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Brenda Alvarez is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist registered with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences and part of Luz Trauma Therapy. She earned her Master of Science in Counseling Psychology from California State University, Long Beach and her Bachelor’s degree in Human Biology with a minor in Sociology from University of California, San Diego. Since 2015, she has worked across diverse healthcare settings serving historically underserved communities, which continues to inform her culturally responsive and equity-centered clinical work.
As a bilingual Mexican immigrant, she is deeply passionate about supporting first-generation clients navigating identity development, intergenerational dynamics, and the complexities of belonging across cultures and communities. She also works closely with individuals engaged in social justice and advocacy spaces who may be experiencing burnout, compassion fatigue, or disillusionment. Her practice centers those seeking to explore identity, systemic trauma, and the emotional toll of navigating oppressive systems, while cultivating sustainable, life-giving ways of being in community.
Her therapeutic approach is holistic, trauma-informed, and experiential. Grounded in a belief in the mind-body-soul connection, she integrates somatic practices and EMDR as part of a decolonial framework for trauma healing. Through this work, she supports clients in regulating their nervous systems, deepening trust in their intuition and values, and reconnecting with their bodies as sites of wisdom and resilience.
She offers therapy in a warm, collaborative environment and provides services in both English and Spanish. Sessions are available via secure telehealth throughout California. She welcomes prospective clients to reach out with questions and offers consultations prior to scheduling to ensure alignment and fit.
Years of Experience: 3 years
Supervisor: Stephanie Sorady(LCSW #116391)
Attachment issues - Development of effective relational and communication skills; insight into family attachment patterns;fostering healthy family relationships.
Career counseling - Support around personal and professional growth; clarifying career goals and implementing steps toward building a fulfilling career and meaningful work-life balance
Existential crisis & challenges - Supportive exploration of meaning and purpose in one’s life; finding one’s path in the face of existential anxiety, dread, and feelings of meaninglessness
LGBTQIA, gender, & sexuality topics - Exploring topics of sexuality, gender, and identity; coping with discrimination and oppression; navigating relationship, family, and cultural challenges
Trauma - Coping and healing after threatening or scary events, such as witnessing accidents or experiencing sexual, verbal, emotional, or physical abuse
Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) - Recovering from the impact of long-term, repeated traumatic events, such as emotional abuse and neglect
Brenda Alvarez is not in-network with any insurances.
Read about the benefits of seeing an out-of-network provider here.
This provider can support you in getting reimbursement from your insurance company if you are seeking out-of-network reimbursement. Here are the out-of-network billing options they provide:
Frequency of sessions this provider offers to see clients once you are an established client.
We have partnered with Mentaya to help clients use their out-of-network benefits to save money on therapy. Through the benefit check tool, we can see if you qualify for reimbursement for my services.
Small steps make a big difference. Start by connecting with Brenda Alvarez today.