A soft landing place for you

Hi, and welcome!

femalperinatal trauma therapist who helps with prenatal and postpartum depression and anxiety in Los Angeles CA

Jessica Achugbue, LMFT, PMH-C

(she/her/hers)

    • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist - CA Board of Behavioral Sciences, Lic. #141666

    • Master of Science in Marital and Family Therapy - CSUDH

    • Bachelor of Arts in Psychology - CSULB

    • Certified EMDR Therapist - EMDR International Association

    • Certification in Perinatal Mental Health (PMH-C) - Postpartum Support International

    • Registered Circle of Security Parenting® Facilitator - Circle of Security International

  • Advanced Perinatal Training

    • Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders: Components of Care - Postpartum Support International

    • Advanced Perinatal Psychotherapy - Postpartum Support International

    • Utilizing EMDR in the Perinatal Period - EMDR International Association

    • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with Perinatal Mental Health Clients - Fulfilled Motherhood

    • Perinatal Loss Story Processing - Nesting Space

    Advanced Infant and Early Childhood Training

    • DC: 0-5 Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood - ZERO TO THREE National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families

    • The Growing Brain: From Birth to 5 Years Old - ZERO TO THREE National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families

    • Trauma Response in Infants - Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

    • EMDR for Kids: Adapting the 8 Phases - EMDR for Kids

    Advanced Trauma Training

    • Trauma-Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy - Russ Harris

    • Advancing Excellence in Treating Complex Trauma - EMDR International Association

    • Utilization of EMDR Therapy with Grief and Mourning - EMDR International Association

    • Integrated Treatment of Chronic Pain and Chronic Health Conditions - EMDR International Association

My name is Jessica Achugbue (pronounced “uh-choo-bway”) and I’m a licensed marriage and family therapist, certified EMDR trauma therapist, and certified perinatal mental health specialist. I specialize in helping women, birthing people, and new parents heal from painful experiences and feel peaceful and confident in their daily lives.

While working in community mental health centers, I gained extensive experience supporting children, adults, couples, and families in trauma recovery, healing from grief and loss, learning helpful coping skills, and building thriving relationships. In both my career and personal life, I have had the honor of walking beside parents who are striving to break harmful family cycles and nurture their children in safe and peaceful households. I love helping new parents resolve both past trauma and the trauma that can occur during the perinatal period in order to be their most liberated selves.

About my work: I practice with Intersectional Feminist, Liberation-Oriented, Humanistic, Attachment Theory, and Gentle, Conscious, Responsive, and Respectful Parenting frameworks and operate with a trauma-informed lens. I focus on helping women struggling with anxiety, pregnant and postpartum people, and parents of young children heal from upsetting, stressful, and scary life experiences, primarily using eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) alongside acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), somatic exercises, “inner child” and “parts” work, and mindfulness techniques - always led by empathy and compassion. I enjoy helping clients feel relief from panic, worry, tension, and overwhelm and witnessing clients tap into their inner wisdom and live values-led lives.

I believe that inner healing is a key part of our collective justice and liberation work. Queerness is celebrated here, and as a perinatal psychotherapist I enjoy providing support for diverse family-building journeys.

In addition to individual therapy, at times I offer group therapy, classes, and workshops where you can be supported by learning with and relating to others with shared experiences.

On a personal note: I am an LGBTQ-affirming progressive Christian whose spirituality is rooted in Liberation Theology, and I have clinical experience with the intersections of spirituality and trauma recovery. For clients who want and request it, I incorporate trauma-informed and liberation-oriented Christian practices into the therapeutic space.

Besides therapy and mental health awareness, I’m a big fan of coffee shops, long walks with loved ones or with my favorite music, reading, sunset-gazing, and watching movies and shows!

Ready to work together? Click here to schedule your free consultation