her for 10 years. I was able to get my insurance to accept outside providers and my luck had it that her name was on the list. I returned within the last two years and it has made a huge difference in my life. I have always enjoyed our visits and am thankful to have someone who cares as much as she does. She is open minded and supportive. Her approach has always been one of care and encouragement, but she won't let me run from reality either or lie to me. Sometimes the truth hurts and what what must be said to me isn't what I want to hear at that moment. But it has always proven to be the right thing for me. If I don't like what I am hearing it's typically because I'm fighting it myself; not that it isn't true. I am grateful to her guidance and constant support. She has been a blessing in my life and I don't know how things would look for me without her, but fortunately I still see her (well, phone visits while in quarantine ) regularly. She has guided me through some major moments in my life and I am happy she is back in my life during this time when I have completely different major changes happening. This review doesn't do her justice; as my words fall short of describing how I feel. She's been exactly the person I have needed by my side in life and has exceeded my hopes for the role she fills. I'm so grateful!

Be careful. If sessions are ongoing Everything is OK…read moreIf not...problems arise Its all about getting her money

Sophie was great to me! I came to her during a difficult time and her help really got me out of a…read morejam. I would really recommend her.

Wow! Sophie knows her stuff. She is extremely knowledgeable, experienced, she's not afraid to call…read moreyou out, she is real, dedicated and present. Sophie has helped me navigate many challenging chapters of my life over the years, divorce, challenges with parenting, menopause , dating and rebuilding my life as a single mother. I believe working with her has made me stronger more self aware and honest with myself. Don't no show on her tho... she will charge you and make you process it, everything with Sophie is a therapeutic process, this woman is no joke. You're lucky if you can get on her schedule.

I set an appointment for an initial consultation online, never received a call at the designated…read moretime. I thought maybe I would receive a call later that day, nothing. I called the next day during business hours, left a message regarding their missed consultation appointment, I have not received any call back, no apology, nothing. Incredibly unprofessional and disappointing as I have a child that is experiencing extreme anxiety and it seemed like this would be the perfect place to help.

I reached out to Playa Vista Counseling because i was going through a stressful time in my life -…read moreincluding work and relationship stress. I felt very taken care of from the first phone call. I had contacted a few places and they got back to me promptly and helped set up an appointment. I got real tools to manage my anxiety and my therapist helped me make changes in my life that have significantly improved it. Overall very professional and helpful