Celine Elise Alvarez, Psychotherapist Intern
Contact Celine:
celine @ psychologyofwomen (dot) com
323.369.0755 x 7
Schedule Your Appointment
I’m an Art Therapy and Marriage and Family Therapist Intern. My areas of experience include addiction and recovery, trauma, body image, domestic violence, acculturation issues and identity. I have a special interest in helping LGBT individuals, couples and families in coming out and building more meaningful and open lives.
I earned my Masters of Psychology from Phillips Graduate Institute with an emphasis on Art therapy and Marriage and Family therapy and a specialization in interpersonal neuroscience. In my undergraduate education at UCLA I originally trained as a graphic artist, filmmaker and photographer. After working in the design field for over 10 years I desired to make more of an impact in the lives of others and the community. The experience that inspired me to become an art therapist occurred while I was teaching children art. One afternoon I was teaching one of the children and he uncovered a traumatic event and then covered the entire paper with magazine clippings. At this point I realized how powerful the process of creating artwork was and I desired to become an art therapist. I went back to school, to gain a minor in psychology and became eligible for my Masters in Psychology to fulfill my passion to become an art therapist.
Art therapy is an established mental health profession that uses the creative process of art making to improve and enhance the physical, mental and emotional well-being of individuals of all ages. Creating therapeutic artwork can assist clients to gain insights to a different part of themselves by externalizing internal thoughts, emotions, and memories. The creative process helps to create new possibilities and conversations through exploration of each piece created in ways that traditional talk therapy does not. Allowing participants to express themselves artistically is a healing and mindful experience helping to promote awareness in a person’s life.
During my clinical training I worked at the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center with individuals, couples and co-facilitated a group for Crystal Meth addicted youth. In my second year of my clinical training I worked with at-risk youth who were struggling with addiction, body image and transitioning from adolescence into adulthood. For my third clinical placement I worked at the California Counseling Center in the Latino program. The population that I worked with was Latino adult individuals, adolescents, and families who were seeking help with trauma, acculturation, identity and addiction.
In my therapeutic work I strive to create a safe, compassionate, supportive environment for my clients. My goal with clients is to help foster resiliency, healing, and helping to create a cohesive narrative of their lives. I believe in a holistic approach to therapy, which brings body, mind and spirit together to facilitate personal healing. I am blessed and honored to be a part of the team at the Center for the Psychology of Women.
Degrees, Certifications, and Memberships
Phillips Graduate Institute
Master’s Degree in Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy & Art Therapy
State of California’s Board of Behavioral Sciences
Registered as a Marriage and Family Therapist Intern
University of California Los Angeles
Bachelor’s Degree in Design and Media Arts
Los Angeles City College
Psychology Prerequisites for Masters Degree
Member of American Art Therapy Association
Member of California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
You may also be interested in:
- Lucy E. Marrero, Psychotherapist Intern- Dylan Berkey, MA, MFT
- Jessica LeRoy, MA, MFT
