Mark Winitsky, a Marriage and Family Therapist, is a graduate of Antioch University Los Angeles. In addition to being an AACAST certified couples and sex therapist, Mark has completed the Family Therapy Training Program at the Southern California Counseling Center and has had five years of training at the Pacific Gestalt Institute. He is a member of the International Association for Psychoanalytic Self Psychology and is particularly interested in issues related to cultural and lifestyle diversity. Mark is a highly experienced therapist who provides opportunities for growth and self awareness to individuals and couples.

Wendy Cherry, co-founder of AACAST, is a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice in Encino, specializing in couples and sex therapy. Wendy trained with renowned couples and sex therapist Dr. Walter Brackelmanns for almost two decades and is also part of Dr. Allan Schore's Right Brain Psychotherapy Study Group. Wendy combines an empathic therapeutic stance with a straightforward approach, balancing an understanding presence with the actual "work" of therapy. Wendy currently offers both in person and telehealth appointments.

Lea Roussos, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, has a Master's degree from Antioch University in Psychology, and a Master's degree from the American Graduate School of International Management. She has 15 years experience as a psychotherapist and international businesswoman. Lea is an AACAST Certified Couples & Sex Therapist, and an adjunct Supervisor at Southern California Counseling Center. She is Executive Director of Santa Monica Counseling Center, which offers services for individuals, couples, and families. Lea specializes in couples therapy, and individuals struggling with all types of eating disorders. She has experience with EMDR (eye movement desensitization reprocessing), TRM (trauma resiliency model)and MBSR (mindfulness based stress reduction) to work through all types of trauma. Lea believes in the innate strength of her clients and helps couples and individuals move through difficult life challenges in an attuned, compassionate manner.

I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and an AACAST Certified Couples and Sex Therapist in Private Practice in Santa Monica. I have worked extensively with individuals and couples with a wide range of personal and relational struggles. My primary focus is communication. More specifically, learning how to express feelings so that needs can bet met more directly, and learning how to listen so that the our partners feel understood and cared for. Without these tools (which are rarely taught to anyone), partners may find themselves stuck in a conflictual and/or disconnecting dance familiar to many. For some partners, it may feel that they have lost their voice or even their sense of self in the relationship. Perhaps it feels like nothing they do is ever good enough and that the best option is to shutdown and disengage. For other partners, being repeatedly shut out of their partners' lives, it may feel like they can never be connected or feel close. Whatever the experience may be, it is not unlikely that each of these partners feels alone. As a certified couples and sex therapist, trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy, Interanalytic Couples Therapy, and Couples EMDR, I will teach each of you how to communicate about your feelings and expereince, as well as how to truly listen empathetically. Once you begin to do this effectively, it is my experience that you will each begin to understand your partner, feel recognized for who you are in turn, and ultimately feel loved and connected in a way that you have not felt before. I am located in Santa Monica in the Ocean Park area.

Maggie Smith is a licensed marriage and family therapist and an AACAST Certified Couples and Sex Therapist. Maggie graduated Pepperdine with MA in clinical psychology after completing undergrad at UC Santa Cruz. Maggie supports individuals and couples in growth and healing while deepening an understanding of themselves and their experiences. She is interested in helping individuals, families and couples understand dysfunctional relational patterns perpetuating distress so they may identify and build healthy interactional styles in these central relationships. She has training in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and experience working with an array of populations. Maggie values building a compassionate, authentic and secure alliance with patients, providing a space for them to be cared for and understood.

Debbie Thomas is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice in Walnut Creek, California (San Francisco East Bay). Debbie specializes in working with couples. Her approach integrates CBT, Psychodynamic, Solution Focused therapies and Mindfulness. Couples can count on learning and practicing effective communication skills, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness. These skills will deepen your connection, intimacy, and emotional attunement with your partner. Debbie’s approach also focuses on tackling the negative effects shame and self-doubt have on closeness in your relationship.