Dyan E. Connelly, PhD

Licensed Clinical Psychologist |  California: PSY34498

Free 20-minute telephone consultation

This is a space to connect and get a feel for what working together might be like. We’ll talk a bit about what’s bringing you in, what you're hoping for, and whether it feels like a good match for both of us. No pressure, no need to prepare. Just a warm, easy conversation to help you take the next step with clarity and care.

I offer trauma-informed, culturally affirming individual therapy that’s collaborative, personalized, and grounded in both science and care. Whether you’re working through trauma, anxiety, relationship patterns, or a desire to feel more at ease in your own skin, our work will be tailored to what matters most to you. I approach this by integrating evidence-based strategies with a culturally responsive lens, bringing a steady presence, practical tools, and deep respect for your lived experience so that new possibilities can open between where you are and where you’d like to be.

Individual Therapy

Specialized treatments offered:

  • CBT helps you notice the patterns between your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, so you can interrupt what's keeping you stuck. We identify the mental habits that aren't serving you and experiment with new ways of thinking, responding, and moving through the world. It's not about "thinking positive." It's about becoming more aware, more flexible, and more free.

  • PE gives you the tools to approach rather than avoid the memories, places, and situations that trauma has taught you to fear. With structure, support, and pacing, you revisit what happened so your brain and body can finally recognize that it's over. The goal isn't to relive the trauma, but to reclaim your life.

  • CPT helps untangle the painful beliefs that often take root after trauma, about yourself, others, and the world. I'll help you gently examine those beliefs, understand where they came from, and shift the ones keeping you stuck. This process creates space for more clarity, compassion, and freedom.

  • DBT offers practical tools for managing emotions, improving relationships, and staying grounded when you're stressed. I don't offer a comprehensive DBT program, but I often integrate DBT-informed skills into individual therapy for clients who want support with emotion regulation, boundaries, or communication. If you're currently experiencing suicidality or need full-program DBT, a more intensive, structured setting would be a better fit

  • ACT helps you build a different relationship with your thoughts and feelings, one that's less about control and more about choice. Instead of trying to eliminate discomfort, you focus on what matters most and practice showing up for that, even when it's hard. You learn to act from your values, not your fear.

  • CBT-I treats insomnia by working with the habits, thoughts, and patterns that disrupt sleep. I'll help you reset your body's natural sleep rhythm and address the worry and frustration that can take over at night. The result: better rest, more energy, and a calmer relationship with sleep.

  • Panic and phobias can shrink your world, but exposure-based treatment helps expand it again. Whether you're avoiding certain sensations (like a racing heart) or situations (like flying or public speaking), you'll work to break the cycle of fear and avoidance, at a pace that feels safe and empowering

  • Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a research-backed approach grounded in practices that have been cultivated for thousands of years within contemplative traditions, including Buddhism and other Eastern philosophies. It uses these time-honored practices to help reduce stress, improve focus, and create more ease in daily life. I integrate MBSR tools like breath awareness, body scans, and present-moment grounding to help you respond to life with greater clarity and calm, especially when things feel overwhelming. You don't need to be perfectly present or redirect your attention every time. Even small improvements in mindfulness can yield meaningful, lasting change.

  • ERP is the most effective, evidence-based treatment for OCD. It involves gradually facing the thoughts, images, or situations that trigger anxiety, while resisting the urge to engage in compulsions or avoidance. Over time, this helps retrain your brain, reduce fear, and build confidence in your ability to tolerate uncertainty and discomfort.

  • Racial trauma can be complex, ongoing, and often invisible to others, yet deeply felt. It may show up as hypervigilance, anxiety, anger, shame, or emotional exhaustion in response to both personal experiences and systemic realities. In this work, I'll honor your lived experiences while drawing from mindfulness-based, relational, and trauma-informed approaches that support nervous system regulation, emotional processing, and reconnection with your values and sense of self. Healing doesn't mean dismissing the truth of what's happened. It means finding space to breathe, feel, and move forward without carrying it all alone.

Session Details

  • Services currently available to California residents via telemental health.

  • Individual therapy sessions are $250 per 50-minute session.

  • Sliding scale and reduced fee options are available for individuals from groups historically impacted by racial trauma, systemic injustice, and immigration enforcement or deportation policies. If you are directly impacted, please reach out if this applies to you.

  • I currently do not accept insurance. If your insurance includes out-of-network coverage, I can provide a monthly superbill to help you seek reimbursement. Feel free to contact me if you’d like to learn more about this process.

Group therapy

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MANaging emotions Skills Group

16-week group: $100/session

Do you feel like your emotions get really big, really fast, or sometimes shut down completely? Have you been told you’re “too much,” or felt like you had to bottle things up to keep the peace? This group offers another way. You’ll learn to make space for emotions and express yourself without blowing up, shutting down, or second-guessing yourself. We’ll focus on understanding feelings, staying grounded, riding out ineffective urges, communicating more effectively, and setting boundaries. This group is designed to help you feel more steady, more connected, and more in charge of your emotional world.
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The Space Between: Building healthy relationships & intimacy

10-week group: $100/session

Learn how to communicate without pushing others away, ask for what you need without guilt, and navigate hard conversations with more ease. This group will help you build positivity resonance—those small, powerful moments of warmth that deepen intimacy and trust. You’ll practice staying grounded in difficult interactions, softening defenses (yours and theirs), and creating space for real connection. Whether you're feeling stuck in conflict, longing for more closeness, or wanting to rekindle emotional and physical intimacy, this group offers research-backed tools and a supportive space to grow.