Karen G. Amirkhanyan, LMFT

Welcome! My name is Karen G. Amirkhanyan. I am a psychotherapist licensed in the states of California and Texas. I provide therapy to individuals, couples and families. I guide my clients work through a variety of issues such as depression, anxiety, trauma, self-esteem, relationship challenges, family conflict and life transitions.

I believe self-awareness contributes to change and improvement; therefore, my therapeutic approach focuses on developing a deeper understanding of the inner self. I help my clients build bridges to their inner child in order to work through and remove internalized barriers. Healthy and meaningful interpersonal relationships determine the quality of one’s life which is why in my practice I assist clients identify toxic interactions and implement firm boundaries.

My clinical style is holistic and tailored to my clients’ needs. I incorporate client centered, humanistic and psychoanalytic tools. I also place strong emphasis on CBT and DBT models and integrate elements from both modalities. Cultural and spiritual aspects of my clients’ lives are important considerations in my treatment plan.

I am certified in Relational Life Therapy. RLT helps couples identify dysfunctional patterns, equips them with skills to repair conflict and encourages honest expression. The aim of RLT is to develop awareness of the role that each partner plays in the couple dynamic and to achieve a sense of balance and harmony.  RLT incorporates inner child work and addresses family of origin issues to build awareness of maladaptive patterns of behavior and communication triggered by unresolved childhood trauma.

I am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, a somatic based treatment proven to help recover from trauma and other distressing life experiences. EMDR uses bilateral sensory stimulation (auditory sounds, vibrations, tapping, eye movements) to activate the trauma memory, desensitize its intensity and reprocess the memory so that it is less debilitating when a trigger occurs.

I specialize in providing immigration evaluations for extreme hardship waivers, VAWA and asylum determinations. 

California License: LMFT 90916

Texas License: 204664

Education: Pepperdine University 

Degree: MA in Clinical Psychology with Emphasis in Marriage & Family Therapy