Monica Shahbaznia Alvarez

Since 1997, it's been a true honor to provide the highest quality clinical psychotherapy for families, couples, individual adults, children, and adolescents with utmost care for all of my patients.

Each family being unique, I provide a tailored intervention plan for each member as the entire family can benefit from the growth and healing of each individual. Providing psychotherapy to individuals (adults, adolescents, or children) is also a great interest of mine. Personal growth and clarification of anxieties, strengths, and goals is part of the incredible therapeutic process!

As a Pediatric Psychologist, I provide psychotherapy to children whose difficulties are related to a medical diagnosis. A medical diagnosis is also experienced by the entire family, so I also include parents, siblings and extended family members in the treatment process, if need be. I extended my specialization to Health Psychology after much experience also working with parents and adults who also had their mental health affected by chronic illness or medical issues. I work with those battling cancer, diabetes, obesity, depression, anxiety, medical non-compliance.

My great interest in Health Psychology and quality of life issues led me back to my alma mater, UCLA. As an instructor at the David Geffen School of Medicine, I taught my medical students that proper physicianship must incorporate ethical medical science but more importantly, it must include compassion and respect towards patients.