Meet Justine

Welcome! 

My name is Justine Gordon and I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). Born and raised in California, I have always loved getting to know new people and place a high value on being open-minded and caring. I earned my bachelor’s degree in dance at Pitzer College, followed by two years of pre-med at Loyola Marymount University and two years of medical school at Western University of Health Sciences. During medical school, I discovered my passion for psychotherapy and pursued my Master’s in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy at Pepperdine University.

I have trained and provided therapy at Jump Street, a crisis residential treatment program run by Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, and Airport Marina Counseling Services, a nonprofit community-based mental health clinic. My work as a therapist is deeply informed by my life experiences, personal challenges, and my own path toward healing and acceptance.

I believe every client is unique and deserves to be listened to and understood in a thoughtful, intentional, and empathetic way.

My Approach

I am passionate about creating a safe, kind, collaborative, and judgment-free space where clients can learn more about themselves, attain new insights, experience new feelings, and find a renewed sense of physical and mental well-being.

I have experience working with individuals struggling with grief, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and relational conflict. In my work I draw from multiple evidence-based approaches including Psychodynamic Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. I believe that past experiences and traumas dating back to childhood strongly influence the way we feel about ourselves and others and that, in order to change these feelings, we must first bring them into consciousness. I will prompt you to explore your past and listen for repeating patterns that might be dictating current relationships and functioning. My approach to processing trauma involves attending not only to the mind but also the body; I will facilitate you in the process of connecting the two. 

I also believe that maladaptive or irrational thoughts strongly influence how we feel and  behave. By exploring and reframing these thoughts I can help you reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Additionally, difficult emotions are inherent to a full life and learning to accept and tolerate these while living according to your values can lead to further healing. By balancing these two approaches I believe that you can lead a life in which you feel more connected to yourself, others and the world. 

Working Together

In our therapeutic journey together, we will begin with a thorough assessment and exploration of your personal history. This collaborative process ensures that we identify the most suitable treatment approaches as tailored to your unique needs. Together, we will establish clear goals and develop a comprehensive treatment plan to guide our work. Each session will be dedicated to progressing toward these objectives, while also allowing space to address any pressing concerns that arise. I firmly believe that our therapeutic relationship is a pivotal component of meaningful change, and we will continuously check in with each other to maintain a strong and effective partnership throughout our time together.