Individual and group therapy:
Skilled in:
high achieving students
balancing perfectionism
supporting athletes and performing artists
academic and life stressors
body image
transitions
focus and esteem
mood regulation
family and peer relationships
Children
Life Light Counseling supports our young clients through art therapy, play therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) interventions. The office is a safe and friendly environment, which allows children the freedom to explore and share their feelings and thoughts.
Teens
Through a strength-based modality, Life Light Counseling supports, empowers and provides psycho education for our teenage clients. Teens experience heightened stressful encounters, complex life experiences, academic challenges and more. It is important to have a safe space to share, develop coping skills, and enhance self care to help navigate through the daily stressors. Let’s work together and create healthy and positive self coping skills!
Families
Family support is also an essential service Life Light Counseling provides. We hope to empower the family to grow, learn and work towards a deeper awareness and improved quality of life.
Life Light Counseling aims to support families as they evolve through the various stages of life. In addition to providing therapeutic support, we also assist in the 504 accommodation plans, individualized educational plan (IEP) or accommodation plan process.
Young adult
Young adults need support as well! Navigating the life stressors and feeling fulfilled can be challenging. Having a therapist join you in your journey is empowering. Work, life, family, relationships, and burn out a huge part of todays adult life. Life Light Counseling seeks to provide young adults with the therapeutic support as they traverse their evolving life circumstances.
Offered Groups:
High school girls group : Today’s youth are experiencing stressors which include academics, transitions, compromised self esteem, relationships, perfectionism, depression and anxiety. The High school girls group helps provide support, build community, enhance coping skills, and further psychoeducation. The group allows a safe space to process stressors, build confidence and explore challenges amongst all teens.
Middle school girls group: Middle school girls are experiencing high levels of anxiety, isolation, academic stresses, body image and esteem challenges. The Middle school girls group provides a warm environment to support and explore current life stressors, and encourage growth in self care, self esteem and psychoeducation. It is exciting to be able to bring together amazing young women here on the Peninsula. Let’s work together towards developing a healthy self image and coping skills!
Body Image Group: According to a recent Kaiser foundation study, 53% of young girls are unhappy with their bodies by the age of 13. This percentage dramatically increases to 78% by the age of 18! At Life Light Counseling, we focus on processing imagery stressors, developing healthy coping skills while balancing school, activities and self. We hope for young women to feel empowered and develop healthy self images.
Support Group for Parents of Transgender/Gender Non-Binary Youth: In 2021, research found over half of transgender/non-binary youth contemplated suicide in the past year. Research also provides evidence that parent support for youth’s gender identities can significantly lower suicide risk. Our support group provides a community for parents of trans/non-binary youth to process emotions and share tools for coming alongside youth as they explore identity and navigate daily challenges.
LGBTQIA+ Pre-Teen Therapy Group: Many LGBTQ youth can’t access affirming spaces, with only half reporting that their school is LGBTQ-affirming and a third saying their home is affirming. Research finds that accessing these spaces promotes youth’s mental health. The LGBTQIA+ Pre-Teen Therapy Group offers strategies for tackling daily struggles, exploring identity, and providing support for youth going through similar experiences.
LGBTQIA+ Teen Therapy Group: Seventy-five percent of LGBTQ+ youth report that they experienced discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity at least once in their lifetime, which can severely impact mental health. The LGBTQIA+ Teen Therapy Group supports teens in navigating life areas like relationships, discrimination, and social media.
The Middle, High School and Body Image groups are led by Lyndsey, who trained as a classical ballet dancer while maintaining academic excellence in her youth. She understands first hand the complexities of perfectionism in school as well as through artistic expression and body image challenges. Her welcoming nature and familiarity with these issues provides a relatable, comfortable, and accepting environment for all age groups.
Lyndsey Nelson LMFT #113189
The Transgender/Gender Non-Binary and LGBTQIA+ groups are facilitated by Susie, who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community and an ally of transgender/gender non-binary folx since her own youth. Her passion, nurturance, and skills in supporting LGBTQ+ young people and their families promote a safer, empowering environment for youth.
Susan “Susie” Pollard LMFT #139360