Grazel Garcia
Founder, LMFT #97561
Hi, I’m Grazel and I am happy you are here. I’d like to start with where I came from in hopes that you get a feel of who I am. I was born in Manila, Philippines and in 1994 I permanently migrated to Los Angeles, CA to be with family. My pronouns are she/her/hers and I identify as Asian Pacific Islander (API). I also speak Tagalog, the native language of the Philippines, pre-colonization, was known as the “Island of the Painted Ones.”
As a bilingual Filipino-American psychotherapist who immigrated to the United States in 1994, I carry with me the deep awareness of how colonization has shaped both my homeland and my perspective on healing. Coming from a country with a complex history of Spanish and American colonization, I intimately understand how historical trauma and cultural displacement influence mental health across generations. In addition, I was born into a land of dictatorship under the rule of Ferdinand Marcos.
I vividly remember my first advocacy experience at age 7 when my dad carried me onto his shoulders to join my family and many others in the People Power Revolution of the Philippines in 1986 which ended the 20-year dictatorship and restoration of democracy in the Philippines. Furthermore, my ability to speak both English and Tagalog allows me to connect more deeply with Filipino clients and better understand the nuances of cultural expression that often get lost in translation.
Prior to becoming a therapist, my path to becoming a therapist has been uniquely enriched by my previous career in law. This background, combined with my Master of Science Degree in Counseling with Emphasis on Marriage and Family Therapy from California State University, Northridge (COAMFTE accredited), gives me a distinctive perspective on how systemic structures impact mental health and relationships.
As a certified Emotionally-Focused Couple Therapist and an EFT Supervisor candidate, I specialize in working with diverse relationship structures, including monogamous, consensual non-monogamy, mono-polyamorous, and kink-BDSM couples. My practice is deeply rooted in being LGBTQIA+ affirmative, neurodivergent-affirming, and kink-BDSM aware. Additionally, I bring specialized expertise as a grief and loss therapist, addiction specialist, domestic violence certified therapist, and brainspotting practitioner for trauma treatment. For a bulleted breakdown of my specialties you can click here.
I gained invaluable experience at the Los Angeles LGBT Center in Hollywood, where I provided comprehensive mental health services to the LGBTQ+ community. There, I treated a wide spectrum of mental health challenges, from depression to schizophrenia, while supporting individuals experiencing houselessness and living with HIV. My work included couples therapy and creating specialized groups for addiction recovery, women’s support, and mindfulness-based approaches to depression and anxiety.
My practice primarily serves individuals from the entertainment and sports industries, including directors, writers, athletes, all level actors including high profile public figures, producers, musicians, dancers, and other creatives, as well as professionals such as doctors, executive officers, lawyers, and business owners. I work with clients struggling with trauma, depression, anxiety, health anxiety, OCD, grief and loss, survivor’s guilt, fertility issues, children of narcissistic parents, mood disorders, schizophrenia, codependency, and various forms of addiction, including sex and love addiction.
I bring a unique cultural lens to my therapeutic practice, integrating both Western and eastern therapeutic techniques, my lived experiences in advocacy and as a person of color along with ancestral wisdom. My work acknowledges how systems of power, privilege, and colonization continue to affect mental health and personal growth. I create a safe space for clients to process their experiences with someone who understands the complexities of navigating multiple cultural worlds, internalized oppression, and the journey toward decolonizing one’s mind and spirit.
When we sit together, we’ll explore your story with deep respect for your cultural roots and lived experiences. Drawing from psychoanalytic theory, attachment-based approaches, and evidence-based treatments, I’ll walk alongside you as we unpack how historical and systemic forces have shaped your journey, while reconnecting you with the cultural strengths and wisdom that may have been dimmed by systems of oppression and colonization. This is a space where your full self is welcomed and honored – where together, we can work toward healing that embraces both your individual growth and your connection to community and cultural heritage.
Beyond my clinical work, I am actively involved in advancing the field of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). I serve on the team providing annual EFT training alongside Los Angeles EFT trainers Silvina Irwin and Michael Barnett, and I am a steering committee member for the new EFT Center of Los Angeles (EFTCLA). Previously, I served on the Los Angeles Center in Emotionally Focused Therapy (LACEFT) diversity and program committee. I am passionate about mentoring unlicensed associates, licensed clinicians and supporting entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds in their professional development.
Fun fact: my first love is MUSIC and I consider myself an athlete and enjoy being mobile through exercise (lifting weights, pilates and yoga) and play. I grew up playing volleyball and began playing tennis in early adulthood. I am part of a tennis league and play tennis 4x/week. I also enjoy cleaning, reading, playing chess, watching films and admiring art. When I’ve got time I will watch particular TV series/shows.