West Los Angeles | Santa Monica | Brentwood | Culver City | Venice | Marina Del Rey | Mar Vista | Pacific Palisades
It's only 8am and you are already exhausted
Mornings are hard. Small frustrations erupt into explosive outbursts. Little worries dissolve into tears.
Evenings are battles. Homework assignments lead to meltdowns. Screentime negotiations never end.
Your sleep is interrupted by a scared child or your own worries about your child’s future.
Therapy offers hope for calmer days.
Hi, I'm Frances, a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT). I help kids whose intense feelings of worry, anger, and grief are overwhelming their lives – and yours.
I’ve been working with elementary and middle school children for over ten years. I work exclusively with children and the parents who love them.
My Philsosphy
Three children may all resist going to school - but for very different reasons.
Dreading recess, certain no one will play with them.
Angry about a test, convinced they will fail.
Afraid to leave home because a loved one died.
Each child needs something different. This is why I work from the inside out - and the outside in.
Inside — the mindset
Understanding what is driving a child's emotions and shifting the beliefs that keep them stuck.
Outside - the behavior
Building practical skills to change how a child responds when those emotions arise.
Take a child who explodes when frustrated. I want to know what belief is underneath that anger — while also giving them concrete tools for when it hits. Both are important.
What will my child think of therapy?
My office is designed for a child to feel at home - there is a couch and lots of toys. It's not a doctor's office and there is no pressure to talk about feelings on day one.
During the first few sessions, your child and I simply get to know each other, at their pace. That might be a puppet show with a baby dragon angry at the mommy dragon for leaving them alone.
Therapy gives a child the freedom to express themselves in whatever way feels natural to them. Often, it's exactly that freedom that allows children to open up.
Parents are often surprised by how eager their child is to come back to therapy.
How We Work Together
Weekly
Sessions with your child.
Your child and I meet weekly at my office — a consistent, private space that's just for them.
Monthly
We connect once a month — in person or virtually — so you stay informed and we stay aligned.
As Needed
Collaboration with others: When teachers, pediatricians, or specialists are involved, I'll coordinate with them too.
