Dawn Hedwall

It is a profound privilege to help you establish a secure, empowering baseline for your care, especially when you are feeling stuck in unhelpful patterns and behaviors. My name is Dawn Hedwall, and I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California with over 15 years of experience. I have a wide breadth of experience working with a variety of individuals, and I am deeply committed to providing kind, compassionate, and attentive support to everyone I see. I practice from a trauma-informed perspective and have a great deal of expertise in working with people who suffer from multiple and various forms of trauma and abuse. I also work extensively with clients who struggle with depression, anxiety, grief, codependency, and communication challenges. Whether you are navigating intimacy-related issues, parenting struggles, or simply feeling overwhelmed by stress, my priority is to make sure you always feel completely heard and supported.

I believe that genuine emotional growth happens when we balance rigorous clinical practices with a deeply authentic human connection. Because I know that each person is unique with unique wants and needs, I do not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, I have a large tool box and I work eclectically, utilizing a variety of modalities and clinical approaches tailored specifically to you. By drawing on Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Psychodynamic Therapy, Attachment-Based approaches, and Client-Centered frameworks, we will outline tangible goals to address the root of your pain. My ultimate job is to find a way to work with each individual person to help clear any blocks that are preventing you from living the life you are seeking. By asking the right questions and offering alternative ideas, I strive to help broaden your perspective and provide practical solutions for meaningful change.

Reaching out for support takes immense courage, and my hope is that our initial meeting acts as a quiet refuge where you can safely step away from the heavy demands of daily stress. I strive to cultivate a calm, non-judgmental environment right from the start. During our first session, we will gently explore your history, symptoms, and the specific challenges bringing you to therapy at a natural, comfortable pace without any pressure to share everything all at once. We will use this time to build a strong foundation of trust, ensuring you feel respected as we collaboratively design a clear roadmap tailored entirely to your client-centered goals. My goal is that you leave our first hour feeling understood, empowered, and equipped with fresh ideas to think through as we navigate your healing journey together.