Florence Soares-Dabalos

Welcome to my virtual practice! I'm a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist in CA offering individual sessions to adults 18-64 y/o for anxiety, grief and loss, work or school stress, or adjustments to change. Former clients describe me as warm and welcoming with strong advocacy skills. I've been told my listening skills are excellent, understanding the deeper part in someone who may be hurting, helping them find their strengths and supports.

My credentials include receiving my MS in Counseling from CSU, Sacramento in 1997, becoming licensed in 2003, becoming a Clinical Supervisor in 2005, and receiving my Level 1 certification in Narrative therapy from the Vancouver School for Narrative Therapy in 2012. (Not bad for someone who was told she wasn't college material back in high school!)

In May of 2005, I opened my private practice and recently found an interesting niche. Veterinary Medicine mental health! After working in vet med for 6 years as a mental health professional at the #1 vet school, I would be honored to continue to serve all in the veterinary community. From veterinarians to client service representatives, I love helping veterinary medical professionals overcome compassion fatigue, burnout, anxiety, perfectionism, and imposter syndrome. This allows them to focus on those furry, cuddly patients of theirs, including some that are not so furry and cuddly. I also enjoy working with pet parents whose pets are seen by Behavioral Veterinarians.

Other services available include support groups, wellness coaching & trainings, and Clinical Supervision for Associates who need an outside supervisor. Currently, I am a Clinical Supervisor at Gender Health Center in Sacramento, CA. In my personal life, I enjoy time with my loved ones, including our family dog. Because the human-animal bond is important to me, I will most likely ask you about your pet and the love and support they bring to you.

I wholeheartedly believe it is the therapeutic alliance that is the main factor in creating change in clients. The relationship one has with their therapist is sacred. That is why I typically call or email potential clients before their scheduled appointments. This contact helps us decide if we are a good fit before moving forward.

I am a Person-Centered therapist with a Feminist foundational approach. This means I look at the whole person, asking how society and other contextual factors have influenced or impacted their mental health and well-being.

"You get out what you put in" definitely applies to therapy. In our first session, I ask that clients come prepared with any questions they might have about the paperwork I send prior to their first appointment. That first session is also when I ask quite a few questions, some that may seem unrelated to therapy goals. But these questions allow me to gain a more holistic understanding of what might be impacting you. Clients always have a right to pass, however, and I will respect that boundary. We'll also take time to get to know each other.

Overall, I hope therapy will help you find ways to live authentically and be true to yourself in a world that sometimes tells us we're not good enough.