Ava Cazares (she/her/ella)

M.S., LMFT
Accepting Clients

Feeling unlike yourself lately? My name is Ava Cázares, M.S., LMFT and I work with women as they find their way back to themselves.

Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in California

Services
  • Individual

About My Clients

Women who find me often describe feeling disconnected from themselves in ways that are hard to explain. Most are in their 20s, many of whom are Latina, navigating identity shifts and redefining who they are after major life transitions. They may have ambition, potential, and goals, yet still feel held back by something invisible. That “something” often goes by many names: depression, low self-worth, insecure attachment, abandonment and rejection wounds, and unresolved relational trauma.

My Background and Approach

My approach has two phases. First, we begin with depth-oriented, insight-driven work—making the unconscious conscious and getting to the root of your experiences. Once we understand the why, we shift into a more practical, change-oriented phase. Here we begin to reconstruct your inner world and sense of self in noticeable ways: reshaping your belief system, identifying priorities, developing healthier habits, letting go of self-sabotage, and learning how to stop abandoning yourself. I care about offering something more lasting than a way to cope. The woman you’re becoming isn’t someone you have to create from scratch (you are already her). Let’s find your way back to yourself.

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

As a Mexican-American woman, I believe psychotherapy is a vehicle for social justice. My solidarity resides with communities who have been historically 'othered' in the context of psychotherapy, making for an intimidating, traumatic, and oppressive experience. I am often non-pathologizing and choose to perceive my clientele as being a part of a larger socio/cultural/political context, often attributing symptoms to external factors (when relevant) rather than something inside of them. Aside from psychotherapy, I'm deeply involved with Latinx immigration rights and provide psychological immigration evaluations for undocumented families.

Techniques I Use

Specialties
Relational Therapy
Other Techniques
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
  • Attachment Theory
  • Culturally Sensitive Therapy
  • Depth Therapy
  • Existential Therapy
  • Gestalt Therapy
  • Psychodynamic Therapy

Issues I Treat

Specialties
Depression Self-Esteem Women's Issues
Other Issues
  • Attachment
  • Burnout
  • Codependency
  • Historical/ Intergenerational Trauma
Insurance Plans Accepted
  • Aetna
  • Blue Cross of California
  • Optum
  • Anthem Blue Cross Medical
  • Carelon Behavioral Health Plan
  • Quest Behavioral Health
  • Oxford (Optum)
  • UnitedHealthcare (Optum)
I offer online counseling in the following states:

At A Glance

  • Experience: 4 years of practice
  • Languages: Español
  • Rate: $150/session

Reach out to Ava