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Meet Our Therapists
Mia Mickey
Clinician
My personal journey to this place in time has been extremely challenging as well as magnificently beautiful. I had a very trying childhood, and it was with the support of counselors, mentors, and the natural world that I found pathways to authentically engage with both the joyful and dark chapters of life.
For the past decade, I’ve worked as an ER trauma nurse, but I’ve always felt a calling toward inner soul work. I am currently studying at Pacifica Graduate Institute and through this process I have solidified my beliefs around the healing powers that connecting with others in the therapeutic space can provide.
Because of my personal and professional background, I am drawn to working with those who have suffered and are looking to find a deeper connection to themselves and the world around them. I am thoughtful to consider how childhood experiences, culture, and society shape our present experiences. I enjoy working with couples, families, and individuals of all ages and backgrounds.
Jess McCormick
Clinician
My therapeutic approach is relational, reflective, and grounded in a belief that healing unfolds through greater self awareness and emotional integration.
My path into clinical work was deepened after a season of profound personal loss, which led me to study sexuality through the Sexual Health Alliance, and was a turning point—clarifying my calling to support others through life’s most complex and meaningful transitions.
I currently work with couples, young adults, and members of queer and nontraditional relationship communities. I’m especially attuned to those navigating faith deconstruction, disenfranchised grief, and religious trauma.
I am a graduate student earning my Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology at Antioch University and I bring a feminist, person-centered, and narrative lens to my work, with a warm and grounded presence shaped by over two decades in Santa Barbara, where I raised my now-teenagers and worked in a variety of creative and community-based roles.
Kristen Smith
Clinician
It is my belief that we all possess an innate capacity for healing and inner transformation. I am passionate about creating a safe, compassionate, and non-judgmental space to explore the inner callings of your soul. I am currently pursuing a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute in Santa Barbara, CA, and working towards a license in Marriage and Family Therapy.
I am passionate about supporting adolescents and young adults as they find their way in the world and explore who they wish to become. I view therapy as a highly relational and collaborative process as we embark on a journey back to discovering your whole Self.
Yvonne Georgina Puig
Clinician
After a decade of teaching writing at USC in Los Angeles, I moved to Santa Barbara, where I am now immersed in pursuing my master's degree in counseling psychology and my Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist licensure at Pacifica Graduate Institute. As a writer and novelist, I believe in the healing power of story, metaphor, and image. I am passionate about companioning others in the therapeutic space as they seek meaning, grow as individuals, and tune into the voice of soul. I am interested in working with women in transition, women experiencing infertility, young adults in transition, and couples.
Lanea Pearson
Clinician
As a Santa Barbara native, I am deeply committed to serving my community and am passionate about collaborating with individuals who have a desire to look inwards. After leaving Santa Barbara to obtain a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, I returned to earn a Master’s in Counseling Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute. My undergraduate background in existential philosophy influences my therapeutic approach, particularly in addressing the complex and often challenging aspects of the human experience.
I hold a deep respect for the outdoors and its role in personal development, which inspired me to work as a Field Guide in Wilderness Therapy programs in Oregon and Utah. This experience laid the foundation for my capacity to sit with suffering and support personal transformation. Similarly to life, the backcountry can be brutal if you do not have resources, skills, and someone to talk to — I aim to offer my clients all three when joining them on their journey through life.
Matthew O'Brien
Clinician
I grew up in Chicago and spent 15 years as a product manager in the tech industry, mostly focused on mental health and artificial intelligence. Prior to that, as an undergraduate and in graduate school I studied philosophy and explored the nature of truth, value, and human flourishing. I'm currently training as a therapist at Pacifica Graduate Institute. In my role as counselor, I'm concerned with the entire spectrum of human well-being, from suffering to thriving. I'm interested in existential and ontological questions, and I find great value in Depth psychological approaches including Internal Family Systems. I believe that change is available to those who want it, and I'm here for anyone who's called to do the work.
Rose Dickson
Clinician
Before becoming a therapist, I spent a decade as a working artist, exploring emotion and relationship through shape, pattern, and color. That creative path led me to pursue Depth Psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute, where I’ve deepened my understanding of the unconscious and the healing power of inner work.
I work with individuals navigating identity, creative blocks, emotional stuckness, and the desire to live more authentically. I often incorporate dreamwork, imaginal processing, and body-based awareness into our work together.
My goal is to offer a supportive, grounded space where you can explore your inner world with curiosity and care—moving toward greater clarity, meaning, and self-trust.
Natalie Simons, AMFT
Registered Associate Marriage & Family Therapist, #144527
I believe life is a journey of choices, and sometimes those choices can lead us down paths that don't feel like our own. Past experiences can cloud our judgement and make it difficult to live in the moment authentically.
My passion lies in helping individuals, couples and families. I believe that true healing and growth come from understanding where you have been, where you are now, and where you want to be.Through a collaborative and supportive approach, we will embark on your journey of self-discovery--together. We will explore your unique experiences, identify your strengths and challenges, and develop strategies to build self-awareness, self-confidence, and ultimately healthier relationships.
Whether you are seeking individual support, navigating relationship challenges, or working on family dynamics, together we can create a path towards positive change and a more fulfilling life.
Teri Malinowski
Clinician
A transformative decision in life unfolded when I packed my Karmann Ghia with essential belongings and headed to Southern California where I embraced the rich cultural and natural environment that would nourish my well-being and life trajectory. My academic studies in Clinical Psychology at UCSB and Antioch University Santa Barbara have cultivated the deep motivation for personal growth and the desire to foster resilience and self-efficacy in others.
As a clinician at JCCS, I facilitate the exploration of thoughts, feelings, and behavioral patterns. I assist you in uncovering insights and coping strategies that reside within you, but need some prompting. When we can engage in dialogue around emotional experiences, values, and the relationships that are most important to us, we begin the very important journey towards integration and healing.
Sarah Fujji
Clinician
I’m interested in knowing you and inviting you into shared curiosity. I believe that whatever is showing up in your life, even if difficult, is meaningful—it can lead to deeper self-understanding and greater ease through support and witness.
My approach is influenced by Jungian Psychology, existential thought, yogic philosophy, and a present-moment engagement. I work with young people navigating developmental milestones and transitions, adult individuals of all ages, couples, and families--creating a space that feels safe, supportive, and alive.
Outside of therapy, I’m nourished by music, movement, nature, creativity, animals, and being a little silly. I look forward to connecting and discovering what might emerge in our work together.
Abbi Saperstein
Clinician
Before entering the mental health field, I spent nearly two decades in international real estate and consulting between Los Angeles and London—an experience that shaped me and taught me the value of clear communication, supportive relationships, and the importance of having a personal resiliency system.
As a first-generation American of Middle Eastern and Eastern European descent, I bring a multicultural lens to therapy. I strive to create a safe, affirming space for individuals, couples, and families who work with me. I also believe that challenges are opportunities and through that lens I am able to support my patients in reorienting their past personal narratives by helping them value both their ruptures and repairs.
I currently study Clinical Psychology in pursuit of my MFT licensure at Touro University.
I work with issues of grief, chronic illness, identity development, and life transitions.