Can anyone reccomend a GOOD marriage and family therapist (MFT) in the Valley (Northridge, Woodland Hills, Calabasas, Encino, Tarzana, Canoga Park etc). I would like it to be a woman and someone who has practiced for over 15 years.
try these two:
Cathy Dore ###-###-####
Ken Goodman ###-###-####
good luck,
L.
I don't live in your area so I can't make any specific recommendations but I'm going to give you some unsolicited advice - take it or not - that's your choice.
If you are going to go to this counselor with your husband or male partner you must also consider the gender that your DH would be comfortable with. Many men feel that a woman councelor is going to automatically "take your side" and will feel ganged-up on. Most male counselors are just as even-handed as a woman and the advice they provide may be more well accepted by your DH. Don't rule out a man.
Don't limit your self to a woman either. I've been down this road with my teen daughter who has mental health issues. She insisted that she had to only see a woman. The psychiatrist we now use who prescribes medication is a man and he is amazing & awesome - I don't know what we would have done without him. We had been to 2 other women who only wanted to bill for astronoimcal amounts and write prescriptions. This doctor, who happens to be a man, happens to be fabulous. I never would have picked his name out of a book but was referred to him by one of the counselors that my DD was seeing at the time. And his work, insight and diagnosis have made a world of difference.
Realize that you may have to try on a few counselors before you find a good fit. Be prepared - becuase someone that may come with a glowing recommendation from a friend may be horrible for you. It's such a very, very personal thing and you have to be able to feel comfortable with this person as well as confident that they are able to help you. I've got a wonderful pastor and counselor at our church - but they do not have the extensive training that my daughter needs - so don't feel "married" to a certain counselor because you've been to see them a few times. If it's not working be willing to try soemone else.
Best of luck - it's worth the effort.
If Thousand Oaks works I can recommend a great one.
Try using the Psychology Today search function:
http://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/prof_search.php
You can look up by town or zip and it provides profiles for each doc.
