Insights into Mental Health

Give yourself permission to find joy in your daily life, enjoy time with loved ones, and friends. Devote time to peaceful hobbies that feel healing, such as gardening, cooking, or creative pursuits.

The first session with a new therapist is often similar to a first date. You attend knowing you are opening yourself up to questions, feedback, and it is the expectation of the other person that you respond to these with honesty and vulnerability.

The goal is to repair the person’s relationship with food, their body, and with exercise so that they can live out their values and not only the values of the eating disorder.

I also try to have patience and grace with myself. Making changes can be hard. If I am feeling discouraged or down, I try to think of how I might speak to a loved one or close friend who is struggling with their New Year's resolutions, and then try to speak to myself in that same manner.

"When we are forced to slow down, sit inside, and not have such a busy schedule, we are forced to focus on ourselves and evaluate our priorities."

“Happier Living’s mission reflects the heart of why I became a therapist: to help people live fuller, more connected, and genuinely happier lives."

“I love being a psychiatrist because you get to spend meaningful time with your clients and really get to know them, which is rare in medicine nowadays, as the emphasis has shifted from building relationships to seeing many people in as short a time as possible.”

“Art and music are central to my life,” she says. “They help me explore emotion, transformation, and the human condition. I see creativity as one of the most profound expressions of healing and self-understanding.”

"I meet my clients where they are, always. I make sure there’s trust, safety, and unconditional positive regard."

"My goal is to collaborate with patients to increase their confidence in their ability to change and to enhance their hope that they can become their most authentic selves."

At Happier Living, we know that health isn’t just about diagnoses and prescriptions. It’s about creating spaces for human connection, because that is where healing truly begins.

The P.E.R.Fi.C model offered at Happier Living ensures that all areas of health, including physical and emotional health, are explored and attended to. It also allows us to see how we change over time and where we may need to shift our attention.

Try and hold on to the lazy days of summer by keeping a slower pace whenever you can. Resting, relaxing, slowing down are like vitamins for mental and emotional wellbeing.

"If this happened, first I would suggest allowing oneself to feel the emotions that arise from this loss. It is a loss and it is okay to grieve this loss in order to process these emotions in a healthy way. Self-care is very important at this time."

At Happier Living, Dr. Genen has developed an exercise called the P.E.R.Fi.C. System, which allows you to examine different facets of your life.

I feel personally invested in helping individuals overcome challenges, build resilience, and enhance their quality of life through therapeutic techniques and guidance.

“Winter can be tough, but I find it’s also a season to embrace little habits that make a big difference in feeling balanced and energized,” says Dr. Kinder.

“My goal as a therapist is to assist my clients in reaching their full potential,” says Schmidt. “I care a great deal about my clients and want to help them succeed.”

"I'm grateful to be part of the Happier Living team where I'm able to be of service to all of those people who can then go on to be of amazing service and care to all the clients that they see and make a huge impact on their lives.”

“I believe that the most important part about creating and establishing New Year's resolutions is practicing kindness and self-compassion,” says Happier Living licensed psychologist Angela L. Babadjanian.

“It is okay to stay home or spend the time with people in your life who do make you feel good.” 

“It seems so important to keep in mind that there is much more to all of us, and to the relationships we hold dear, than our political differences.”

“I like exercise in any form to help relieve stress, help with sleep, and for overall health,” says Dr. McGuire.

Kids sometimes need help making the shift from lazy days of summer to the school routine.

"Intentionality is the key to establishing a strong family connection with the hustle and bustle of everyday living."

I love psychiatry because much of the care I provide to my patients comes from making a genuine and caring connection of the heart.

While it isn’t a magic bullet, getting outside and getting active can help boost your mood. With the sunny, warm weather, there really is no better time to do it.

Humans are fascinating and I enjoy listening to people and trying to understand their experience and figure out how I can help.

It is crucial to pay just as much attention to both your physical and mental health, and there are numerous signs that can indicate it would be a good time to reach out to a mental health professional.

It's the focus. It's like you switch your attention. So it's paying full attention.

Psychiatry gave me the ability to know people beyond the surface and be part of their journeys in a meaningful way.

“I know that misery shared is halved and happiness shared is doubled,” says Dr. Klyman. “I like my patients to be able to experience that.”

The connection comes from listening and asking genuine questions so that we can reach new insights that help the patients understand themselves and their relationships with others.

I wanted to better understand human issues and their causes better.

It has been a wonderful experience that I plan to continue as long as my health and my interest in being a psychotherapist continue.

It is very important to view self-care as vital (or vitamins) to our emotional well being and to give ourselves permission to take care of ourselves first.

This month we are celebrating the “C” in The P.E.R.Fi.C. System, Happier Living’s roadmap to a more balanced life.

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we asked four of our clinicians to share their thoughts on how we can all benefit from regular therapy sessions.

“I have always been curious about how people think and live,” says Maren. “I love hearing life stories.”

For Dr. Karl Gundersen, it was the connections he knew he would make with his patients that led him to psychiatry. Working at Happier Living has allowed those connections to flourish.

Dr. Thomas Rankin always assumed he would become a lawyer like his father. After majoring in philosophy as an undergraduate, he went to Stanford Law School, graduated and passed the California Bar exam.“But law never really spoke to me,” he says.

Decades ago and long before he became a psychologist, Dr. Gary Lewis was playing a game with some friends and was asked the question: What do you want your tombstone to read?

Dr. Mark Schlotterback decided to pursue a career in psychiatry during his psychiatry rotations in medical school. While on the rotations, he says he felt strong enthusiasm, interest, and vocational fulfillment.

People often underestimate the importance of the connection they have with their clinician. Instead, they focus on finding a convenient appointment time or they don’t give the ...

Ever wondered why it hurts when you get criticized? Why do we get “defensive”? Our pathways for processing physical pain and emotional pain are the same. That means experiencing loss, trauma...

It was during medical school rotation that Dr. Duy Tran fell in love with psychiatry. Originally, he had been planning on becoming a surgeon.

It’s important to understand the state of Los Angeles Psychiatrists and mental health care today so you can understand and appreciate what our group is about. Access to Outpatient Mental...

Kensie Hoag wasn’t always going to be a social worker. She originally wanted to forgo college and move to a big city and become an actress, writer, and an artist.

When you think of psychotherapy, you might imagine lying on a couch with a psychiatrist sitting poker faced, scribbling notes and occasionally stroking their chin as they contemplate what...

For Happier Living Nutritionist Brittany Bettingen, taking care of one’s health is personal.

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Meet Julianne Dunn, who was a former deejay and suddenly found herself laid off. It was during this time Dunn realized her true passion and found herself getting her Masters of Science in addiction counseling.

With everyone living such busy lives, it is easy to let friendships languish and not get the attention that they deserve. But meaningful friendships are an important part of a happy and healthy life and serve different purposes than romantic and familial relationships.

This month, we are spotlighting relationships. Happier Living’s Director of Clinician Experience and relationship expert Dr. Alexis Weisinger shares five ways to boost relationships with our partners now and throughout the year.

At Happier Living, we’ve developed The P.E.R.Fi.C. System to help set goals and track progress in five key areas that are all crucial to the balanced life we help our clients strive for...

Jennifer Arzate builds a deep connection with her clients by providing a genuinely caring, warm, and non-judgmental space for them, and an alliance with them.