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Holistic Counseling:
Raissa is a licensed Marriage, Family Therapist, Nutritionist and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist. After 20 years as an educator and lecturer, she began a private practice as a health practitioner, herbalist and nutritional counselor in Hawaii. She moved to California in 1985 and received her MA in psychology two years later. After 3,000 hours, she received her MFT license. After 4,000 hours, she received certification as an eating disorder specialist.
Raissa treats addictive disorders with CBT and uses a comprehensive plan for recovery. She builds strong relationships treating grief, loss, co-dependency and the inner child with empathy and safety. She uses a holistic approach to balance mind, body and spirit. Traditional psychotherapy modals combining family systems, psychodynamic, humanistic, cognitive-behavioral, gestalt, feminist and mindfulness theories are also used.
She facilitated groups, counseled patients and set up programs for nutrition at Manor West Psychiatric Hospital and Hope House, an in-patient and residential treatment center for eating disorders and chemical abuse. She also led groups at Gateways Psychiatric Hospital in Los Angeles for the chronically mentally ill.
Raissa consulted, facilitated groups and counseled adolescents at Devereux California, a residential treatment center in Santa Barbara. She was the children's therapist for severely emotionally disturbed children.
She was a research psychotherapist in the Depression and Drug Abuse Treatment project of the Graduate School of Education at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
For six years, Raissa was the Director of Training and Supervision of interns for Sanctuary Psychiatric Center in Santa Barbara, an innovative program for successful living for the mentally ill population.
Raissa retired from being the clinical director of New Beginnings Counseling Center of Santa Barbara. This low-fee community-based counseling center provided training for future psychotherapists.
In her private practice in Santa Barbara, Raissa offers a holistic approach while treating a wide array of concerns and problems with a diverse population. She counsels and educates on meditation, mindfulness, grief, death and dying, women's issues and the addictive process.
As a motivational coach and information seeker, Raissa has a wealth of knowledge on many topics and many years in the professional field of counseling, nutrition and education. She can assist in stimulating, motivating and developing many areas of interest for her clients.
COUNSELING EXPERIENCE:
- Consultant for adolescents at Devereux California, a residential treatment facility.
- Research Psychotherapist in the Depression and Drug Abuse Treatment project of the Graduate School of Education at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
- The Director of Training and Supervision of Interns for Sanctuary Psychiatric Center in Santa Barbara.
- Facilitator of groups on grief, death and dying, women's issues and the addictive process.
- Clinical Director of New Beginnings Counseling Center, a low-fee community-based counseling center.
- Psychotherapist, Eating Disorder Specialist, Nutritionist and Coach in private practice.
COUNSELING CREDENTIALS:
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of California (MFT) MFC24753
- Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS) C-066
- Certified Nutritional Consultant (CNC)
- Certified Gestalt Therapist (CGT)
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:
EDUCATION:
- Associate of Arts, Counseling Psychology, University of
Hawaii/Maui Comm College, HI, 1975
- Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, University for Humanistic
Studies, San Diego, CA, 1982
- Professional Nutritionist, Nutritionist Institute of America,
Kansas City, MO, 1984
- Bachelor of Arts, Counseling Psychology, Sierra University,
Los Angeles, CA, 1985
- Master of Arts, Counseling Psychology, Sierra University,
Los Angeles, CA, 1987
- Three year Certificate of completion Santa Barbara Gestalt
Training Center, Santa Barbara, CA, 1996
- Completed the second year of a three-year training in "Somatic Experiencing" trauma resolution work of Peter Levine.
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