"Without change, there would be no butterflies."
Anonymous

Hi, I’m Dana Sockolov and I help people untangle the messiness of anxiety, OCD, addiction, and relationship struggles.

You’re not broken. And just by being here reading this, tells me you have an ounce of hope that something could possibly help your current situation. I’m here to help you get unstuck.

I am therapist based in San Diego and I offer in-person sessions locally and virtually in California. I work with individuals and couples who get caught-up in the same “stupid fights” that lead to disconnection, or those who experience constant worry, repetitive thoughts, stress, or have found themselves using unhealthy coping habits more than they’d prefer. These behaviors are draining, lonely and quite debilitating.

My approach is warm yet direct, down-to-earth, and collaborative. I am not here to judge and I truly want to help you get better. I’m trained in evidence-based approaches for anxiety, OCD, addiction, and couples therapy. Admitting to yourself that you just can’t do this alone anymore is one of the hardest things to do and I am here to support you in the next steps.

My Story

I guess you could call it bittersweet that I was introduced to the power of therapy at an early age. My family navigated addiction and mental health challenges when I was just 13 years old. Gratefully, I witnessed the life changing impact of recovery and when it was my turn to seek help, I knew where to go. I’ve personally been in recovery from drugs and alcohol, and an eating disorder for over 11 years and I take a lot of pride in that. It was a very difficult time but it has shaped me into who I am today and why I love being a therapist.

I earned my master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Alliant International University. I’ve worked with couples, individuals, and high-risk teens, along with the opportunity to lead a weekly domestic violence group for men. Before becoming a therapist, I was an Addictions Counselor for women referred by Child Welfare and probation.

Credentials & Training

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) Externship®
Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy Core Skills
30+ hours of CBT and Exposure and Response Prevention for Anxiety and OCD
Domestic Violence Counselor Training
Certificate of Achievement in Alcohol and Other Drug Studies
Fundamentals of LGBTQIA+ Affirmative Therapy
Polyamorous Clients in Therapy
Fundamentals of Kink
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Outside the therapy room

When I’m not working, I spend my time with my two beautiful young boys. That keeps me quite busy! Being a parent brings out all the BIG feelings—LOVE, overwhelm, fear, anger, over-stimulation, pride, and purpose. I have no problem admitting how HARD it is to be a parent and I wholeheartedly believe in the power of finding a community to help carry you through.

If the days were just a little bit longer, you would find me doing yoga, pilates, rock-climbing, or anything outdoors in sunny San Diego, and then enjoying a yummy gluten free dinner at a restaurant.

Serving clients in:

Mission Valley, North Park, Hillcrest, Pacific Beach, La Jolla, La Mesa, El Cajon and virtually across California