LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapist in Los Angeles | Jess Perez Therapy

APPROACH

In my work, I lead with warmth, empathy, and a collaborative, client-centered approach, always honoring that healing is not a one-size-fits-all journey. I tailor our work to reflect your lived experience, your pace, and your truth. My therapeutic lens draws from Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Attachment-Focused EMDR Therapy (AD-EMDR), psychodynamic therapy, and attachment theory to support deep healing and self-awareness. Together, we explore the roots of emotional patterns, the impact of early relationships, and how your nervous system has learned to protect you, while gently building capacity for regulation, connection, and secure relating.

Whether you meet me in a therapy session, a reel or a workshop—I hope you feel this:
Healing doesn’t have to be clinical. It can be Warm. Playful. Honest. Messy. Sacred. Slow. Yours.

MINDFULNESS-COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY (MCBT)

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) combines the practical tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with the grounding practices of mindfulness. It helps clients identify and shift unhelpful thinking patterns, understand the connection between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and cultivate a calmer, more compassionate relationship with themselves.

In MBCT sessions, clients learn to view negative or self-critical thoughts as passing mental events rather than absolute truths, developing the ability to respond with choice instead of reacting automatically. Through evidence-based cognitive strategies and mindfulness practices, such as breath awareness, body scans, and present-moment focus, we work together to challenge distorted beliefs, break cycles of rumination or avoidance, and foster non-judgmental awareness.

This approach is especially effective for anxiety, depression, PTSD, OCD, and substance use challenges, as well as for building emotional regulation, reducing stress, and strengthening relationships. As a trained therapist, I use MBCT to help clients manage symptoms while deepening self-awareness, building resilience, and living with greater clarity and intention.

ATTACHMENT-FOCUSED EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITIZATION & REPROCESSING THERAPY (AF-EMDR)

Attachment-Focused Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (AF-EMDR) builds on the standard EMDR approach by integrating a strong focus on relational safety, early attachment wounds, and resourcing before trauma processing begins. This method recognizes that many present-day struggles including anxiety, depression, and relationship challenges, stem from unmet attachment needs or early relational trauma.

In AF-EMDR, we work collaboratively to strengthen inner resources, develop a felt sense of safety, and repair attachment ruptures. Bilateral stimulation, such as gentle tapping, is used not only to reprocess traumatic memories but also to install new, positive experiences of connection, support, and self-worth. This approach is especially supportive for clients whose trauma is intertwined with neglect, abandonment, or complex relationship histories.

As I complete my training in Attachment-Focused EMDR with the Parnell Institute, my goal is to help clients heal both the original wounds and the negative beliefs that grew from them, fostering deeper self-compassion, emotional resilience, and healthier relationships.

PSYCHODYNAMIC THERAPY

Psychodynamic therapy is a depth-oriented approach that explores how unconscious thoughts, feelings, and patterns—often rooted in early attachment experiences—shape present-day emotions, behaviors, and relationships. Our earliest bonds with caregivers influence our sense of safety, self-worth, and ability to connect with others. When those bonds are marked by inconsistency, neglect, or rupture, we may develop protective strategies that later manifest as anxiety, depression, relationship struggles, or self-sabotage.

In therapy, the relationship itself becomes a safe space to examine and transform these patterns. Together, we uncover how formative experiences, both nurturing and painful, have shaped beliefs about self and others. By bringing these dynamics into awareness, clients can rewrite old narratives, cultivate secure attachment, and expand their emotional capacity.

Psychodynamic therapy is especially effective for healing relational wounds, resolving long-standing conflicts, and fostering a deeper sense of self. I approach this work with empathy and curiosity, helping clients build self-awareness and create more fulfilling, authentic connections.

OTHER MODALITIES OF TREATMENT

Attachment Based Therapy

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)

The Gottman Method (Couples | Partners)

Internal Family Systems (IFS)-COMING SOON

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”-Maya Angelou

This practice is an inclusive, body-positive, sex-positive, and anti-oppressive space dedicated to uplifting and centering the needs and voices of LGBTQ+ individuals, BIPOC, and other marginalized communities. We are committed to fostering a safe, welcoming, and affirming environment where everyone feels respected and valued. Discriminatory or hateful speech and behavior—including racism, transphobia, homophobia, or any form of oppression—will not be tolerated.