Individual & Couples Therapy
Culturally-sensitive care for healing relationships and trauma.
Marica Thomas, AMFT
My Approach
I believe that therapy is a truly personal experience. The decision to seek support is a courageous one. As your therapist, I feel the privilege of being allowed into your life in a way that you may have not allowed others to be. My approach is customized to each of my clients because each one of us is on our own personal journey. My treatments are rooted in psychodynamic, humanistic, and family systems theories. Based on your individual goals and needs, I may integrate mindfulness-based interventions, narrative therapy interventions, or evidence-based therapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
For the past 12 years, I have been a licensed practitioner of Chinese medicine which has given me a unique perspective on how our emotional state and our physical health are connected. As both a therapist and an alternative health care provider, I seek to find the roots of your challenges to help you create more balance in your life. I treat adults, couples, blended families, and non-traditional families. I have worked with clients struggling with trauma, substance abuse and recovery, grief and loss, relationship distress, anxiety, and depression.
Whether you may be working through trauma, relationship issues, family conflict, co-dependent behavior, or simply seeking greater empowerment within your everyday life; I am here to support you on your journey of personal growth with a blend of empathy, a holistic view focused on healing the mind, body, and spirit, cultural and ethnic awareness, and evidence-based therapy.
Qualifications & Training
Education & Training
I graduated with an M.A. in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Pepperdine University. I have a Master Degree in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (MAOM) from Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCUHS) and have been practicing Chinese medicine since 2010. For 7 years, I worked as an acupuncturist at an internationally known residential drug and alcohol treatment facility in Malibu, California. As an adjunct clinician in Malibu, I supported clients through recovery from substance abuse, anxiety, depression, trauma, and debilitating physical pain. I have also completed training in Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
Professional Development
After earning a B.A. in Film Studies from U.C. Berkeley, I decided I must travel. I earned a TEFL certificate to teach English as a foreign language and traveled to Mexico, Europe, and Japan working as a teacher. Living in different countries promoted a cultural awareness and growth within myself that I could not learn from a book. Upon my return home, I began to work with children, first as a special education aid for developmentally delayed children then as a residential counselor and supervisor at a group home for at-risk youth.
The thought of pursuing a career in mental health really took hold at this point. Along the way, I managed to also work as a copywriter at various websites contributing creative content. I believe that creative expression is an integral part of overall well-being. The need to begin focusing on mental and emotional well-being became even stronger as I began working with those struggling with substance abuse. Expanding my ability to help others became and remains my focus. My work as a therapist is my way to help make the world a more gentle place.
Specialty Areas of Practice
Trauma
Experiencing some type of trauma in one’s lifetime is an unfortunate part of the human experience; however, the strength and resilience one can feel once they overcome the consequences of trauma is powerful. Trauma comes in many forms and can affect how we experience the world, how safe we feel in our environment, and how we attach to others. The results of these painful experiences can have multiple negative impacts on our physical health, an increased risk of addiction, difficulties with employment or life direction, symptoms of anxiety and depression, or a significantly increased risk of self-harm. My goals are to create a safe space for my clients to speak about their experiences, provide support and coping skills to ultimately help them overcome the past, and assist them in achieving post-traumatic growth.
Couples Counseling
Committing to a long-term romantic partnership can feel incredibly blissful, at times, while also creating deep dissatisfaction at other times. When life stressors, past trauma, and attachment styles intersect within the life of a couple, they can create pressure and conflict that may feel insurmountable. Through a combination of psychodynamic exploration of early family experiences, Gottman Method, and EFT, I help couples identify how early childhood experiences/family dynamics may be influencing their current relationship. I teach communication styles that can improve your experience with your partner, create empathy for your partner, and promote understanding of how you may be activating old wounds from past trauma within your partner.
Multicultural Issues
Those who identify as first generation American, immigrant, disabled, a religious majority/minority, LGBTQI, bi-racial, multi-racial, non-binary, or a person of color may not feel that their voice is being heard, even in a society that claims to embrace diversity. The experience of being “otherized” can have a profound effect on our sense of self. Navigating through a dominant culture while maintaining the cultural values and norms that contribute to our unique self can be difficult while stirring up intense emotions at the same time. The consequences of this conflict can result in rejection, isolation, questioning one’s identity, and an internal struggle between individual desires and responsibility to one’s cultural family. I work with many diverse clients who desire to honor their culture while resolving conflicts that arise within their interpersonal relationships through exploring differences, strengths, and the impacts of social injustice.