FAQs About Finding a Therapist in Los Angeles
Take Control of Your Healing Journey
Finding a therapist who truly sees you — your culture, your story, your identity — is essential to feeling safe and supported in your healing process. But in a city as expansive and diverse as Los Angeles, the search can feel overwhelming. As someone who was raised in Hollywood and Southwest Los Angeles, I know this experience intimately. The vibrancy of Los Angeles— its weather, its cultural richness, and the complexity of its communities—makes it a beautiful place to live. Yet, when it comes to finding the right therapist in Los Angeles, it can feel easy to not only get lost in the endless options but to also get so overwhelmed, that you stop the search for the right therapist for you.
FAQs About Finding a Therapist in Los Angeles
One of the most frequent questions I hear from clients, friends, and even family is: “How do I know who’s the right therapist for me?” Whether you're new to therapy or exploring it again after past experiences, choosing the right person to walk alongside you in your healing can feel deeply personal and even intimidating. I know firsthand how challenging it can be to find the right fit. You want a therapist who understands you, your background, and your unique struggles. That’s why I created this comprehensive guide: to help you feel empowered and grounded in the process of finding a therapist who aligns with you.
As a therapist based in Los Angeles and across California, I work primarily with first-generation, BIPOC, and Queer folx navigating anxiety, self-doubt, identity questioning, family expectations, and emotional burnout. My work is grounded in culturally sensitive, affirming care that recognizes the layers of your identity, not just as an individual, but within the systems and stories that have shaped you.
You deserve to feel seen, heard, and understood; not judged or pathologized.
Let’s break down what to consider when searching for a therapist in this big, often confusing city.
Honoring your values in the healing journey
As a Latinx, first-generation Guatemalan-American therapist, I understand how important it is to be in a space where you don’t have to explain the basics of your identity just to get to the real work. I grew up in a community where emotional expression wasn’t always encouraged. Mental health often carried a stigma and navigating the expectations of your family while trying to build a life that feels authentic to you, felt like like an impossible goal to achieve.
That’s why I find it vital for folx who are looking for a therapist in Los Angeles, to identify and understand their values — whether that is the importance of their culture, gender identity, sexual identity, religion/spirutality, or immigration. Acknowledging this allows you to go on a search that reflects your non-negotiables when it comes to your therapist’s background. My therapy practice holds strong values towards withholding a culturally informed and affirmative lens. This doesn’t just mean “diversity-aware,” it means I understand how the intersections of race, immigration, queerness, religion, and generational trauma impact the way we experience anxiety, relationships, and the world around us.
When I sit across from you, over video, I’m not just listening to your concerns.
I’m holding space for the full, complex, and beautiful story of who you are.
Tip #1: Therapy vs. Coaching — Knowing the Difference
Therapy and coaching both offer support, but they’re fundamentally different. A licensed therapist, like myself, has undergone extensive training that includes graduate education, supervised clinical experience, and continued professional development. Therapists are also legally and ethically bound to uphold client confidentiality, trauma-informed care, and clinical standards that protect your wellbeing.
Life coaching, on the other hand, may not have clinical training and often focus on helping people achieve their goals, overcome obstacles, and make positive life changes. Coaches may not have the same level of formal education as therapists, and their approach is more goal-oriented rather than focused on healing underlying emotional issues. They also hold less legal and ethical constraints around how they can help you achieve goals around well-being without touching on underlying emotional issues.
If you're dealing with anxiety, relational wounds, or feeling overwhelmed by identity or life transitions, therapy offers a more rooted, sustainable path forward. As a therapist in Los Angeles, I focus on unpacking the “why” behind behaviors and emotional patterns, while supporting you in making aligned, empowering changes in your life. Coaching can complement this process, but when it comes to emotional healing, it’s important to start with someone qualified to help you navigate those layers safely.
Tip #2: Therapist Licenses in California
In California, there are several different types of licensed professionals, each with their own focus:
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT): Like myself, LMFTs are trained to understand how relationships, past and present, shape your emotional experiences. We explore family systems, attachment, and how interpersonal dynamics impact your mental health.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW): These therapists are trained in integrating social justice, systems-based thinking, and a strong understanding on social resources into their clinical work.
Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC): These therapists specialize in working with individuals, focusing on personal growth, developmental challenges, and mental health concerns.
Clinical Psychologists (Ph.D. or Psy.D.): These therapists often specialize in diagnostics, assessments, and long-term treatment planning, often in more clinical or research-based settings.
There is no “best” license, only what aligns with your needs and values. For example, if you're seeking support around anxiety in the context of family expectations, people-pleasing, or intergenerational trauma, working with an LMFT like me may offer the systemic, relational approach that fits best.
Tip #3: Holistic, Intersectional, and Affirmative Approach
One thing that sets my practice apart is how I integrate holistic, intersectional, and affirmative frameworks into therapy. What does that mean in practice?
Holistic means we’re not just addressing your presenting concerns in isolation. We’re looking at your mind, body, environment, and relationships. We explore how your emotions live in your body, how past experiences still shape your present, and how your environment supports or hinders your growth.
Intersectional means we recognize the ways your identities (race, gender, sexuality, class, immigration status, relligion/spirituality) interact and impact your experience of the world.
Affirmative means that your identity is not “the problem” and a practice, like my own, center around acceptance and understanding in Queer, trans, BIPOC, and first-gen experiences. I don’t just make space for your story, I honor it.
This approach is especially helpful for people who’ve felt invalidated or misunderstood in other spaces. My goal is to offer a therapeutic relationship where you feel held, respected, and deeply seen. Want to know more about how I use this approach with First Gen Folx in targeting anxiety rooted in people pleasing, toxic relationships, and identity stress? Visit my Therapist in Los Angeles page for more insights.
Tip #4: Insurance vs. Private Pay — What’s Right for You?
Money is often one of the first concerns people have when starting therapy. Should you use insurance or go the private pay route?
Insurance: Using insurance means more accessible sessions with lower out-of-pocket costs. However, insurance companies may limit the number of sessions you can have, and they often require a diagnosis for coverage. Additionally, insurance plans can have long waitlists for therapists, making it harder to get the support you need when you need it most.
Private Pay: Private pay means you work directly with a therapist, which often includes benefits of flexibility in scheduling, privacy, and personalized care. Therapists who work on a private-pay basis often have smaller caseloads, which means they can dedicate more time and attention to your healing. In my practice, I offer private pay sessions because it allows me to offer a more focused and tailored experience. It also means our work together is dictated by your needs, and not an insurance company’s requirements.
Tip #5: Telehealth vs In Person
Since the pandemic, telehealth therapy has become a widely accepted and effective format for healing. I have found since starting virtual sessions from my office in Los Angeles as a therapist, I have had great outcomes with clients and they report liking the ease and comfort of doing sessions at home or in nature. It is also important to note for yourself, if in-person is more of your preference.
Telehealth is great if:
You live in California but outside Los Angeles
Your schedule is packed, and commuting is hard
You feel more comfortable in your own space
In-person is great if:
You live in the surrounding area of the therapist
Your schedule is a lot more flexible, and worried about the commute
You can not find a private space to see a therapist
You feels more comfortable to go into an office
What It's Like to Work With Me
My clients often tell me they feel an immediate sense of relief when we start working together. This is not because therapy is easy, but because it feels like they can finally exhale. As a therapist in Los Angeles, I value working relationally with my clients, meaning the connection between us matters. You won’t just be talking into a void. I’ll respond. I’ll reflect. I’ll gently challenge you when needed. I’ll also honor your pace, especially if you’re someone who’s always had to be strong for others.
In our work, we explore patterns like:
Chronic anxiety and overthinking
People-pleasing and difficulty setting boundaries
Guilt around family expectations
Shame and internalized oppression
Relationship challenges and emotional burnout
Healing doesn’t happen overnight. But with the right support, you can start feeling more grounded, more connected to your truth, and more at peace in your body and relationships.
Looking for a Therapist Los Angeles? Start Here.
Finding the right therapist in Los Angeles does not need to feel daunting. By considering factors like the therapist’s background, approach, and specialties, you can narrow down your search and find someone who aligns with your needs and values. The most important thing is that you find someone who gets you, who holds a deep respect for your lived experience.No matter where you are in your journey, I want to remind you that healing is possible. The most important step is recognizing that you deserve support and taking the time to find the right therapist for you.
Whether you’re navigating anxiety, toxic relationships, people-pleasing, generational trauma, or identity questions, you deserve a space that’s yours. A space where you can lay down the armor, take a deep breath, and just be.
If any part of this resonates with you, I invite you to take the next step. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation or learn more about how I work by visiting my Anxiety Therapy Los Angeles page. I’m here to support you every step of the way.
Ligia Orellana LMFT 122659 Anxiety Therapy Los Angeles and California
Wishing you peace and clarity on your journey to finding the right therapist—and the healing you deserve.
Ligia Orellana, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
