License
I am a Marriage and Family Therapist. My license number is 47978. I am licensed in the State of California.
License Verification:
To verify my license in the State of California go to The Board of Behavioral Sciences and scroll down until you see VERIFY LICENSE OR REGISTRATION then enter my name, Tracey Cleantis or my license number, which is 47978. On this site you can also verify that I have had no complaints or disciplinary actions against me.
Education
I have a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute and a B.A. in Liberal Studies from Antioch University. I trained extensively at the C.G. Jung Institute of Los Angeles. I studied creative writing at UCLA. I attended Psychoanalytic Center of California’s Certificate Program in Adult Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy.
Experience
I have over seven years of clinical experience. I have worked in private practice and as a Clinic Therapist at the Jung Center of Evanston, Illinois. I have also worked in elementary schools and high schools.
Expertise
I have experience with an extremely wide range of clients and concerns. I have had extensive experience in working with adults, adolescents, and children. I have experience dealing with all kinds of life issues and feelings. While I welcome you to call me to discuss your specific concerns, there are a few areas in which I specialize: anxiety & depression; low self-esteem; eating disorders; chronic illness; meaning of life issues; grief/loss; infertility issues; creativity; issues of personal growth and development; relationship issues; recovery from difficult childhood; life transitions; trauma and victims of violent crime.
Orientation
I have trained in Jungian, Analytic, Archetypal and Contemporary Psychoanalytic psychology. My clinical work is influenced by my education in art, mythology and literature.
I work primarily from a psychodynamic approach, which means I work to help create insight about long-standing interpersonal patterns and conflicts and discover the roots of emotional suffering. I help clients discover unconscious thoughts, feelings and beliefs which are impacting and impinging their thoughts, feelings, choices and relationships. The goal of psychodynamic psychotherapy is to help patients develop insight into their unconscious processes( make unconscious material conscious), an increased capacity for self-observation, alleviation of symptoms, improved relationships, and the ability, due to these achievements, and to live a more satisfying life.
Psychodynamic psychotherapy uses the here and now relationship between the therapist and patient as a means of increasing understanding, via self-reflection and self-examination, into long-standing relationship patterns of the patient’s life.
Methodology
Talk therapy is my primary methodology. The major techniques that I utilize in my work include free association, recognizing resistance and transference, working through painful memories and difficult issues, catharsis, and building a strong therapeutic alliance.
I do offer expressive art therapies, including play, sandplay and art therapy. I use dream work with many of my patients.
Personal Philosophy
Looking for the “right” therapist can be a daunting task. It might be helpful to know, that for me, I felt it was necessary to first earn the right to accompany others on their personal psychological journeys. Earning that right came not only from my formal education, but also from having the courage to embark on the same psychological journey, on which I would be inviting and accompanying my clients. Having done so affords me a deep comfort level, degree of understanding and respect of this process, regardless of what particularly finds you seeking support.
In my work I come from a basic premise of respecting and understanding the uniqueness of the individual. I see my role of therapist not as “expert” but as companion on the journey to self-discovery. I am extremely honored and privileged to be able to create a space in which my clients are able to share themselves in a safe and supported way, helping to make conscious what was previously unconscious.
Influences
I have studied and trained with noted theorists: Marion Woodman, James Hillman, Robert Bosnak and Stephen Aizenstat.
Writing
I write a weekly column for Psychology Today, “Freudian Sip” in which I work to make psychoanalytic theory understandable, usable and accessible to the general public.
To make an appointment, call (661) 803-3061 or write traceycleantis@traceycleantis.com
