Desire Rodriguez

Hi, and thank you for taking the first step toward prioritizing your mental health! I am based in Santa Barbara, CA, and I work with people who have spent their lives fitting into rooms that weren't made for them. My specialty is helping adults, teens, and couples reconnect with who they actually are beneath the roles they've been playing — whether that's a trauma survivor, a corporate burnout, or someone who has simply never quite felt like they belonged anywhere. I bring both clinical training and lived experience to this work, and I offer sessions in English and Spanish. Visit www.therapybydesire.com to learn more about me.

My approach is integrative and trauma-informed, meaning I don't use a one-size-fits-all model — I tailor everything to you, your nervous system, and what you're actually working through. I draw from EMDR, Internal Family Systems, and Sandplay therapy, always with a focus on three things: understanding who you are, clarifying what matters to you, and helping your body feel safe enough to do the deeper work. Sessions are collaborative, paced to you, and grounded in the belief that you don't need to be fixed — you need to be finally, fully seen.

The first session is really just a conversation — no pressure to have everything figured out, no paperwork pile, just a chance for us to get to know each other and see if we're the right fit. I'll ask some questions about what brought you in and what you're hoping to work through, and you're welcome to ask me anything too. My goal for that first session is simple: I want you to leave feeling heard, not evaluated, and with a sense that this might actually be a space where you can exhale.