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2131 Capitol Ave. Ste 206
Sacramento, CA 95816
US

916-287-3430

Thrive Therapy & Counseling provides high quality therapy to Highly Sensitive People and to kids, teens or adults struggling with anxiety, depression or self-esteem.

ILEANA ARGANDA-STEVENS

Pronouns: she/her

Work schedule: Sun - Th

Therapist in Sacramento, CA

My approach to counseling for adults

You’re thoughtful and caring, and always try to show up for others, but you struggle to show yourself the same care. You can anticipate others’ needs but you have trouble recognizing and prioritizing your own. Maybe you’ve learned that the most important thing is to be available to others and put your own needs on the backburner. You feel depleted, overwhelmed, scattered, and sometimes taken-for-granted. I totally get it. It’s exhausting being there for everybody but yourself. Things end up this way for complicated reasons. Together, we can gain clarity and perspective, so you can start to feel more centered and secure within yourself. 

As a therapist, I strive to create a space where you can be yourself. During sessions, I am engaged, responsive, and curious, helping you to connect more deeply with who you are as well as your innate wisdom. I offer perspective, validation, empathy, and compassion in sessions, helping you to experience yourself in a new way, creating the safety necessary for honest self-reflection and change. Finally, I believe that change naturally occurs when we feel seen and accepted for who we are, so I also prioritize time to connect about things that interest you and help you connect with your authentic self. 

Being human can be both wonderful and extremely challenging at times, and I try to bring that awareness into my work with clients, helping them to recognize and appreciate their own needs, boundaries, and humanity. I use an integrated therapeutic approach combining Rogerian, cognitive behavioral (CBT), internal family systems (IFS), and compassion-focused therapy. I also explore how systemic oppression, culture, familial values and expectations shape our experiences and personal beliefs about ourselves and the world. 

If you’re an over-thinker, an introvert looking for acceptance and coping tools, you’re navigating childhood trauma or boundaries and communication with your family, or you struggle with shame and self-criticism, and you’re ready to start prioritizing yourself the way you’ve prioritized others, I’d love to support you! 

my specialties include young adults, low self-esteem, and trauma therapy:

  • Adults in their 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s (i.e. young adult counseling)

  • People who struggle with boundaries, perfectionism and practicing self-acceptance & self-care

  • Individuals experiencing low self-esteem, feeling like they’re “never enough”, or not confident

  • Trauma therapy for individuals who have experienced CEN (Childhood Emotional Neglect), complex trauma (CPTSD), complex family relationships, painful life events (even if you’re not sure it qualifies as a trauma)

  • Therapy for anxiety (generalized, acute, social anxiety, worry, rumination)

  • Friend and sibling pairs who want to work on their relationship

some of my therapy approaches:

  • Person-centered, relational, and humanistic therapies

  • Compassion-focused therapy

  • Feminist therapy

  • Trauma therapy

EDUCATION/Previous counseling experience

I received my master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from John F. Kennedy University and worked for two-and-a-half years counseling children and their families in Citrus Heights before starting at Thrive in 2020.

WORK IN EDUCATION

I enjoyed six years working in the public school system as an instructional aide for teens with special needs. During my time in special education, I enjoyed coming up with creative ways to connect with students and help them learn. I also enjoyed assisting students to express themselves creatively through art.

I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Sacramento.

I am a LMFT #129032, Program Manager, and a Supervisor at Thrive.

More about me

When I’m not working, I love watching movies at home or at Tower Theatre, walking, bird watching, exploring Sacramento, or relaxing with my family (kitty, gecko, and human loved ones). I also love journaling, painting, podcasts, and getting comfort and inspiration from reading Maria Popova’s blogs on The Marginalian. I believe laughter is a powerful connector and healer so I try to laugh as much as I can.

Pronouns: she/her