Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Do you ever wish that you had a roadmap to feeling better?

Are you in need of a step-by-step plan to make changes in your life?

We understand that! This is the exact reason we specialize in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (also known as CBT). CBT is an evidence-based treatment that is structured and focused on goals. We work collaboratively with you, side-by-side, to understand your experience and put together a treatment plan that fits your struggles and your life. Using goals we set together, we find the first step you can take toward the life you envision.

CBT utilizes learning to teach you the connection between your thoughts (cognition), actions (behavior) and feelings (both emotionally and within your body). Once we can see the way this cycle looks for you, our goal together becomes to break the negative cycle. We create plans that include behavior changes, monitoring and reframing thoughts, identifying emotions, coping skills, and more.

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Every step of the way, we work with you to ensure the plan feels doable, not just aspirational, so we can see real, measurable change. We break steps down into bite-size pieces so they feel approachable, rather than intimidating. We also focus on work between sessions (action plans, or homework) to ensure we’re focused on pursing progress.

Do you ever wish there was a truly effective way to tackle your struggles?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a very well researched, evidence-based practice. Evidence-based treatments are supported by scientific evidence. CBT has been shown to consistently be the gold standard treatment for many different disorders. It has also been show to create long-lasting results. Our goal is that you learn what you need to in your therapy with us, and then graduate treatment and go on to use these skills independently. Research has shown that this is the outcome for CBT treatment.

CBT is a present-focused, collaborative treatment designed to help you understand the link between your thoughts, behaviors, and feelings. Once you recognize what contributes to your feelings, you can learn to change your thoughts and behaviors, which will create changes in your mood. CBT teaches you that you have the capacity to change and can learn to tolerate difficult emotions.

We pride ourselves in providing true CBT treatment. Our team stays on top of the latest scientific research, and we are constantly learning, studying, reading, and consulting with one another and other experts to ensure we are providing the most current treatment. Many therapists provide pieces of CBT, but we are truly specialists in this field. We are passionate about CBT because we have seen its real effectiveness in our own clients.

Do you want a therapist who not only listens to you, but also helps you come up with an action plan to make real, lasting change?

At San Clemente Psychological Services, we are not your typical therapists. We are action-oriented, and work best when our clients are ready and motivated to make changes. We listen first, always striving to ensure we fully understand your experience, needs, and goals. Then, we use our CBT expertise to craft plans that are actionable, concrete, and based in the scientific research to improve to problem we are tackling together.

We consider you to be the expert on yourself, and we bring our expertise in therapy and CBT. Together, we are able to create treatment plans that fit your life, current struggles, and ultimate goals. Our hope is that you learn new ways to see the world, new behaviors to help you cope, and ultimately reach the goals you set out to achieve when you started therapy with us.

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We know it is not easy to take the first step toward change, especially when it’s clear that it will require commitment and work. Therapy is not a one-size-fits all experience, and we are here to learn what will work best for you. Our goal is to get you where you want to be.

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What To Expect

At San Clemente Psychological Services, we are here to help you find the roadmap to feeling better. Whether therapy is for you, your child, a relationship, or your family, our therapists are here to help you find your path toward the life you’re seeking.

The first step: Reach out to us for a complimentary screening call to determine how we can help, and who is the best-fit therapist for your needs.
Then: We will then set you up with a full assessment and intake visit, where we get to know you, learn details about what you’re looking for, understand your history and background, hear about your day-to-day routines, and more. At the end of this visit, we are working on setting goals with you, letting you know how we are thinking about the situation, and giving you a sense of what the rest of therapy will look like.
Next: Typically with weekly meetings to start, we begin and proceed with the work to get you to your goals. We will continue to collaborate with you, create step-by-step plans to work on between sessions, and ensure we are on the right track toward what matters most to you.
Ongoing: We continuously assess how things are going, review your progress, and adjust as needed so we can continue to get results that matter.

Why work with us?

CBT is an amazing, well-known mode of treatment, and many therapists use pieces of it. However, we are true specialists in the CBT field. Our founder and director, Dr. Bridgette Atallah, is a Diplomate of the Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy, which requires evaluation of competence as a CBT practitioner. Dr. Atallah trains every staff member herself to ensure fidelity to the CBT model. If you are seeking a comprehensive treatment plan with a start, middle, and end, this is what we provide.

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Anna Arya, PsyD

Dr. Anna works with clients across the lifespan, from preschool to older adults, focusing on ADHD, OCD, and the LGBTQ population. Dr. Anna sees clients both in the office and virtually.

Renata Halwani, LPCC

Renata works with clients across the lifespan, specializing in children, older adults, grief, and anxiety; she also speaks Portuguese. Renata sees clients both in the office and virtually.

Jennifer Keenen, AMFT

Jennifer works with clients of all ages. She specializes in anxiety, depression, and life transitions. Jennifer is available for both in-office and virtual appointments.

CBT FAQs

Yes! CBT can be modified for work with children, teens, and other populations, and it is very effective. Differences include incorporation of work with parents and family, using more concrete examples, and a focus on behavior change.

CBT uses many techniques, including belief/attitude change, recognizing thinking errors, coping skills, problem-solving, education, and exposure to feared situations.

CBT is a very action-oriented therapy. We focus on the present and making change directed toward the future. Many people ask if CBT addresses exploration of our pasts. Because our histories clearly inform our belief system and how we see the world, we do focus on identifying those beliefs. However, rather than digging into why they developed, we focus on how to catch their impact on our lives and restructure them for the future. We focus on creating strategies that help us to modify our belief system in a helpful way to impact the way we interact with the world.

Length of treatment depends on many factors, including motivation, complexity of symptoms, and commitment to continuing treatment outside of sessions. A standard treatment plan tends to be between 12-20 sessions. In general, CBT is designed to be a short-term treatment with the goal of teaching you to manage symptoms on your own. We can also work with you if you have a specific timeframe in mind to get as much done as possible in a given period.

We have helped countless people of all ages to feel better, reach their goals, and create plans that carry them well beyond their time in therapy. Let us help you count yourself among these success stories.

We make it easy to get started. Click to learn more about our CBT therapists, or book a free screening call so we can answer all your questions and match you with a therapist.

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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Do you ever wish that you had a roadmap to feeling better?

Are you in need of a step-by-step plan to make changes in your life?

Do you ever wish there was a truly effective way to tackle your struggles?

Do you want a therapist who not only listens to you, but also helps you come up with an action plan to make real, lasting change?

We know it is not easy to take the first step toward change, especially when it’s clear that it will require commitment and work. Therapy is not a one-size-fits all experience, and we are here to learn what will work best for you. Our goal is to get you where you want to be.

What To Expect

Why work with us?

Anna Arya, PsyD

Renata Halwani, LPCC

Jennifer Keenen, AMFT

CBT FAQs

Does CBT work with children and teens?

What are the strategies used in CBT?

How is CBT different than general therapy?

How long will it take?

We have helped countless people of all ages to feel better, reach their goals, and create plans that carry them well beyond their time in therapy. Let us help you count yourself among these success stories.