Chris Tompkins is a Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist. He has a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University with a specialization in LGBTQ Affirmative Psychology.
Chris began his psychotherapy training at the Seattle School of Theology and Psychology where he received a Certificate in Narrative Focused Trauma Care Levels I and Level II from the Allender Center. Additionally, Chris completed his clinical training at the Los Angeles LGBT Center, where he developed his competency as an LGBTQ-affirming psychotherapist.
Chris is a humanistic and client-centered LGBTQ-affirmative therapist who specializes in LGBTQ affirmative psychology with a primary focus on adult gay men. His areas of specialization include religious trauma, addiction and recovery, self-acceptance and belonging, internalized homophobia, adult children of alcoholics, men’s challenges, and coming out challenges. Chris also specializes in working with people who specifically want spirituality to be a resource in their therapy.
Having compassion for his own healing journey is how he’s able to offer it to his clients. Chris uses his humanity and authenticity to build a strong therapeutic alliance and meet each of his clients where they’re at, while holding space for where they want to go. Chris also uses a combination of both Western and Eastern philosophies in his therapeutic approach.
Theo Motzenbacker is an associate clinical social worker, registered with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. He earned a Master of Social Work degree from Simmons University in 2022. As a queer, trans provider he has advocated for more inclusive services and approaches for people within those communities.
Theo’s experiences working in harm reduction and providing education around sex and sexuality have shaped his belief in creating a welcoming, nonjudgmental space where clients can safely explore topics that feel overwhelming, scary, or even taboo. He takes a big-picture approach to treatment, considering how community supports and systemic injustices can weigh as heavily as individual tendencies and experiences. Above all, he is client-centered, believing that the best therapy is collaborative, individualized, and affirming.
Amarylis Viera is a queer licensed clinical social worker (LCSW). She was born and raised in California with family roots in Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Argentina. She is also hard of hearing and believes that acknowledging intersectional identities is an important part of therapy. She received her Master of Social Welfare, with a focus on gerontology, from the University of California, Los Angeles. She also received a Bachelor of Arts in Social Welfare, with a focus on death and dying, from the University of California, Berkeley.
Amarylis has enjoyed being able to learn and grow as a clinician by working in a variety of settings throughout their career. Some of the areas that Amarylis has experience with are providing crisis services at a rape treatment center, educating middle schoolers on consent and sexual assault prevention, helping people navigate the process of adjusting from homelessness to permanent housing, and supporting people dealing with aging or end of life issues. They are committed to being a lifelong learner and encourage your feedback during therapy.
Amarylis works from an anti-racist, community oriented, non-pathologizing framework. They hope that therapy can be a space where you come as you are, ready to be curious about yourself, your relationships and your connection to your environment, and are open to trying to offer yourself as much honesty and kindness as you can.
Emily Nguyen is an Associate Clinical Social Worker. She focuses on the whole person, addressing the mind, body, and spirit helping individuals to mental wealth and healing. She believes in empathetic care that focuses on your strengths and weakness to help build you toward your best self. Her style of therapy includes understanding the mind-body connection to move forward to understanding self-acceptance, healing, and growth. She ensures the ethical codes of client dignity, integrity, and knowing the importance of human connection.
Emily received her Master of Social Work from Arizona State University in 2022 and received her Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice at Finlandia University in 2020. Since 2021 she has focused on expanding her knowledge by working with children and teens with developmental delays and soon expanded her work by creating a curriculum for teens working through intensive outpatient therapy. Her work in the field led her to counsel individuals and couples on an array of topics such as anxiety, depression, life transitions, grief, self-esteem, and self-injury. Emily continues to expand her training and her knowledge to help enhance and guide individuals in their mental health journey.
Micol Arias is a Los Angeles native, daughter of immigrant parents and a first generation college graduate. Through her work, Micol fosters individual connections with multicultural communities, in order to provide equitable and patient-focused services and support.
As a licensed clinical social worker recognized by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, Micol delivers structured services while also addressing a needs-based approach. She earned a Master’s Degree in Social Work from California State University, Chico in 2013 and a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work in 2012 from California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt.
As a bilingual provider, Micol has extensive experience working with diverse groups of all ages and socio-economic backgrounds. Micol’s work experience initially focused on disenfranchised populations, primarily working with children and families under the child welfare jurisdiction. This also includes youth on probation and victims of intimate partner violence.
As her desire to expand her knowledge and skill set, Micol explored opportunities working in the HIV/AIDS field as a Patient Care Manager providing intensive case management services to high-risk individuals struggling with medication adherence. Micol continues to use her professional training to empower and guide individuals to make informed and positive choices to enhance their overall health. As a clinician, Micol offers a safe space where individuals can find healing through self-awareness, resiliency, and patience.
Dr. Michael Martinez earned his Doctor of Clinical Psychology degree with a focus on Community Psychology at the University of La Verne. His graduate program helped him view his clients in their environmental context and how their environment contributes to their mental health. Michael has dedicated his academic and professional career to work with many types of minority groups (LGBTQ*, Latinx, Asian Americans, African Americans, economically disadvantaged people, and unhoused people). During graduate school, Michael helped develop a conference to help train early career mental health professionals to work with LGBTQ* individuals. Michael has worked with individuals, families, couples, groups, and conducted anti-bullying presentations for high school students.
Ultimately, Michael views his clients as their own experts and views himself as a person that can supplement his clients’ toolbox and perspective with his knowledge of psychology. He emphasizes therapy as a team effort that can manifest profound change when there is a strong therapeutic relationship. Michael is dedicated to helping his clients find balance, control and a voice in their everyday lives.
Dr. Peter Theodore earned his Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology with a focus on Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Health Psychology at University of Miami. His training occurred both in community mental health settings and medical settings including Mt. Sanai Comprehensive Cancer Center and the HIV/Special Immunology department at the Miami Veterans Affairs Hospital. Dr. Theodore was the recipient of an NIMH Pre-doctoral Fellowship in HIV/AIDS Care. He completed his clinical internship at the Long Beach Veterans Affairs Hospital with rotations in substance abuse treatment, HIV/AIDS Care, Palliative Care, Women’s Health and Sexual Trauma. He then completed his post-doctoral training directing a methamphetamine abuse treatment center designed specifically for gay and bisexual men, where he practiced and trained others in LGBTQ Affirmative Therapy. Prior to joining APLA Health, Dr. Theodore served as a core faculty member, Associate Program Director, and coordinator of the Health Emphasis area of the PhD Clinical Psychology program of the California School of Professional Psychology, Los Angeles, at Alliant International University, where he was also a founding member of the Rockway Certificate Program in LGBTQ Mental Health. He also served as a psychologist conducting mental health and disability evaluations for the West LA Veterans Healthcare System.
Currently, in addition to serving as a psychologist with APLA, Dr. Theodore maintains a small private practice and serves as an adjunct instructor for Alliant International University and Antioch University of Los Angeles.
Lilia Santoyo is a licensed clinical social worker. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a certificate in Social Work in 1998 and her Master degree in social work in 2002. Both degrees were obtained from the California State University in San Bernardino.
Lilia is a bilingual and culturally competent therapist with over 18 years of experience. She has vast experience treating adults for anxiety, depression, and adjustment disorders. She is also trained in working with chronically and severely mentally ill adults who have been diagnosed with Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective, and other psychotic disorders. She has worked in both outpatient and inpatient settings and is welcoming to all individuals.
Sabrina Cox is a licensed clinical social worker recognized by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. She earned her Master of Social Work from New York University in 2014, and as well as a Master’s in Psychology from Hunter College in 2010. Throughout her personal and professional life Sabrina has strived to improve the wellbeing of underserved and vulnerable populations, and incorporate social justice principles into her clinical work.
Sabrina has over a decade of experience helping people with moderate to serious mental illness from a diversity of backgrounds, including those with histories of trauma and addiction. She uses a strength-based, collaborative, trauma-informed clinical approach, and is an LGBTQIA+ affirming therapist. Sabrina’s work is shaped by anti-racist and feminist frameworks. She views her role as supporting the identities, resilience, and growth of her clients. In a safe and non-judgmental manner, Sabrina uses her clinical training and expertise to help clients connect to a sense of empowerment, face current challenges, and reflect on formative past experiences. She strongly believes that the skills and insights gained during therapy can help create healthy change and increase satisfaction in daily life.
Elizabeth San Elias is a licensed clinical social worker by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. She obtained a Masters of Social Work from San Francisco State University in 2007 and a Bachelor’s in Social Work in 2003 from California State University, Los Angeles.
Elizabeth has significant experience working with people diagnosed with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, major depression, and substance use disorders. Elizabeth has extensive experience working with severe and persistently mentally ill adults in field based crisis response programs. She provides trauma informed strength based care. Elizabeth is a passionate advocate for social justice and strives to provide high quality care to marginalized and underserved communities. Elizabeth is bicultural and bilingual allowing her to provide culturally competent services to the Latinx community and maintains cultural humility with all clients she serves.
Elizabeth is one of our substance abuse specialists at APLA Health.
