We are offering full Tele-Health Sessions
A Snapshot of our Clinicians
DR. Jake InSler, Psy.D.
DR. Jennifer PaTTON, PSY.D
DR. Jake InSler, Psy.D.
Specialty: Teen, Adult Performance Specialist
Dr. Jake Insler is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in high-performance, mindset and mental skills training. He utilizes a mindfulness-based cognitive therapy approach toward mental growth and development. Whether the goal is to build confidence, control emotions, improve behavior, perform under pressure, improve communication or conquer self-doubt, working with Dr. Jake is an overall growth experience. He has experience working with olympic, professional, collegiate, high school, and middle school athlete. He also has extensive experience working with children, pre-teens, teens, adults, and families dealing with anxiety, depression, mood disorders, ADHD, major life transitions, and other mental health issues. Dr. Jake Insler is a native of Manhattan Beach.
For more information or to contact Dr. Jake,
email him at drjake@sbcft.com
Brian Lutz LMFT
DR. Jennifer PaTTON, PSY.D
DR. Jake InSler, Psy.D.
Specialty: Child, Teen, Adult
Brian is a licensed marriage and family therapist whose areas of strength include chronic illness, substance abuse, family issues, and struggles in school. Additionally he focuses on helping children, teens, and young adults to utilize their creativity to discover new possibilities for how to approach challenges in their lives. Brian has a focus on helping his clients move through life with a growth and learning based perspective, by helping them learn how to support themselves more effectively.
Born and raised in the South Bay, Brian is excited for the opportunity to help his local community to live more meaningful, productive and fulfilling lives.
For more information or to contact him, email Brian at brian@sbcft.com
DR. Jennifer PaTTON, PSY.D
DR. Jennifer PaTTON, PSY.D
DR. Jennifer PaTTON, PSY.D
Specialty: Child, Teen, Adult, Family
Dr. Jennifer has worked with children, adolescents, and families in the South Bay for over 20 years. Her various professional roles have provided her with a breadth of experience working with families and youth of all ages and abilities in a variety of clinical and educational settings. Jennifer provides Individual Therapy for children, adolescents, and adults; Play Therapy for little ones; and Family Therapy. She conducts Psychological and Educational assessment testing, and suicide assessments/ safety planning. Jennifer specializes in treating adjustment difficulties, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and trauma. As a lifelong resident of the South Bay, Jennifer has great familiarity with the local community. Dr. Jennifer is supervised by Dr. Giti.
For more information or to contact
Dr. Jennifer, email her at drjennifer@sbcft.com
AMY CORNWALL AMFT
KRISTINA CLELAND, LMFT
DR. Jennifer PaTTON, PSY.D
Specialty: Early Childhood, Children/Teen, Parent, Family Therapy
Amy is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist who provides therapy for children, teens, adults and families. Amy specializes in trauma-focused therapy utilizing EMDR, sandtray, and play therapy. She also specializes in treating life transitions, anxiety, depression, disruptive behavior, ADHD, and attachment issues between parent and child.
The most important aspect of therapy is the therapeutic relationship which is built on trust and understanding. Clients can expect an empathetic therapist that desires to help them through their therapeutic journey.
For more information or to contact Amy, email her at amy@sbcft.com
KRISTINA CLELAND, LMFT
KRISTINA CLELAND, LMFT
KRISTINA CLELAND, LMFT
Specialty: Child, Adolescent, Young Adult
Kristina Cleland has been practicing in the South Bay for multiple years and enjoys working with children, adolescents, teens, and young adults. She focuses on helping children, adolescents, and teens build social skills and emotional intelligence through the therapy process in order for them to lead healthy and happy lives and provides her clients with the resources to help them identify their strengths, overcome challenges, and experience personal growth.
Kristina guides her clients to identify and use their inherent strengths to create both deep personal healing and practical change and works closely with the families in order for the client to receive the necessary support outside of therapy.
For more information or to contact, email Kristina at kristinaclelandtherapy@gmail.com
GaYLE dARGEl, LMFT
KRISTINA CLELAND, LMFT
KRISTINA CLELAND, LMFT
Speciality: Child, Teen, Adult, Couples, Family
Gayle Dargel has extensive experience spanning a vast population which includes children, adolescents, adults, families and couples. She has worked in private practice, in an inpatient psychiatric hospital setting, and a well-established substance and dependence treatment center. In addition, she has specific expertise and background in neuropsychology and child development and has worked with children with autism, in-home parent coaching and attachment-based play therapy. Her specialization in attachment, family systems, and group therapeutic intervention is recognized by the therapeutic community in the South Bay. She is well-versed in group therapy and family work and enjoys bridging the individual therapeutic work with parent support, guidance and psycho-education.
Her theoretical approach includes EMDR, attachment, play therapy and client centered therapy. She believes in individualized, empathetic care for her patients and families.
For more information and to contact her, email at Gayle@sbcft.com
VERONICA HLATKY, AMFT
VERONICA HLATKY, AMFT
VERONICA HLATKY, AMFT
Specialty:Child/Teen, Eating Disorder,Parenting
Veronica is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in working with children, adolescents, adults, and families from a systemic, strengths-based perspective. She strives to build a relationship with her clients that is collaborative, empathetic, and respectful, focusing on client strengths and hopes for a better future to guide the therapeutic process. Veronica has training in trauma-informed care, and experience treating anxiety, depression, and eating disorders.
She is passionate about working with individuals to create meaningful change and provide practical skills they can grow with. Her life experience as a parent allows her to work with children, parents, and families from a place of non-judgment, compassion, and understanding.
For more information or to contact her, email at Veronica@sbcft.com
BENJAMIN GILBERT AMFT
VERONICA HLATKY, AMFT
VERONICA HLATKY, AMFT
Specialty: Child, Teen, Young Adult
Benjamin is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in clinical work with children, adolescents and adults. He strives to establish a strong therapeutic relationship with patients, building from a trauma-informed and empathic foundation. Benjamin has worked providing school therapy to elementary and middle school students and places great value on early intervention. He also enjoys work with young adults, adults, and families. Before joining the SBCFT team, Benjamin worked with adolescents and young adults who were struggling with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. Benjamin focused his work on helping clients develop insight into the underlying mental health struggles fueling their substance abuse.
For more information or to contact him, email at Benjamin@sbcft.com
SHAWN HOWARD, AMFT
VERONICA HLATKY, AMFT
SHAWN HOWARD, AMFT
Specialty: Child, Teen, Adult, Couples, Family
Shawn is an Associate Marriage and Famiy Therapist specializing in child, adolescent , adult and family therapy. Shawn primarily utilizes the interpersonal process of therapy, focusing on a relational approach. He is passionate about developing a working alliance with clients and creating and containing a safe space for growth and change in sessions by empowering the client to learn and practice, effective communication, boundary setting and emotional authenticity in individual and group sessions.
Shawn also has extensive experience in recovery (teens & adults), family therapy, and childhood trauma work.
For more information or to contact Shawn, email shawn@sbcft.com
STEPHANIE HEIM, LMFT
ChRISTINE MCLaRTy, AMFT
CHRISTINA MORSE, AMFT
Specialty: Early Childhood, Teen, Young Adult
Stephanie is a Licensed Marriage and Family therapist who has been practicing in the South Bay for over 5 years. She is passionate about helping her clients discover their own path to healing through positivity and empowerment. She has a wide variety of experience working with children (0-8), teens, and young adults. She has vast experience working with with children who have experienced trauma and behavioral issues. She uses a narrative and play based form of therapy to help children process their emotions. She often uses activities in a playful way to help her client's learn to understand and express their feelings in an age appropriate way. She enjoys making her therapy room a safe place through play, art, or bringing her individual clients' interests into session.
Stephanie grew up in the South Bay and enjoys practicing clinical work in her community.
For more information or to contact her, email at Stephaniemft@sbcft.com
CHRISTINA MORSE, AMFT
ChRISTINE MCLaRTy, AMFT
CHRISTINA MORSE, AMFT
Specialty: Family,Parenting,Women, Child/Teen
Christina is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist who has worked with children and
families in multiple capacities and settings for over 30 years. Her professional career spans
across public and private school settings, and special education. Christina is trauma-informed and her training includes Gestalt play therapy, behavior analysis, and school-based approaches. She uses family systems theory when working with families and has extensive experience supporting patients with stress, anxiety, depression and grief. Christina also has a specialty in the area of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and believes in holistic approaches to understanding the connection between one’s past, present and future.
Christina has also lived in the South Bay for over 25 years and is the mother of two growing young men.
For more information or to contact her, email at Christinamft@sbcft.com
ChRISTINE MCLaRTy, AMFT
ChRISTINE MCLaRTy, AMFT
ChRISTINE MCLaRTy, AMFT
Specialty: Child/Teen, Behavior, Family,Couples
Christine is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist. As a former special education teacher, Christine places high value on early interventions and family support. In addition to workng at SBCFT, she works as a school based therapist providing mental health support to highschoolers.
Christine treats young children, adolescents, teens, and families. She has extensive experience working with children who struggle with ADHD, executive functioning obstacles, behavioral obstacles, and optimal functioning. In addition, Christine also extensive experience and interest in working with family systems and working with couples. Her theoretical background is primarily in CBT and psychodynamic approaches, but her style varies depending on the needs of the client. Christine aims to provide a supportive and safe environment for all clients.
For more information or to contact her, email at Christine@sbcft.com
NEW team member
Flor Canales Amft
KATIE BATES APCC
Speciality: Child, Teen, Family
New bio coming soon...
KATIE BATES APCC
Flor Canales Amft
KATIE BATES APCC
Specialty: Teen, Adult Performance Specialist
Katie is an Associate Professional Clinical Counselor with research and clinical experience that focuses on athlete identity development, men and masculinities, and positive psychology. She utilizes a trauma-informed lens, solution-focused, narrative, and interpersonal approaches. Katie has experience working with older adolescents and young adults who are experiencing stage-of-life challenges and transitions. Katie is currently in the process of completing her Certified Mental Performance Coach (CMPC) certification through the Association of Applied Sport Psychology and works closely with high school and college teams and coaches in the Southwest region of the country. Currently, Katie also supports students who have been impacted by gender- and power-based harm at the University of Southern California. Katie is currently supervised by Dr. Jacob Insler.
For more information and to contact her, email at Katie@sbcft.com
Flor Canales Amft
Flor Canales Amft
Flor Canales Amft
Specialty: Early Childhood Intervention, 0-8
Flor specializes in working with infants, toddlers, and their family members. She utilizes various experiential therapies including play therapy andCPP (Child Family Psychotherapy) which is an Evidence Based Practice with a focus on working with the family as a unit. Flor enjoys engaging in play with the child as well as the caregiver during sessions, believing that the child and caregiver relationship is the most important part of the child’s development, contributing significantly to healthy attachment. Flor’s goal is to create a safe environment for her clients in order to help them to feel free to explore and work through their own struggles through play therapy, as well as by being their support system through their work. In addition to her work at SBCFT, Flor is also a clinician at Children's Institute as an Early Intervention Specialist.
For more information and to contact her, email at Flor@sbcft.com
MAE CHEN, J.D., AMFT
MAE CHEN, J.D., AMFT
MAE CHEN, J.D., AMFT
Specialty: Child/Teen, Adult, grief, and trauma
Mae is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist providing therapy for children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families. Through the therapeutic process of uncovering each person’s unique essence, Mae helps her clients attune to, accept, and love themselves, overcome limiting thoughts, and process difficult emotions and past hurts.
Mae has received training in evidence-based modalities such as EMDR, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and psychodynamic therapy. Additionally, Mae works collaboratively and integrates parts-work, family systems, Gestalt, existentialism/spirituality, and cognitive narrative approaches depending on a client’s needs. Mae is a parent of two, an experienced special education attorney and a woman of substance and deep faith – a beautiful blend of head and heart.
For more information or to contact Mae, email her at Mae@sbcft.com
Ken KANG, AMFT, APCC
MAE CHEN, J.D., AMFT
MAE CHEN, J.D., AMFT
Specialty: Child, Teen, Young Adult
Ken has extensive experience working with children from K-12 that struggle with depression, anxiety, ADHD, and disruptive behavior and utilizes elements from CBT, psychodynamic theory and mindfulness. He also utilizes trauma-focused specialties including EMDR and TF-CBT. Ken’s primary goal as a therapist is to help children, teens, and young adults successfully progress through their complicated formative years into healthy, flourishing adults. He supports young people as they learn to regulate big emotions, rediscover motivation, improve self-esteem and enrich their relationships. Through a combination of play and talk therapy, he enables clients to develop a more robust sense of self and strengthens their innate resources to help them overcome obstacles to healthy development. In addition to vast therapeutic experience, Ken had a 15 year career on Wall Street following his degree at Georgetown University and is a proud father to be.
For more information or to contact Ken, email him at Ken@sbcft.com
DANI TORRES, AMFT
MAE CHEN, J.D., AMFT
DANI TORRES, AMFT
Specialty: Young Children, Child, Teen
Danielle provides therapy for young children, children and has extensive experience with these ages. She has worked with children, adolescents, and young adults in a variety of settings, including education, special education, ABA therapy, and non-profit school based services. Danielle specializes in working with individuals experiencing grief and loss, anxiety, depression, trauma, and difficult life transitions. Danielle utilizes Solution focused, positive psychology, and cognitive behavioral approaches. Danielle collaborates with clients to help them process difficult thoughts and feelings that impact daily life, and aids the client in developing coping strategies to improve self esteem and engender hope in clients who have experienced trauma and loss. Danielle is also currently a Kindergarten teacher in a school in LA County.
For more information or to contact Dani, email her at Dani@sbcft.com