Theresa Ballardo, Psy.D

Licensed Psychologist, PSY31448

I am passionate about working with children, adolescents, young
adults, and parents. Many clients that I serve are seeking help with
anxiety, depression, struggles with eating disorder patterns, poor body
image, social anxiety, low self-esteem, and parenting support. I enjoy
assisting people identify and explore thoughts and feelings in a way
that assist with perspective taking and understanding ways that past
relationships may influence current relationship struggles.

Schedule an Appointment
Services

Individual Therapy for Children (5 years and older) Adolescents, Teens, and Adults

 

Play Therapy: school-aged children and adolescents
Individual Therapy: older adolescents and adults of all ages
Parenting Support

Specialties

 

  • Anxiety and Stress (General, Social, Work Stress)
  • Depression
  • Grief and Loss
  • Trauma/PTSD
  • Suicidal Ideation
  • Eating Disorders
  • Adjustment Disorder
  • Panic attacks/Panic
  • Women’s Issues
Education

I am a licensed clinical psychologist, which means that I have had
extensive training both as a predoctoral intern and postdoctoral fellow
working in various settings (i.e. inpatient hospitalization, residential
treatment, outpatient hospitalization, schools, colleges, community
mental health, group practice) before becoming licensed to practice
psychotherapy. I am certified in suicide prevention counseling, am a
member of International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals,
Association for Play Therapy, and teach several college psychology and
eating disorder courses.

 

 

Appointments

45-55 minute sessions via Teletherapy

Location
Telehealth throughout all of California
My approach

I strive to connect with my clients through my direct, compassionate,
and creative nature. I enjoy assisting others build insight, increase
perspective taking, and experience self-discovery that can lead to long-
term personal growth.
I assist college students through talk and expressive art therapy to help
develop life skills that can help increase empowerment, assertiveness,
and self-care.  As with working with adults of all ages, I enjoy
assisting college students explore parts of themselves by
acknowledging how life experiences may influence one’s thoughts,
feelings, and behaviors.

For younger clients, I enjoy using toys, art, and other creative ways in
therapy to connect and help children “work through” feelings and learn
healthy, powerful ways to engage with others in their world. I am
passionate about assisting parents and children learn to identify,
tolerate, and regulate intense emotions that can interfere with parent-
child relationships, school performance, peer relations, and self-
esteem.

Why I love this work

Making the decision to start therapy can come with apprehension. I
believe your best judgement guided you to search for the right
therapist. I have a direct and compassionate style of working with
children, adolescents, college students, and adults. I assist clients in
reducing anxiety and depression in order to feel confident, achieve a
healthier sense of self, and live in accordance to their values. I believe
honoring one's intuition is the key to healing- whether that be through
play therapy, creative art interventions, or talk therapy. I enjoy helping
others explore their identity and to accept various parts of themselves.

What I want for you

Therapy can be such a powerful gift and I strive to assist in being a
catalyst for change in my clients’ lives. Change can be uncomfortable
and, often times, necessary for growth. I believe that finding a therapist
that will assist with support you and challenge you can help lead to
positive outcomes, including positive change and growth.

My specialties, background, and personal interests

I specialize in treating eating disorders and issues that occur at the
same time, such as trauma, anxiety and depression. I have treated
eating disorders for about a decade in the following settings: as a
program manager and therapist in an intensive inpatient and outpatient
psychiatric hospital, residential treatment, colleges, community mental

health agencies, group practice, and private practice. I also use play
therapy to assist children work through feelings related to anxiety,
divorce, depression, trauma, eating issues, and behavioral issues.

Schedule a free call with a care coordinator to get started

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