Marcia Hoffmann, LCSW, MSW

For more than three decades, I have provided therapy, guidance, and support to individuals navigating trauma, emotional distress, substance disorders, medical crises, and life’s many transitions. My experience working with both private clients and medical patients has shaped my therapy style into a  compassionate, grounded approach, informed by several therapy orientations and focused on resilience, healing, and meaningful change.

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I earned dual degrees in Psychology and German Literature from University of California, Irvine in 1988. Soon after graduation, I began my counseling career in the field of domestic violence while pursuing graduate studies in Women’s Studies and Psychology at California State University, Long Beach.

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Recognizing both a passion for advocacy and a strong belief in our natural ability to move towards healing, I continued my education and earned a Master’s Degree in Social Welfare from University of California, Los Angeles.

Following graduate school, I worked in a variety of medical settings, helping patients and families cope with the emotional and traumatic effects of illness, injury, and loss. Working with individuals across every stage of life — from birth through end-of-life care — gave me invaluable insight into the complexity of human suffering as well as the remarkable capacity people have to heal and adapt if given compassionate support, tools to use and freedom to chose their own path.

In 1992, I joined a group practice before opening my own private practice in 2000. Over the years, I came to recognize how often trauma lies beneath struggles such as anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and relationship difficulties. I also realized the importance of therapies that help clients move beyond deeply rooted experiences and limiting beliefs, rather than simply managing symptoms.

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This led me to pursue advanced training and certification in EMDR Therapy, with a specialized focus on PTSD and Dissociative Disorders. Today, I continue to expand my practice through training in Equine Therapy, integrating another experiential and deeply effective approach to healing and personal growth.