OUR EVOLUTION OF CLINICAL SOPHISTICATION 2025
DR. KRISTEN ZALESKI, PhD, LCSW
“…we’re really challenging everyone to think beyond what is binary, to what is diverse. Diversity makes us stronger and of course our brain and our body, every individual is diverse.”
SHOULD I TRUST MY PSYCHIATRIST?
DR. DAVID SAFANI, MD, MBA, FAPA
“…it’s really just that relationship of saying, I trust you, right? You want the best for me… you’re not gonna make me suffer and you’re gonna trust me if I tell you this isn’t the right thing for me.”
IDENTIFYING TRAUMA VS GRIEF
SARAH DOUGLAS, LMFT
“What I tell people is to recognize the difference between trauma and grief is that the trauma is fear-based. It’s terrifying. There’s distress. Grief feels sad. It feels heavy, but it’s not terrifying.”
IDENTITY WORK + A PREFERRED WAY OF LIVING
DR. NAZNEED NIZAMI, PSYD, LMFT
“My take with identity work is always coming back to the preferred way of living. …My target with a lot of young adults is really coming back to who do you prefer to be and what’s the life that feels most comfortable for you?”
PHYSICAL + EMOTIONAL SAFETY
JULIAN MARC OPENA, MS, LMFT, I-O
“That’s ultimately what I feel like my job is as a Program Director, is to make sure that all these clients feel connected, that you belong, doesn’t matter what you’ve done, where you’ve been, you are safe here, you are okay here, and let us offer you the safety that you need to heal.”
HEALTH AT EVERY SIZE INFORMED
ELIZABETH CAPPS, RDN
“Being a Health at Every Size informed practitioner is incredibly important”, shares Elizabeth Capps, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. Capps follows up with, “…health can come at any size, and that’s incredibly important, especially in our diet culture focused world.”
STRESS FOR A HUMAN. GOOD OR BAD?
DR. KRISTEN ZALESKI, PHD, LCSW
Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. Zaleski is asked to share her views on stress in 2023. Dr. Zaleski opens with the statement that stress is both good and bad. Click in for her full explanation.
CORE ORGANIZERS + SENSORIMOTOR PSYCHOTHERAPY
BRIAN GOLDSTEIN, MA, LMFT
Listen to Brian’s perspective on how he might bring a client back into their body and the present moment with core organizers within Sensorimotor Psychotherapy.
CHANGE BEGINS WITH SAYING YES TO LIFE
IRIS G-THRASH, LCSW
Iris encourages everyone to say, “YES” to life! Click in for her therapeutic perspective on how to direct change in your everyday life.
VIRTUAL DATING + MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH
DR. NAZNEEN NIZAMI, PSYD, LMFT
Dr. Nizami’s research on virtual dating and mental health analyzes the modern day struggles young women are encountering in 2023. Listen to her perspective on the obstacles and benefits of virtual dating.
FAMILIES + INVALIDATING ENVIRONMENTS
DR> DORIT SABERI, PHD
BRAIN CHEMISTRY + HEARTBREAK
IRIS G-THRASH, LCSW
Iris discusses brain chemistry and how it physically causes heartbreak. Click through to listen to Iris’ therapeutic guidance for overcoming the withdrawal of love.
TRAUMA PSYCHOTHERAPY AND NEURO-INFORMED CONCEPTUALIZATIONS
DR. KRISTEN ZALESKI, PHD, LCSW
As Clinical Director of The Mental Health Collective, Dr. Zaleski speaks to her strengths with how Trauma Psychotherapy and Neuro-Informed Conceptualizations support evidence based mental health treatment. Click on her interview below.
HOLOGRAPHIC REPROCESSING + TRAUMA TREATMENT
SARAH DOUGLAS, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Sarah Douglas, is one of Orange County’s leading therapists. She often turns to Holographic Reprocessing, a theory developed by Dr. Lori Katz, when treating clients struggling with trauma to reveal a timeline of patterns manifested for one’s survival.
CONTINUING BONDS THROUGH GRIEF THERAPY
DAWN JOOSTEN-HAGYE, PHD, LCSW, MSW, GC-C
Grief therapist, Dr. Dawn Joosten-Hagye, explains the need for continuing bonds after the loss of a loved one. In moments of death, Dr. Joosten-Hagye states, “That relationship doesn’t end, it continues in a modified form”.
SECONDARY STRESS + VICARIOUS TRAUMA
DR. KRISTEN ZALESKI, PHD, LCSW
Dr. Kristen Zaleski talks about the mental health issues an individual may struggle with after experiencing Secondary Stress or Vicarious Trauma. Click into the interview to hear Dr. Zaleski address why teaching self-care strategies is important for preventing long-term stress responses.
RESEARCH LEADS RESILIENCY BUILDING FOR LGBTQ MENTAL HEALTH
JACK SENESE, IV, MSW
Therapist and researcher, Jack Senese IV, MSW, shares his passion for research and clinical work. Jack is currently supporting studies to lead resiliency building for long-term LGBTQ mental health.
TOP-DOWN VS. BOTTOM-UP THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS
IRIS G-THRASH, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Iris G-Thrash, aligns her individualized therapeutic approach for each client with the Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up Therapeutic Intervention philosophy. The Mental Health Collective is grateful to have Iris’ skillset supporting care for clients struggling with mental health issues.
ATTACHMENT + NEURO INFORMED THERAPY
DR. KRISTEN ZALESKI, PHD, LCSW
Providing Attachment Therapy and Neuro Informed Therapy is the core of the mission at The Collective as discussed by Clinical Director, Dr. Kristen Zaleski, PhD, LCSW in a recent interview. Click in and listen to Dr. Zaleski explain why the two forms of therapy go hand in hand.
THERAPEUTIC NARRATIVE WRITING + EXPLORATION
DR. NAZNEEN NIZAMI, PSY.D, LMFT
Dr. Nazneen Nizami reflects on leading the narrative writing and exploration group at The Mental Health Collective. Dr. Nizami believes that creativity can oftentimes unlock the change individuals struggling with mental illness are hoping for.
SHOULD I GET MENTAL HEALTH HELP?
SARAH DOUGLAS, LMFT
If you’re struggling with mental health issues, when should you seek therapeutic support? Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Sarah Douglas, addressed the need to step out of avoidant behaviors and engage with therapy or residential treatment sooner rather than later. Click below and listen to her video interview and learn why.
GRIEF, A NATURAL RESPONSE TO LOSS
DAWN JOOSTEN-HAGYE, PHD, LCSW, MSW, GC-C
What is grief? What should we do about it? Orange County therapist, Dr. Dawn Joosten-Hagye, PhD, LCSW, MSW, GC-C gives her insight on this natural response to loss. Click in and listen to Dr. Joosten-Hagye’s recent interview on how the global pandemic’s collective grief will be experienced differently worldwide.
PARENTING + MENTAL HEALTH
DOUGLAS PIERSON, LMFT
Douglas Pierson, Orange County Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, discusses why parents must allow space for a child to experience cause and effect in the real world.
THROUGH SURVIVAL WE ARE ALL RESILIENT INDIVIDUALS
IRIS G-THRASH, LCSW
How do we heal and move forward after loss, tragedy, and trauma? Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Iris G-Thrash, believes through survival we are all resilient individuals. Iris discusses the need to tap into protective factors in order to engage with our resilience even in the most trying times.
BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER + DBT SKILLS
SARAH DOUGLAS, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Sarah Douglas, is one of Orange County’s leading Borderline Personality Disorder therapists. The Mental Health Collective is grateful to have her skillset leading treatment planning for clients needing Dialectical Behavioral Therapy skills.
DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION?
Send our team a message or call 888.717.9355