Hope, Growth and Healing Counseling
What is psychosis & schizophrenia therapy?
Therapy for altered thought experiences helps you cope with changes in perception and thought, understand yourself, and maintain relationships, working alongside your psychiatric care rather than replacing it.
Does this sound like you?
No two experiences look the same, but here is some of what often shows up.
You are not sure what is real and what is not, and that is frightening
You have beliefs that feel certain to you, despite others not sharing them.
You find yourself pulling away from the people who care about you
You want to feel in control again, but you are not sure where to start​
You do not always feel safe, and the people close to you do not always feel safe either, which strains your relationships
Who I work with
People going through a first episode, or first break
People living with psychosis or ongoing altered thought experiences
People unsure of what is real and what is not
People who feel misunderstood or alone in what they are experiencing
People whose relationships have been strained by changes in perception
Families who want to understand and support a loved one
How I help
I start without judgment
Your experiences and perceptions are yours. I am not here to argue with them or talk you out of them. I am here to help you navigate the changes.
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I coordinate your care team
You deserve full support, so I work with the people around you when you want that, including family, friends, your psychiatrist, and case managers.
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We build coping and relationship skills
We work on regulating emotions and steadying relationships, so daily life feels more within your reach.
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We get to know who you are
We look at who you were before all of this and who you are now, without judgment, because your experiences are valid.
My care is individualized, so the path looks different for each person. I do not pathologize you or reduce you to a diagnosis. I work alongside your medical and psychiatric care, never in place of it, so you have real support around you.
Benefits of Therapy for Psychosis & Schizophrenia
More in control
The days feel steadier, and you feel more able to meet what is in front of you.
A clearer sense of self
You understand yourself better and can tell your own footing from the noise around it.
Able to connect again
Socializing feels possible again, and the relationships that matter can steady.
Room to live your life
With more clarity and ability, the things you set down start to feel within reach again.
Modalities I draw on
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
DBT teaches concrete skills for managing intense emotions, tolerating distress, and staying grounded when the past gets triggered. I am DBT certified.
CBT for Psychosis (CBTp)
CBTp helps you work with distressing thoughts and perceptions and build coping skills, without needing to prove or deny what you experience. I am trained in CBTp.
Schema Therapy
Schema Therapy looks at long-standing patterns formed early in life and gently reworks the ones that keep causing pain. I am trained in Schema Therapy.
Family Therapy
Family therapy brings the people who support you into the work, so they can understand what you are going through and how to help.
Compassion-Focused Therapy
Compassion-focused work helps ease harsh self-judgment and build a steadier, kinder relationship with yourself as you navigate change.
Social skills training
Social skills training rebuilds the everyday skills for connecting with others, so socializing and daily life feel more within reach.
How to Get Started
1
Reach Out
Book a free 15-minute consultation by phone or through the contact page, and bring any questions you have.
2
Free Consultation
We talk through what brings you in and whether we are a good fit, with no pressure to commit.
3
Begin Therapy
Start sessions built around your goals and your pace, in person in San Diego or online across California.
Frequently Asked Questions
Christina Ames-Cotto, LMFT
Christina Ames-Cotto is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California, license number 132030, who supports people through psychosis and altered thought experiences. She is DBT certified and trained in CBT for psychosis and Schema Therapy, and her care is compassion-focused and free of judgment. She works alongside your psychiatric care, coordinating with your care team so you have full support.
