Shirley Sanguino, M.A.
Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT 149015)
Supervised by Monica Valdivia Aguilar Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT 41352)
Pronouns: She/Her/Ella
Hi! I am currently a therapist in the Institute’s Child and Adolescent Specialty Program (CASP). I’m dedicated to supporting children and teens in individual and group therapy – to learn new skills for mental health and social and emotional development.
I enjoy approaching my work with clients from a holistic standpoint and integrate individualized methods that best suit my clients. I am incredibly interested in understanding each person as a whole, including adolescents and children, and seeing them for what they are beyond the issue for which they are seeking assistance. Here are some examples of some of the interventions I use in therapy to help children and teens reach their goals and grow. I combine interventions that include:
- Creativity and expressive arts
- Play therapy
- Grounding skills to help with emotional regulation – like mindfulness and somatic techniques
- Emotion identification, expression and regulation
A few words about kids and feelings: From the time we are children until we are adults, we may get messages about “good” emotions and “bad” emotions. One of the insights I hope children and teens learn in working with me is that feelings are just feelings and that they are all necessary. Recognizing and naming them all is beneficial. Learning how to embrace them and ride the wave of and regulate the difficult feelings is a skill and a strength.
As a therapist, there is nothing more rewarding than seeing clients use the skills they have learned in sessions. I celebrate that each client comes in with strengths to build on, and I have the joy of learning from them as they do from me.
Specialties:
- Decreasing Depression
- Managing Anxiety
- Increasing Self-Esteem and Confidence
- Addressing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Resolving Traumatic Experiences / Symptoms
- Decreasing Challenges related to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Developing Mindfulness Skills for emotional regulation
- Using Somatic Experiencing Therapy
- Helping with Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) skill-building
Approaches:
- Ecological Systems Theory
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
- Attachment Theory
- Inner Child Work
- Psychodynamic / Psychoanalytic Theory
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Additional Information Regarding My Approaches in Therapy and My Specialties:
Primarily, I combine mindfulness, somatic experiencing therapy, attachment theory, and ecological systems theory in the work I do. With mindfulness, we learn how to present in the current moment and to ground ourselves using techniques such as breathing and connecting with our bodies and five senses. This ties in with somatic experiencing approaches, in which the client and I focus on where their emotions are felt physically in the body. With that awareness, we work on releasing the sensation from the body area identified. Attachment theory helps establish better bonds with caregivers and/or reflect on patterns early on in life that may be affecting our current relationships. Lastly, ecological systems theory underscores that as individuals, we are affected by a myriad of factors in our lives, such as our workplace, the schools we attend, the people we are around, and the area where we live. I really value how all of these approaches support my efforts to understand my clients and families as whole people, connected in family and community, in a socio-cultural context. These approaches help me to help my clients grow and thrive at all stages of life.
Other Current Professional Activities
- Volunteer Blog Author for Childhood Domestic Violence Association
Prior Experience
- Pepperdine Community Counseling Center – Calabasas
Education
- Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology with an Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy, Pepperdine University
- Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Law, University of California, Irvine
Mission: My mission is to help children, adolescents, and their families, as well as adults, be able to learn the skills needed to thrive and feel confident, empowered, and happy.
Email: SSanguino@IFGD.care
Phone: 626-585-8075 ext. 147