Xochilt Rodriguez

e is Xochilt (Sochi) Rodriguez, and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in Southern California. I work with clients from anywhere in California via telehealth. I have been a social worker for 30 years and have experience working with all types of individuals and families with various issues. My approach to therapy is to first listen to my clients’ reasons for seeking therapy and establish the goals that he/she wish to accomplish. I believe that therapy involves growth and the development of a better understanding of the problems and the individual’s internal approach to them. The ability to master self-awareness and develop better insight into conflicts, stress, and other issues, and one’s reactions to them, is key to growing in therapy. I also have the philosophy that every individual is capable of improving their sense of self, purpose, and the ability to make the changes they need and want to live a more fulfilling and joyful life. No problem or issue cannot be resolved as long as one is willing to learn, be challenged, and be willing to apply new skills and thoughts to make the changes necessary to move forward. I most frequently use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, but I incorporate other therapeutic approaches into my sessions. I believe that much of what we feel begins with our thoughts and interpretations of what we hear and what we tell ourselves. I seek to help my clients understand the power of the subconscious mind and help them retrain their minds so that they can learn to master their thoughts and subsequently change their feelings and behavior. I also believe that to be mentally healthy, one must pursue a physically healthy lifestyle. One cannot separate working on improving the mind while ignoring the health of the body.

Our first session is a conversation, not an intake form. I'll ask what brought you in, what you've already tried, and what you're hoping changes. We'll figure out together whether we're a fit; if I think someone else on the team would serve you better, I'll say so. From there, weekly 50-minute sessions are typical for the first few months. We'll check in periodically on what's working and recalibrate if something isn't. I send no homework you didn't agree to, and I don't grade you on between-session work — but I'll often suggest small experiments that move things forward faster than talk alone.

I draw primarily on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). With CBT, I'm less interested in worksheets and more interested in helping you notice the thoughts that drive the loop you're stuck in — and then experimenting with what changes when you respond differently. ACT adds the piece CBT alone can miss: defining what actually matters to you, and using that as the anchor when life pulls in other directions. For clients carrying trauma, I'm trained in EMDR and integrate it when it fits, with full transparency about what we're doing and why.