Meet Our Therapists

Josh Beren, AMFT

Hurt hurts, and trauma traumatizes. Some wounds heal cleanly, some scar, some rebuild stronger, and others mend but stay tender. Therapy, much like physical therapy, is learning to tend to what hurts with what heals.

I’m Josh Beren, an EMDR-trained, trauma-focused Associate Marriage and Family Therapist.

I work with teens, adults, couples, and families navigating violence-related trauma, grief and loss, PTSD, complex PTSD, and the psychological impact of violent crime. I also have a particular interest in supporting first responders, veterans, and their families.

My approach is integrative and evidence-based, with Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) and EMDR at its core. We begin by building enough safety and stability to make meaningful change possible. From there, we can courageously explore what happened, what continues to affect you, and the beliefs and patterns that may have developed in response. Our work balances insight and trauma processing with practical skills for coping, regulation, and everyday life.

I speak with soft kindness about hard truths. Therapy with me is collaborative, adaptive, and creative, grounded in compassionate curiosity and respect for you, your story, and your values.

My clinical experience spans community mental health, nonprofit settings, and private practice. Through the nonprofit Program for Torture Victims (PTV), I work with survivors of torture who are seeking asylum in the United States. I also have experience providing therapy with professional interpreters for clients whose primary language is not English.

I work with individuals affected by crime through the California Victim Compensation Board (CalVCB). For clients who have been approved for CalVCB benefits, therapy may be eligible for coverage through the program.

I earned my BA in Philosophy from UC Berkeley and my MA in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in trauma from Antioch University Los Angeles. My additional training includes EMDR, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for traumatized children, psychotherapy for survivors of torture, dissociative identity disorder, psychological first aid, and crisis response.

If you’re navigating the aftermath of trauma, violence, or loss and wondering whether we might be a good fit, I offer a free 15-minute consultation.

  • Licensure & Education

    • Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) #160375 — California Board of Behavioral Sciences

    • Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, Trauma Specialization — Antioch University Los Angeles

    • Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy — University of California, Berkeley

    Clinical Trainings & Certifications

    • EMDR Training, Basic I & II — Connect EMDR

    • Psychotherapy for Torture Survivors — Center for Victims of Torture, Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma, and National Consortium of Torture Treatment Programs

    • Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) — TF-CBTWeb 2.0

    • Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for Traumatized Children — UC Davis CAARE Center

    • Introduction to Working with Dissociative Identity Disorder — Pasadena Trauma Therapy

    • Psychological First Aid — National Child Traumatic Stress Network

    • Cultural Competency Curriculum for Disaster Preparedness and Crisis Response — Ciné-Med and the American Psychological Association

Romy Cutler, ASW

Sometimes life brings experiences we didn’t choose or changes we didn’t expect. We may find ourselves navigating trauma, loss, difficult transitions, or patterns that no longer feel sustainable.

Therapy can offer a place to slow down, make sense of what we are carrying, and reconnect with ourselves with greater curiosity and compassion.

I work with adolescents, adults, couples, and caregivers navigating trauma and PTSD, difficult family and relationship dynamics, anxiety, depression, grief and loss, ADHD and neurodivergence, identity exploration, and life transitions. I’m also drawn to working with creatives and artists navigating the uncertainty of building a life around creative work.

My approach is warm, relational, trauma-informed, somatic, and experiential. I pay attention not only to the stories we tell about our experiences, but also to what is happening in the body, emotions, relationships, and different parts of ourselves. My work is informed by somatic trauma healing, mindfulness-based approaches, IFS-informed parts work, narrative therapy, psychodrama, and expressive arts.

We can explore difficult experiences at a pace that feels right for you, with attention to safety, regulation, and the patterns that may have developed in response to trauma or difficult relationships.

You don’t have to arrive with everything figured out. We can begin where you are and work together to understand what you may need.

Before becoming a therapist, I worked as a creative professional, which continues to shape my appreciation for storytelling, imagination, and forms of expression that go beyond words alone.

  • Licensure & Education

    • Associate Clinical Social Worker (ASW) #141709 — California Board of Behavioral Sciences

    • Master of Social Work (MSW) — California State University, Long Beach

    • Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, Minor in Applied Psychology in Education — University of California, Santa Barbara

    Advanced Clinical Training & Areas of Study

    • Somatic Trauma Healing Practitioner Intensive — The Embody Lab, with training in somatic trauma treatment, parts work, attachment, dissociation, developmental trauma, relational trauma, and EMDR-informed interventions 

    • Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)

    • Drama Therapy & Expressive Arts

    • Council Facilitation & Experiential Group Process

    • IFS-Informed Parts Work

    • Motivational Interviewing & Stages of Change 

    • Suicide Prevention, Screening & Assessment 

    • Crisis Prevention & De-escalation