Achieve Your True Potential

Bios

• Esmeralda S. Christensen, MFT, PCC

  Licensed Therapist and Counselor/Certified Hypnotherapist

  How It All Started: As a San Diego native I love our community and I am interested in helping, as many people as I can reach - to heal, thrive and succeed. I spent my youth growing up between San Diego and Tijuana, B.C. Mexico and am fluent in English and Spanish. At the age of 12, I decided that I wanted to become a therapist; a lifelong passion that I pursued and absolutely love. As I worked my way through my undergraduate degree, I somehow ended up working at a juvenile correctional facility and I loved it. Being able to have contact with these high-risk youth, counseling them and coming to understand that their behavior was a reflection of the trauma they were exposed to, was truly a gift. Upon graduating with a B.A. in Psychology, I returned to do the work that I loved; with graduate school on my mind and an application at home, I made the decision to give myself a year to work before applying to grad school. One workday I learned of a crisis situation that was not in plain sight. Because I knew all of my kids so well, I realized there was an imminent safety issue. I was not considered a mental health professional at the time, so my concern and instinct fell on deaf ears. Trusting my intuition, I took precautions to avert the safety issue and it became clear to me in that moment, what I was meant to do. That evening, I completed my graduate school application for the University of San Diego. This situation had a major impact on me and it propelled me to where I am now. My Education and Training: I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Washington – Seattle and a Master of Arts degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of San Diego. I also hold a second Master’s Degree in Clinical Hypnotherapy from the Professional College of Psychotherapy and Clinical Hypnosis along with a Certificate of Doctorate Level Training in Clinical Hypnotherapy from the World Association of Eclectic Hypnotherapists. My Approach: My philosophy is to maintain a totally human-focused practice rather than only addressing the symptoms. I truly believe each person inherently owns the resources to achieve their greatest good, and those resources lie inside of every human being just waiting to be discovered and developed. ​ I am determined to guide you in finding this treasure, so you may experience a joyful and fulfilling life. My treatment objectives are to alleviate the presenting symptoms that limit and keep one from enjoying peace, joy, balance and harmony in one’s life. Once the presenting symptoms have subsided and harmony is achieved, the root issue can then be addressed by guiding the client in identifying old patterns, beliefs and emotions that have caused their limitations and have created the undesired symptoms. As self-awareness grows, clients are able to discard thoughts, feelings, and beliefs that are no longer useful and replace them with healthy thoughts, feelings, and beliefs to develop new patterns by which to operate. I support clients in utilizing this expanding awareness and incorporating new insights into their everyday life, which leads to improved interpersonal relationships, and a deeper understanding and connection of body, mind and soul - leading to sound emotional health and overall well-being. The mind, the body and the soul are one. They are eternally connected and that which affects one impacts the others. My Certifications: I am a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist by the National Board of Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists, with 6 years of experience incorporating hypnotherapy in my practice, in order to assist clients to achieve more rapid results. Recently, I have become Certified in Rapid Resolution Therapy (RRT) by the Institute for Rapid Resolution Therapy, Inc, with over 125 hours of training in this modality. I feel that Clinical Hypnosis gives me the ability to assist clients in achieving results quicker and with deeper healing. Now, I am very excited to add RRT to my practice, a cutting-edge approach to healing and positive change, that utilizes precise multi-level hypnotic communication. Unlike other approaches to trauma treatment which require the client to experience painful emotions while reliving the traumatic event, Clinical Hypnosis with Rapid Trauma Resolution clears the effects of trauma gently and painlessly. My Committment To Learning: I continually participate in educational opportunities to enhance my growth and knowledge. Currently, I am an active member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, a member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, and a member of the National Board of Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists.

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  Link: Esmeralda S. Christensen, MFT, PCC

• Heidi Beckenbach, PCCI

  Professional Clinical Counseling Intern

  My Education and Experience: Hello my name is Heidi and I am a Professional Clinical Counseling Intern (PCCI). I am currently working towards licensure and almost finished with my required 3,000 post graduate hours. I am also a certified Hypnotherapist and received my training from the Motivational Institute of Hypnotherapy in Cognitive Behavioral Hypnotherapy, Ericksonian Hypnosis, Energy Psychology and Neuro-Linguistic Programming. I was born and raised in New Jersey and received my BA in psychology from Rutgers University. I have never been a huge fan of cold weather so after college I decided to make a move to try out sunny San Diego and I love it! I have now been here for over 9 years and am happy to call San Diego home. When I first moved out here I worked at group homes for abused and neglected children (birth to 5 years old). I enjoyed my job but wanted to help people in more of a therapeutic role so I decided to apply to graduate school. I graduated from the University of San Diego in 2012 with my Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a 4.0 GPA and also received the Program Award of Distinction for outstanding scholarship, service and commitment. I have experience working with juveniles in Juvenile Detention Centers, youth burn survivors and Native American clients. For the past four years I have worked as the lead counselor at the Southern California American Indian Resource Center, Inc. (SCAIR) where I provide counseling to children, teens and adults for many different issues (e.g. trauma, depression, anxiety, grief, Non-Suicidal Self-Injury, PTSD, etc.) My Approach: When working with clients I believe in a holistic approach to healing, focusing on mind, body and spirit and their positive integration. I incorporate many different techniques into my counseling practice in order to individualize treatment and help others to grow, heal, accomplish goals and reach their fullest potential. Outside of the office: On my down time I enjoy hanging out with my dog Maynard, watching football with my husband (if our teams are winning), enjoying the outdoors, practicing yoga and being crafty. Supervised by Esmeralda S. Christensen, LMFT #45349

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  Link: Heidi Beckenbach, PCCI

• Liberty Hebron, PCCI

  Professional Clinical Counseling Intern

  In the Begining: For as long as I can remember, I have always been drawn to the helping professions but my path to where I am today has not been so straightforward. My earliest drawings of “what I want to be when I grow up” were usually of EMTs, nurses, or doctors. My interest in medicine continued all throughout high school, but my adolescent years also brought me a new revelation – what it means to be a prayerful, faithful, and spiritual person. The Journey: I hoped to pursue my passion for medicine and continue to grow my spirituality by studying Biology at a private university in San Diego, my hometown. However, as I approached commencement, I began to acknowledge that becoming a doctor was no longer a passion. But, being fiercely self-conscious, I tried shifting from pre-medicine to pre-nursing, afraid to let go of my lifelong dream. It was then that I took my first Psychology course and realized what it meant to feel alive when talking about a subject or career. After receiving my Bachelor’s degree, I was still unsure how to answer the ever haunting “what I want to be when I grow up” question. Thankfully, I was blessed with the opportunity to work at my alma mater, serving the undergraduate student leader population. This bought me the time I needed to continue to learn about myself and reflect on who I wanted to be, while growing as a professional. As I began to listen to my heart and listen to what others affirmed, I started to turn toward a profession in mental health. However, it was not until a tragic event in my local San Diego community that I finally took the leap to apply for graduate school. My role in supporting youth that I had known who were directly impacted by the tragedy was the catalyst I needed to answer the call I felt. While working toward my Master’s degree, I completed practical experience hours at a charter high school for high-risk young adults, as well as at a community youth center for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender teens and allies. These practical experiences have directly impacted the current work I do with high-risk youth with emotional and behavioral issues impacting them in the classroom setting. My Approach: My approach to therapy acknowledges that we all have very full and often non-traditional stories to tell. My focus is on following your lead and allowing the space for your story to be told so that healing and growth can begin. I believe in acknowledging our socially encouraged habit of self-criticism and challenging ourselves to build the habits of self-awareness, self-forgiveness and self-love. I hope to journey along your side, helping you to build your healthy habits and recognize, utilize, and strengthen your potential. My Experience: I am currently a registered Professional Clinical Counseling Intern (PCCI #1581) with experience working with issues of grief, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, substance abuse, gender and sexual identity exploration, self-esteem, stress-management, anger management, attention disorders, spiritual crises, and personal growth. Supervised by Esmeralda S. Christensen, LMFT #45349

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  Link: Liberty Hebron, PCCI