Christian Bonilla

Life can be unpredictable and at times it can be quite overwhelming. It’s during these moments that we can truly appreciate being in the presence of those who understand, or care to know, what we’re going through. As a teenager I suffered a spinal cord injury and had to navigate through a number of life changing experiences as a result. During my recovery in the hospital, I witnessed the hardships and adversities that others underwent. It was eye opening. I learned how great it is to have someone by your side when life seems too difficult or complicated; the sense of comfort that they can provide makes a world of difference. I knew then that I wanted to help others in their time of need!

After I graduated high school I attended California State University of Los Angeles and earned a BA in Psychology in 2013. I then received a MA in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy in 2017 at Azusa Pacific University. Since then I've practiced in both the high school and private practice setting and have helped adolescents, adults, families, and couples with various matters such as anxiety, depression, grief, relationship issues, low self-esteem, and identity formation, among others. In 2024 I received training from Geek Therapeutics to become a Certified Therapeutic Game Master, where I learned how to incorporate Tabletop Role-Playing Games, one of my favorite hobbies, in therapy for individuals and groups.

In my practice, I prefer to use a psychodynamic approach; however, I may use other types of therapy depending on the situation. This is because I avoid copying and pasting how I provide services with clients. How I work with one client may not necessarily be appropriate or be beneficial to another. Regardless, I make an effort to be empathetic, understanding, present, curious, and open-minded.

During the first few sessions, we will explore your concerns at your preferred pace, work together to create an appropriate plan to reach your goals, and build a healthy therapeutic relationship, hopefully one that makes you feel we are a good fit. I will of course also try to answer questions you might have and spend a few minutes at the end of the session to check in and understand if any adjustments need to be made for future sessions.