Sushi Frausto, M.A., Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT #101031)

I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in expressive art therapy. In my practice, I use both talk therapy and the expressive arts to help strengthen the emotional well-being of my clients. I love working with children and their families to help them build personal strengths, resiliency, emotional wellness and positive connection.  To create a safe circle of care, I work with parents, schools, doctors and other people in each young person’s life.

Children are very affected by what is going on in their parents’ lives. This includes the perinatal and postpartum years. I offer support to new parents who may be experiencing perinatal mood or anxiety disorders, or other challenges related to childbirth, new motherhood or adjusting to having a new baby in the household. This may include support for the parent or parent coaching around how to support your child.

I work with clients one-on-one, in groups and in the family unit. I’m also a part of the Institute’s Health and Wellness Center team.

Specialties

I combine expressive arts with therapeutic approaches such as narrative, cognitive behavioral, dialectic and developmental therapy.  My expressive arts training includes the use of art materials, drama, music, poetry, writing, play and all forms of creative expression to help clients engage and process at the deepest level. This is especially useful when working with children.

My practice includes helping youth and their families:

Manage worries, anxiety and stress
• Talk about difficult family situations including divorce, illness or death
Navigate challenges related to perinatal mood or anxiety disorders
Gain skills to navigate overwhelming feelings
• Learn and practice social skills
•  Build self-esteem, self-awareness and self-acceptance
•  Explore challenging situations
•  Communicate more effectively
•  Overcome emotional challenges such as depression, anxiety and emotional blocks
•  Process trauma

Education:

  • Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Expressive Art Therapy, California Institute of Integral Studies
  • Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with Minor in Art History, Loyola Marymount University

Specialized Training:

  • Drama Therapy Training, Living Arts Counseling Center in Oakland
  • Maternal Mental Health Certification Training, Maternal Mental Health NOW in Los Angeles.

Presentations and Workshops Experience:

  • The Benefits of Expressive Arts on Neurodevelopment
  • Our Stories: Telling Your Story Through Artistic Expression
  • Stand Up! Speak Out!™ Summer Workshop
  • Friendship Rally – An Introduction to Stand Up! Speak Out!™

Other Experience:

  • Therapist and Clinical Care Coordinator with the San Francisco Child Abuse Prevention Center
  • Therapist for the Child Therapy Institute
  • Founder of Creative Aging, which provides consultation on expressive arts and person-centered engagement for adults with dementia and other processing disorders
  • Member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists.

Mission: My mission is to grow individual and community mental health and well-being by offering safe spaces, professional support, education, and tools for self-exploration and growth.

Email: SFrausto@IFGD.care

Phone: 626-585-8075 ext. 123

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