Psychotherapy & Psychiatry in Encino, CA

While Dr. Hill may be new to Southern California, he has been practicing psychiatry for nearly 20 years and is board certified in General Psychiatry by the American Academy of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Dr. Hill received his undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas and a Master’s in Biology from the University of New Mexico. After meeting his wife Viola, and starting a family of two daughters, Dr. Hill came back to the Midwest where he received his medical degree from the University of Health Sciences-College of Osteopathic Medicine Kansas City. He then attended and completed his residency in General Psychiatry at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Throughout his medical career, Dr. Hill owned his own private practice for 10 years, was on staff as a consultation psychiatrist for multiple Kansas City hospitals, and served as the Medical Director of Psychiatric Services at one of the largest hospitals in the Kansas City Metro area. Additionally, Dr. Hill served as Assistant Professor and Department Chair of Psychiatry at his alma mater, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences.

Dr. Hill believes in common sense psychiatry and cutting-edge treatment alternatives, which includes providing patients with as much information as possible about their illness. His own personal philosophy when approaching patient care is “with more education, there would be less medication.”

Dr. Hill is passionate about removing the stigma that surrounds mental health and has often had the opportunity to spread his message through local television appearances and a recent PBS documentary about mental health in the Midwest titled The Hidden Pandemic. In his free time, Dr. Hill can be found spending time with his family as well as playing and performing music.

AJ is a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with a master’s degree in nursing education from Western Governor University and post master’s degree from Maryville University St. Louis. AJ is also board certified in Ambulatory Care and has been taking care of patients with mental health issues in the inpatient and outpatient setting for over sixteen years. He has a strong critical care background and spent a great part of his nurse practitioner training in addiction medicine.

Born in Brazil and raised in South Florida, AJ is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and always strives for diversity and culturally competent care. He welcomes all clients and is certified to care for persons across the lifespan. He believes in providing a judgment free space for patients to seek help and end the stigma towards mental health. His focus is to help clients improve their quality-of-life and reach optimal well-being.

In his free time, AJ enjoys going to the movies, likes comic books and miniature railroading which is a family hobby tradition. He believes in staying mentally strong and physically healthy and likes to stay active by doing OrangeTheory Fitness, Pilates, and outdoor activities. He also likes traveling the world, seeing new cultures, and enjoying new experiences during his travels.

Esther Lee is a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with a Master’s of Science in Nursing from California State University, Dominguez Hills and post master’s degree from West Coast University. She received her Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychology at University of California, San Diego and Bachelors of Science in Nursing from Mount St. Mary’s University. Esther has extensive experience in inpatient and outpatient care of all ages. She has worked in a variety of settings with a strong critical care background, working with cardiac and pre/post transplant patients. 

Growing up in Los Angeles as a first generation Asian American, Esther understands the significance of how a person’s racial, cultural, economic and sexual identity affects their mental health care. She advocates for cultivating a generation of culturally sensitive and knowledgeable providers. She is a strong advocate for making premium mental health care accessible and affordable. Esther embraces a comprehensive approach to patient care and is dedicated to patient-centered care. She is committed to providing holistic care through collaborative and integrative treatments. She hopes to empower patients by working closely with them to achieve their goals.

During her free time, she enjoys outdoor activities with her dog and spending quality time with family and friends.

Michael is a licensed marriage family therapist, earning a master’s degree from Antioch University. Michael has over 9 years of experience working in the mental health and addiction fields- spending time working with clients in long-term residential addiction treatment, PHP/IOP, and detox settings. In addition to his work as an addiction therapist, Michael also started a private practice in March, 2022, as an associate therapist and under licensed supervision and has worked as a contracted therapist for addiction treatment centers. 

Michael practices therapy through the use of empathetic understanding, malleability, and by taking a “one size does NOT fit all” approach. Michael seeks to help each client strengthen intrapersonal insight and awareness by providing an alternative lens or perspective by which the client may conceptualize his or her past, present, and future. It is Michael’s philosophy that by exploring the past, we may understand the present, and better plan for the future. 

In his free time, Michael enjoys spending time with his two dogs, exercising, cooking, reading, and traveling.

Sydney Klatt is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Her areas of focus are the treatment of trauma, anxiety, depression as well as psychedelic integration. Sydney approaches her work from a place of wholeheartedness and compassion, and she believes that the therapy space provides a valuable opportunity to process life’s challenges and integrate life’s lessons.

Sydney is trained in Somatic Experiencing, Narrative Therapy, CBT, DBT, and Trauma-Focused CBT modalities, as well as Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). Her work centers the LGBTQIA+ community by providing gender-affirming and queer-positive care. Sydney graduated with her Master’s in Social Work from CSU Sacramento in 2020 with a previous Bachelor’s in Global Studies from UC Santa Barbara. Outside of the therapy room, she facilitated trauma-focused yoga for 6 years in mental health settings. Sydney brings the principals of yoga and mindfulness into the therapy space by inviting clients to connect with themselves through presence and awareness of physical body and breath. She values the expertise of each person’s lived experience and strives to center clients’ wisdom of their own unique needs.  She deeply respects the dignity and worthiness of every human and believes firmly in each person’s innate capacity for growth and healing.

When Sydney isn’t working, she loves to practice yoga, create textile art, and spend as much time around animals as possible.

Mava is a compassionate and dedicated psychotherapist committed to guiding clients through their transformative journeys with empathy and understanding. With four years of specialized training in psychoanalysis, she brings knowledge and firsthand experience to every therapeutic interaction.

Mava has had roles as a sexual assault and domestic violence counselor. She aims to provide a safe and supportive space for her clients, enabling them to reconnect with their inner selves. Utilizing psychodynamic therapy, CBT, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, and DBT, Mava tailors each session to meet the unique needs of her clients. She is a skilled hypnotherapist and has also received specialized training at the Dr. Sue Johnson Institute for Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT).

Mava serves both English and Farsi-speaking clients and in addition to traditional therapeutic approaches, she incorporates somatic interventions to address the mind-body connection and promote holistic healing.  Believing in the innate resilience of individuals, she strives to empower clients to tap into their inner strength and find healing from within.