Frequently Asked Questions

Anxiety can affect many areas of daily life, from relationships and work performance to sleep, self-esteem, and emotional well-being. An anxiety therapist can help individuals understand the causes of their anxiety, develop healthier coping skills, and create lasting emotional balance. 

This therapy is designed to help individuals identify the thoughts, emotions, and experiences that contribute to feelings of anxiety. Through a supportive therapeutic relationship, clients can gain greater awareness of their emotional patterns and learn practical strategies to manage distress more effectively.

The process often begins with discussing current concerns, symptoms, personal history, and factors that may be contributing to stress. As therapy progresses, clients work toward understanding the root causes of anxiety while developing healthier ways of responding to difficult situations.

Because every person is different, therapy is customized to fit individual needs rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.

For people who feel overwhelmed by persistent worry, fear, tension, or uncertainty, working with Dr. Yvonne Thomas, PhD can provide valuable support and guidance.

What Makes Professional Support Helpful?

Many people attempt to manage anxiety on their own for years before seeking help. While self-help techniques can be useful, professional counseling provides a safe environment where deeper emotional issues can be explored.

Benefits of therapy may include:

Increased emotional awareness
Improved stress management skills
Better communication in relationships
Greater self-confidence
Enhanced problem-solving abilities
Reduced feelings of overwhelm
Healthier responses to uncertainty

Working with a trained professional can also help individuals recognize patterns that may not be obvious from their own perspective.

What Types of Anxiety Can Therapy Address?

Anxiety can appear in many forms. Some people experience constant worrying, while others struggle with specific fears, social discomfort, panic symptoms, or ongoing nervousness that interferes with daily activities.

Therapy can help individuals experiencing:

Generalized anxiety
Social anxiety
Excessive worry
Panic attacks
Relationship-related anxiety
Career-related stress
Performance anxiety
Anxiety connected to major life events

The goal is not simply to eliminate uncomfortable feelings but to help individuals develop a healthier relationship with their emotions and challenges.

Feeling successful on paper while privately questioning whether you deserve your achievements can be exhausting. Imposter syndrome therapy in Los Angeles can provide a structured setting to understand persistent self-doubt, perfectionism, and fear of being exposed as inadequate. 

Dr. Yvonne Thomas works individually with clients to explore these patterns and develop healthier ways of thinking, feeling, and responding.


What is imposter syndrome, and how do I know if I need therapy for it?
Imposter syndrome describes a recurring pattern in which capable people have difficulty accepting their accomplishments as evidence of competence. If self-doubt repeatedly interferes with work, relationships, confidence, or well-being, therapy can help you understand the pattern and develop more balanced ways to evaluate yourself.
Common signs of imposter feelings
Imposter syndrome symptoms can look different from person to person, but common experiences include:

Attributing accomplishments primarily to luck, timing, connections, or outside help rather than ability.
Feeling like a fraud despite receiving positive feedback, promotions, successful projects, or other evidence of competence.
Worrying that coworkers, clients, supervisors, audiences, or other people will eventually discover that you are not as capable as they believe.
Overpreparing for routine responsibilities because making a mistake feels unacceptable.
Setting exceptionally high standards and treating anything less than perfection as failure.
Avoiding opportunities because you fear you will not perform well enough.

High-achieving professionals and creatives may be especially reluctant to seek self-doubt therapy Los Angeles residents can access because they may assume that needing support means they are not resilient. In reality, therapy can be useful even when someone is functioning well externally. 

The goal is not to convince you that every decision you make is perfect. It is to help you assess your abilities more realistically and respond to setbacks without automatically turning them into evidence that you do not belong.

Dr. Thomas’s individual counseling can address low self-esteem, perfectionism, fear of failure or success, career concerns, anxiety, and related concerns that may reinforce imposter feelings. 
How does a therapist in Los Angeles help with low self-esteem and self-doubt?
A self-esteem therapist Los Angeles clients can work with may help uncover the beliefs and experiences that make accomplishments difficult to internalize. Dr. Thomas can use an integrative approach, including cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic techniques, to examine inaccurate thinking, understand deeper patterns, and practice more realistic self-assessment.
Connecting present reactions with earlier experiences
Therapy for low self-esteem can begin by identifying what happens immediately before self-critical thoughts appear. A client might receive praise and immediately dismiss it, make a small mistake and conclude they are incompetent, or enter a competitive environment and assume everyone else is more qualified. These reactions can become automatic over time.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques can help identify thinking patterns such as all-or-nothing conclusions, catastrophizing, and other inaccurate interpretations. Instead of replacing a negative thought with forced positivity, the work can focus on developing a statement that is more accurate. 

For example, “I made an error on this project” is different from “I am not capable of doing this job.”

Psychodynamic work can add another layer by exploring how earlier relationships, childhood experiences, significant events, or longstanding emotional patterns may have influenced self-perception. 

Dr. Thomas describes psychodynamic therapy as a way to increase self-awareness and understand unconscious motivations and past experiences that can shape current behavior and emotions.


Turning insight into practical change
Sessions can also focus on what you do when self-doubt appears. You may examine whether you overwork, avoid asking questions, reject compliments, procrastinate, seek repeated reassurance, or withdraw from opportunities. Recognizing these behaviors can make it easier to choose a different response.

Remember: when it comes to imposter syndrome therapy in Los Angeles, the objective is not simply to feel confident every moment. A more useful goal may be developing the ability to tolerate uncertainty, recognize genuine strengths, accept constructive criticism, and continue pursuing meaningful goals without requiring constant proof of worth. 

That combination of insight and practical skill-building can make therapy relevant to everyday professional and personal decisions.
Why are professionals and entertainment creatives in Los Angeles particularly prone to imposter syndrome?
Los Angeles combines competitive careers, highly visible success, frequent comparison, and industries where opportunities can be unpredictable. Professionals may measure themselves against executives, entrepreneurs, or peers, while entertainment creatives can face auditions, pitches, networking, and inconsistent feedback. 

Los Angeles professional therapy can provide a private place to examine those pressures without reducing them to personal weakness.
The pressure to keep proving yourself
In competitive environments, achievement can become difficult to experience as an accomplishment because the next goal appears immediately. A promotion can lead to a larger responsibility. 

A successful project can create pressure to repeat the result. A creative opportunity can be followed by months of uncertainty. Over time, a person may begin to believe that worth depends on the next win.
Support for demanding careers and creative work
Dr. Thomas has more than two decades of experience as a licensed psychologist in Los Angeles and works with individuals facing self-esteem concerns, career development questions, perfectionism, life changes, anxiety, and related challenges. 

Her approach is personalized rather than one-size-fits-all. This can be particularly relevant when imposter feelings are connected to several areas of life at once.

The purpose of entertainment industry mental health support is not to remove healthy ambition. Instead, therapy can help you pursue demanding goals while developing coping skills that make setbacks less destabilizing. When confidence is less dependent on external validation, professional feedback can become information rather than a verdict about your identity.


What is the difference between low self-esteem and imposter syndrome?
Low self-esteem and imposter syndrome overlap, but they are not identical. Low self-esteem generally involves a broader, persistent negative evaluation of oneself, while imposter syndrome centers on difficulty accepting one’s competence or achievements despite evidence of success. A person can experience either pattern independently or experience both at the same time.
Where the patterns can overlap
Clinical self-doubt can involve several overlapping beliefs. Someone may think, “I am not good enough,” and also think, “I only succeeded because I got lucky.” The first statement reflects a broader self-evaluation, while the second focuses more specifically on the meaning assigned to achievement.

If you are considering imposter syndrome therapy, you do not need to determine the perfect label before seeking help. A consultation can be a place to describe what you have been experiencing, how long it has been happening, and where it is affecting your life. The therapeutic process can then focus on the concerns that are actually interfering with your well-being.
What can I expect during sessions with Dr. Yvonne Thomas?
Self-esteem therapy with Dr. Thomas begins with understanding your concerns, history, goals, and current circumstances rather than applying a predetermined formula. As therapy progresses, sessions can move between insight, emotional processing, practical coping strategies, and changes in thought or behavior. The pace and focus are individualized to the client.
Beginning with your specific concerns
During an initial consultation and early sessions, you can discuss what brought you to therapy and what you hope will change. 

You might be dealing with career pressure, relationship concerns, perfectionism, anxiety, a major transition, or a longstanding pattern of questioning yourself. Dr. Thomas can consider these factors together rather than viewing confidence in isolation.

As a licensed psychologist Los Angeles clients can see for individual counseling, Dr. Thomas has three degrees in psychology and more than two decades of experience. Her practice emphasizes personal fit and an approach tailored to the client’s personality, history, environment, relationships, and goals.
Building skills that remain useful outside the office
As therapy develops, you may learn to notice self-critical thinking earlier, understand emotional triggers, respond differently to mistakes, and make decisions based on your values rather than fear of judgment. 

Depending on your needs, therapy may incorporate cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic, behavioral, humanistic, self-psychology, systems, object-relations, crisis-intervention, or short-term/solution-focused techniques.

Therapy may also intersect with other concerns that Dr. Thomas addresses. For example, a period of loss and grief can temporarily shake confidence and identity. A major career change or relocation can create uncertainty that makes old insecurities louder. 

Anxiety can also amplify worries about performance and judgment, making therapy for anxiety relevant when anxious thinking is part of the larger picture.
How do I get started with imposter syndrome therapy in Los Angeles?
A conversation can help you determine what kind of support makes sense for where you are now, including whether imposter syndrome therapy in Los Angeles fits your goals. Individual counseling can provide a confidential setting to understand the beliefs behind your reactions, address patterns that keep you stuck, and develop healthier coping strategies.

The first conversation can also clarify practical questions about scheduling, location, and whether teletherapy is appropriate. 

Dr. Thomas believes that therapy can help, but it has to be the right therapy with the right therapist. You can schedule a free 15-minute consultation through her site or by calling. 

 

Getting started with Dr.Yvonne Thomas begins with a simple outreach. You can contact Los Angeles psychologist Dr. Thomas by phone or through her website to request a free consultation. This first step is intentionally easy and low-pressure. Once you reach out, you are not left waiting. Dr. Thomas makes every effort to respond promptly, often aiming to connect the same day whenever scheduling allows. She will call you back from a blocked number. The number will show up as “blocked,” so keep that in mind. This prompt responsiveness reflects an understanding that people typically seek therapy during difficult moments, not when things feel easy or manageable.Beginning therapy can feel like a big step, especially when you are already dealing with emotional stress, uncertainty, or feeling overwhelmed. In Dr. Thomas’s own words, “If you’re reaching out, you’re probably not feeling good.  So, therapy should start as soon as possible.” 

Her process is structured to remove unnecessary delays. From your initial outreach to your first full session, every part of the experience is centered around helping you feel heard, understood, and guided toward meaningful change as quickly as possible without having to “hold your breath” as Dr. Thomas calls it while waiting to do the free fifteen-minute phone consultation or the first session.

What Happens After You Reach Out?

After your initial contact:

Your request is received and reviewed as soon as possible by Dr. Thomas
Dr. Thomas works to find a consultation time that fits your schedule
You are contacted directly through a phone call or an e-mail based on which of that information you have provided to her to confirm when your free fifteen-minute phone consultation will be
The goal is to move from outreach to actual conversation quickly, minimizing the emotional strain that can come with waiting.
How Quickly Can I Expect a Response?

Dr. Thomas does not believe that individuals should have to wait long periods to begin receiving support. You do not lack for choices when it comes to picking a Los Angeles psychologist. Given that, Dr. Thomas doesn’t believe that you should have to wait.

Her approach includes:

Attempting to reply to initial inquiries as soon as possible
Often aiming for same-day callbacks or e-mails to arrange or do the phone consultation when feasible
Scheduling consultations within a day or two whenever possible

This sense of urgency is intentional. People often reach out when they are experiencing upsetting feelings such as anxiety, depression, grief, etc. So, reducing wait times is a key part of the care experience.

Anxiety is a natural emotional response that everyone experiences at times, and an anxiety therapist in Los Angeles can help individuals better understand how it affects their daily lives. It can serve a helpful purpose by alerting us to potential danger or motivating us to prepare for important events. However, when anxiety becomes excessive, persistent, or difficult to control, it can interfere with daily functioning and overall quality of life.

In a clinical sense, anxiety involves ongoing feelings of worry, tension, or unease that may not always have a clear or immediate cause. It can show up in both the mind and body, often creating a cycle where anxious thoughts can trigger physical symptoms, which, in turn, can reinforce the anxiety.

Working with an anxiety therapist in Los Angeles can help individuals better understand whether what they are experiencing falls within a typical range or if it may benefit from professional support.

Anxiety does not have to be constant or overwhelming to be worth addressing. Even moderate symptoms can have a negative impact on how someone feels from day to day.

How Common is Anxiety? 

Anxiety is very common. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “19.1% of American adults have had an anxiety disorder in the past year.” 

By that same token, the American Psychiatric Association said that “43% of adults feel more anxious than they did in the last year.” 

While these studies are snapshots of a moment in time, they show just how common anxiety is. While just about everyone feels some anxiety, not everyone feels it to a degree that interferes with parts of their lives. That’s where working with the right anxiety therapist in Los Angeles can help. 

By working with an experienced psychologist, you can learn to understand why you are experiencing anxiety and also develop coping strategies to help you minimize and better deal with your anxiety. 

Common Symptoms of Anxiety

Anxiety can present differently from person to person. Some individuals experience primarily emotional and cognitive symptoms, while others notice more physical and behavioral effects. It is also important to understand that you do not need to experience every symptom listed here for anxiety to be present.

Every relationship moves through seasons. Some feel vibrant and connected, while others feel strained, distant, or uncertain. If you have found yourself wondering whether your partnership might benefit from couples counseling, that question alone is often meaningful. 

Seeking support is not a sign that something is broken beyond repair; it can be an intentional step toward deeper understanding, stability, and emotional safety.

These are some ways to recognize when professional guidance may help, whether your relationship is thriving, plateauing, or in crisis. Each stage reflects a different need, yet all can benefit from skilled therapeutic support.

The “Garden” Phase

Relationships require attention long before visible problems appear. Many couples wait until resentment builds or communication collapses before reaching out. A healthier approach treats connection like a living system that needs regular care.

Can we come to therapy if we aren’t “in trouble”?

Yes. Many couples begin therapy while things are generally good. Think of your relationship as a garden. You do not wait for flowers to wilt before watering them. Proactive sessions can strengthen communication habits, clarify expectations, and deepen emotional intimacy before stress accumulates.

Pre-engagement counseling has become increasingly common among couples who want to lay a strong foundation before marriage. Conversations about finances, family background, expectations around children, and communication styles can prevent misunderstandings that might otherwise grow over decades. 

Discussing “neuro-inclusive” communication—understanding how each partner processes emotion and conflict differently—creates empathy early on.

In this phase, therapy becomes a space for structured conversations that may feel difficult to initiate alone. You might explore:

How each of you defines commitment 
Personal triggers rooted in childhood experiences 
Conflict styles and repair strategies 
Shared long-term goals 

Even strong couples benefit from having these conversations guided by a trained couples counseling professional who can identify subtle patterns before they become entrenched.

Dr. Yvonne Thomas specializes in individual counseling, marriage therapy, grief counseling, and support through major life transitions. With a deep understanding of human behavior, she provides compassionate, goal-oriented therapy tailored to each client’s personal journey.

Whether you’re facing relationship struggles, grieving a loss, navigating career or identity changes, or dealing with seasonal issues like winter depression, Dr. Thomas offers a safe, supportive space to heal and grow. Her approach blends evidence-based techniques with genuine empathy, helping clients gain clarity, build resilience, and improve emotional well-being.

Those interested in individual counseling, marriage therapy, or grief counseling can easily book their free 15-minute consultation over the phone or online by filling out a quick form.

Setting meaningful goals can feel especially complicated in a city that rewards speed, visibility, and constant reinvention. Working with a Los Angeles psychologist offers a grounded, private way to slow that process down and make it personal again. 

Rather than pushing you to chase outcomes that look good on paper, therapy helps you understand what actually motivates you, what quietly blocks progress, and how to move forward without burning out or losing yourself along the way. This approach turns goal setting into something sustainable.

The Real Reason Goals Stall

Many people arrive in therapy asking the same question: why do I keep setting intentions that never fully materialize? The issue is rarely laziness or lack of discipline. More often, it is internal conflict that has never been clearly identified.

Therapy with a Los Angeles psychologist creates space to explore ambivalence. You may genuinely want change, while another part of you is protecting stability, identity, or emotional safety. 

These competing needs often operate below awareness, quietly applying the brakes whenever momentum builds. A psychologist helps you recognize these patterns without judgment, making it possible to address them instead of fighting against yourself.

This kind of insight is especially helpful in a results-driven environment where hesitation is often mislabeled as failure. By clarifying what is happening internally, goals stop feeling mysterious or self-sabotaging and start to feel workable.

Moving Beyond Productivity Tools and Habit Systems

Planners, reminders, and goal-tracking apps can be useful, but they tend to focus on behavior alone. Therapy looks at the person behind the behavior.

A psychologist helps you explore how emotions, beliefs, and past experiences influence follow-through. If discomfort, fear of visibility, or self-doubt surface when progress begins, those reactions are addressed directly instead of ignored. This shift from pure execution to emotional regulation allows goals to remain intact even when the process becomes uncomfortable.

Between sessions, clients often notice they are responding differently to setbacks. Instead of abandoning goals at the first sign of difficulty, they learn how to tolerate frustration and recalibrate without quitting. That internal flexibility is what makes long-term progress possible.

Wanting change is easy. Sustaining it is where most people get stuck. Each year begins with motivation, vision, and intention, yet by late winter many goals feel distant or abandoned. Working with a Los Angeles psychologist offers a grounded, science-based way to understand why this happens and how real change actually takes root. 

Dr. Yvonne Thomas approaches personal growth with depth, compassion, and practical structure, helping individuals move beyond motivation alone and into lasting transformation.

The difference between wishing for change and creating it lies in understanding how the brain, emotions, and identity work together. Therapy provides a space where insight turns into action, especially during the quieter months when initial enthusiasm fades and deeper patterns surface.

Why Wanting Change Rarely Leads to Change

Desire is often mistaken for readiness. People genuinely want healthier habits, stronger relationships, or more emotional balance, yet find themselves repeating familiar behaviors. This is not a character flaw. It is how the brain is designed to function.

The brain prioritizes efficiency and predictability. Long-standing habits, even uncomfortable ones, require less energy than new patterns. Neuroplasticity allows the brain to change, but it does so gradually and with resistance. 

In her capacity as a  Los Angeles psychologist, Dr. Thomas helps clients recognize that willpower alone is unreliable. Sustainable change requires working with the brain rather than against it, creating conditions where new behaviors feel safer and more rewarding than the old ones.

This perspective reframes self-judgment into self-understanding, which is often the first meaningful shift.

As the season approaches, many people feel overwhelmed by pressures, expectations, and emotional triggers that surface around family gatherings, financial strain, or memories tied to past experiences. The guidance of a Los Angeles psychologist serving the rest of California can offer support and clarity during this time. 

Some individuals find that holiday stress transforms into something deeper, affecting energy, sleep, relationships, and motivation. 

What Causes Holiday Depression?

Holiday-related emotional distress can come from several sources. Social expectations often encourage constant joyfulness, but life circumstances do not pause simply because the calendar changes. As the Harvard Medical School explains, holiday stress can take a toll on the brain. 

Many people experience loneliness, pressure to meet obligations, or grief over someone they miss. Others struggle with strained family relationships or unresolved emotional issues that surface more strongly during gatherings.

Financial pressure can also play a role. The cost of travel, events, meals, or gifts might create anxiety that builds throughout the season. Even positive experiences—such as hosting loved ones—can generate stress if a person is already carrying a heavy emotional load.

A Los Angeles psychologist who provides individual counseling understands that the “holiday blues” often originate from deeper emotional patterns, not just the events happening around you. By exploring these root causes, therapy can help transform this season from a source of stress into a period of growth and balance.

The most effective way to deal with persistent depression is to combine small, immediate actions with a long-term strategy that includes professional support. For example, professional psychotherapy in LA provides a structured, supportive environment where you can understand the root causes of your depression and develop lasting coping mechanisms. 

Combine that with real, actionable steps you can take in your own life, and it is possible to bolster your sense of well-being and control.
Depression and Taking the First Step with Psychotherapy in LA

Depression is more than just feeling sad; it’s a complex mental health condition that affects your thoughts, feelings, and daily functioning. It can manifest as a persistent low mood, a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed, changes in appetite or sleep patterns, fatigue, and feelings of worthlessness. 

Recognizing these signs is the first crucial step toward healing. Acknowledging that you are struggling is not a sign of weakness but an act of strength and self-awareness.

What Can I Do Right Now to Feel Better?

When depression feels overwhelming, focusing on small, manageable actions can provide immediate, albeit temporary, relief. These are not cures by any means. But, they are tools to help you get through a difficult moment, hour, or day. The goal is to interrupt the cycle of negative thoughts and inactivity. Steps you can take include: 

Change Your Environment: If you’ve been sitting in one spot for a long time, get up and move to another room. Step outside for a few minutes to breathe fresh air. A simple change of scenery can shift your perspective and break the feeling of being stuck.
Engage Your Senses: Ground yourself in the present moment by focusing on your senses. Light a scented candle, listen to a favorite song, wrap yourself in a soft blanket, or sip a warm cup of tea. Engaging your senses can pull your mind away from distressing thoughts and anchor you in the here and now.
Simple Physical Movement: You don’t need to run a marathon. Gentle movement can release endorphins and improve your mood. Try simple stretches, a short walk around your block, or even just standing up and shaking out your limbs. Any movement is better than none.
Accomplish One Small Task: The weight of a long to-do list can be paralyzing. Instead, pick one tiny, achievable task. Maybe it’s making your bed, washing a single dish, or replying to one email. Completing a task, no matter how small, provides a sense of accomplishment and can build momentum.

These immediate actions are about creating small victories. They can have a positive impact on your own state of mind, which can make all of the difference in a moment. 

Teletherapy in Los Angeles can provide the same quality of care as in-person sessions, with the added advantage of flexibility and accessibility. For countless individuals, teletherapy makes it possible to receive consistent support without the stress of commuting or disrupting their daily schedule. With Dr. Yvonne Thomas, teletherapy becomes a practical, effective way to work through challenges and strengthen emotional well-being.

What Makes Teletherapy in Los Angeles Effective?

Teletherapy in Los Angeles has been proven to deliver results that are comparable, and in some cases, even better for certain clients. The virtual format makes therapy more approachable, which helps individuals feel more comfortable opening up about sensitive topics.

Through teletherapy, clients are able to:

Access therapy from the comfort of a familiar environment.

Keep appointments more consistently, as travel time is no longer a barrier.

Experience the same level of empathy, support, and professional guidance as in-person sessions.


In our experience, many clients feel less intimidated during teletherapy sessions, which allows them to share more openly and make progress more quickly.

The Advantages of Teletherapy in Los Angeles Over In-Person Sessions

While traditional office visits remain valuable, teletherapy provides distinct advantages that many clients find especially beneficial. Some of these include:

Greater convenience, as clients can connect from home, work, or anywhere with privacy.

Reduced stress related to commuting in Los Angeles traffic or arranging transportation.

The ability to maintain continuity of care even during travel, illness, or unexpected schedule changes.

A more flexible range of appointment times.


These advantages make teletherapy particularly valuable for busy professionals, parents, or anyone with a demanding schedule.

Can Teletherapy Support the Same Types of Issues as In-Person Therapy?

Yes, teletherapy can support a wide variety of challenges, just as in-person sessions can. Whether someone is facing anxiety, relationship struggles, life transitions, or issues with self-esteem, teletherapy provides the same opportunity to process emotions, learn new coping skills, and gain insight.

With Dr. Thomas, clients receive individualized care tailored to their specific needs, regardless of the format. By using secure, private platforms, teletherapy creates an environment that is both safe and supportive.

When the seasons shift from summer to fall, many people find themselves feeling more anxious, restless, or even downhearted. The shorter days, cooler weather (even in LA), and abrupt changes in routine can heighten feelings of worry or sadness. To help with anxiety in fall, it’s important to take proactive steps such as developing healthy routines, practicing mindfulness, staying physically active, and talking to a professional. Working with a psychologist LA residents trust can provide the tools and emotional support needed to navigate these seasonal challenges effectively.

Therapy allows people to gain perspective, learn strategies for managing negative thought patterns, and build resilience. With professional help, the transition into fall doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. That’s where Dr. Thomas can help.

Why Does Anxiety Often Increase in the Fall?

Fall can bring a unique mix of emotional triggers that make anxiety more noticeable. For some, the sudden drop in daylight hours disrupts their natural rhythms, leading to fatigue, mood swings, and difficulty concentrating.

Others may find the looming pressures of the end of the year—deadlines, holidays, or family obligations—overwhelming. There’s also the loss of the freedom and lightheartedness often associated with summer.

Some common reasons anxiety intensifies in the fall include:

Reduced exposure to sunlight, which affects energy levels and mood.
The end of summer activities that kept people socially engaged.
Concerns about academic or work responsibilities resuming in full force.
Anticipation of the stress that the holiday season may bring.

Anxiety during this time is not unusual, but it is important to recognize that the feelings are real and deserve attention. As an experienced psychologist in LA, Dr. Yvonne Thomas can help you identify what specifically fuels your anxiety and provide strategies to manage it in healthier ways.

How Can Therapy Provide Support During Seasonal Transitions?

Therapy creates a safe and supportive environment to examine the emotional impact of seasonal changes. Instead of allowing anxiety to spiral, a therapist can help you slow down your thoughts, understand the root causes of your stress, and develop practical coping techniques.

Through therapy, individuals can:

Build awareness of how the transition from summer to fall affects their mental health.
Practice stress-management tools such as grounding exercises, journaling, and structured problem-solving.
Strengthen resilience to navigate not just fall, but all seasonal shifts throughout the year.

Working with a psychologist LA residents turn to for guidance allows you to not only ease anxiety in the moment but also prepare for similar challenges in the future. Therapy becomes a way to learn and practice tools that provide lasting benefits, rather than temporary relief.

Every couples counseling session is different. As part of her couples counseling in Los Angeles as well as throughout the state, Dr. Thomas structures the session to the exact, specific needs of every couple. That way, each couple receives the counseling that they need at the time they need it.

Is Every Couples Counseling Session the Same?

Not at all. Every couple brings a unique history, emotional dynamic, and set of concerns to therapy. As such, no two sessions are ever identical. Dr. Thomas understands that what works for one couple may not be effective for another. Her approach is never one-size-fits-all.

Instead, she crafts each session based on the specific personalities, issues, and goals of the individuals involved.

For example, one couple may be working through communication breakdowns related to parenting, while another may be addressing emotional distance after a falling out.  Still others might be seeking help with decision-making, such as moving in together or separating respectfully. Dr. Thomas ensures that each session meets the couple where they are in the process.

Even though no two sessions are exactly alike, Dr. Thomas draws from evidence-based therapeutic methods and integrates them with her deep understanding of emotional and interpersonal patterns. This allows her to guide couples through their sessions with both the right structure and flexibility.

What Can Couples Expect in Their First Session?

The first session with Dr. Thomas typically focuses on assessment and clarification. She takes time to learn about the relationship’s history, identify what brought the couple to therapy, and gather a sense of each partner’s communication style and emotional needs. This may involve discussing key events, repeated conflicts, and each person’s perception of the relationship dynamic.

Dr. Thomas creates an environment where both partners feel heard and validated. Rather than assigning blame, she helps each person explore their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors in the context of the relationship. The goal in this session is to build a strong foundation for future work by establishing trust and clarity.

Essentially, the therapy that is best tailored to the client’s needs. At the heart of Dr. Thomas’s practice is an adaptive, tailored approach to therapy, utilizing several evidence-based methods to meet the unique emotional, cognitive, and relational needs of each individual or couple. An experienced and licensed psychologist in LA who serves clients throughout the state, Dr. Thomas’s areas of specialization include individual therapy, couples counseling, grief counseling, and life transition counseling. 

With advanced degrees and over twenty years in private practice, she combines psychological theory with empathy, understanding, and professionalism to support her clients. 

For those seeking psychotherapy in Los Angeles or throughout California, Dr. Thomas’s methods reflect a deep understanding of the complexity of the human experience and a commitment to helping people move toward healthier, more fulfilling lives. 

What is Dr. Thomas’s Approach to Therapy?

Dr. Thomas believes there is no one-size-fits-all solution in therapy. Every person is different—shaped by personal history, personality traits, environment, family, culture, and relationships. Accordingly, she tailors her approach to each client’s specific goals, struggles, and patterns. 

Her work is grounded in psychological research and training, with a clinical emphasis on improving clients’ quality of life and helping them develop healthier ways of thinking, feeling, and acting.

Rather than rigidly applying one method, Dr. Thomas assesses each client’s background, presenting issues, and communication style to determine the most effective approach or combination of approaches. She often integrates therapy modalities to better meet evolving needs as therapy progresses. This integrative model allows her to address both longstanding and more recent challenges.

Psychodynamic Therapy

One of the foundational modalities used by Dr. Thomas is psychodynamic therapy. This method focuses on increasing a client’s self-awareness by exploring unconscious motivations and past experiences that shape present behaviors and emotions. The aim is not simply to manage symptoms but to uncover the root causes of distress and dysfunction.

Through psychodynamic therapy, clients begin to understand repetitive patterns in relationships, unresolved childhood experiences, and internal conflicts that may be contributing to current problems. This greater insight often leads to healthier choices and more satisfying relationships.

Dr. Thomas uses this approach when clients struggle with identity issues, low self-esteem, chronic dissatisfaction, or self-sabotaging behaviors. It is particularly helpful for those who have difficulty understanding their own emotions or who repeat relational dynamics that no longer serve them. By helping clients uncover the origins of these dynamics, she empowers them to break out of old cycles.

Summer depression can be resolved within a season, but the duration varies depending on the individual and underlying factors. With proper support, many people see significant improvement within weeks or months. Therapy equips clients with tools to manage future seasonal challenges, reducing the likelihood of recurring depression.

Remember to take this into account:

Importance of seeking help during the summer depression:

It’s crucial to seek professional help if summer depression symptoms persist or worsen, as early intervention can improve outcomes.