Hilary Henson, M.S., M.F.T.

New clients, please call (714) 898-0362
Works at: Long Beach

Hilary Henson earned her B.A. degree in Psychology with an emphasis in child development and women’s studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz in June of 1992.  She received her M.S. degree in Counseling Psychology at the California State University, Fullerton in June 1997. Hilary is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist since June, 1999.

Hilary provides cognitive behavioral psychodynamic individual and family systems therapy, specializing in couples counseling with an expertise in how co-dependency, anxiety, depression, grief & loss, and PTSD can impact our relationship with self and others.

Hilary counsels teens, young adults, middle aged and elder adults with a keen ability to connect heart to heart, intuitively and mindfully in this present moment; with a special focus on marital/pre-marital concerns, as well as men and women's issues through various developmental changes over our lifespan, mid-life transitions and soul~spirit connection.

COUNSELING EXPERIENCE

Private Practice with Associated Therapists seeing individuals, couples, families, teens from a humanistic existential, family systems, and mindful balanced approach.  October 2011 to Present Time.

Private Practice, Long Beach, CA; started in August 1999; then joined Associated Therapists in 2011.

Project Touch, Hermosa Beach, CA; December 2007 to June 2009.  Executive Director of small counseling agency for at risk teens.  Provided Conflict Resolution Workshops to parents.  Taught basic yoga, breathing and mindfulness skills; reminded teens to grow their own particular sense of humor as a helpful coping strategy throughout the course of their lives.

SAMHSA, Katrina Survivors, Outside New Orleans, Louisiana; April to June 2006.  Counseled children in 8 different schools, taught creative ways to journal their experience and share multi-layered losses in small bereavement groups.  Also counseled adults in a substance abuse treatment center who were displaced due to the devastation after Katrina.  Provided mindfulness based stress reduction skills.

Jewish Family and Children’s Services, Long Beach, CA; June 2004 to Dec 2005 and Crittenton Counseling Services, Fullerton, CA; September 2004 to Dec 2005.  Counseled couples, families & adolescents as a Contracted Provider for both Family Service Agencies.  Provided individual and group Supervision for Interns.

ValueOptions, Long Beach, CA; April 2000 to April 2004.  Clinical Care Manager.  Phone triage and up to 20 assessments each day.  Evaluation, resources and referrals for treatment of well over 18,000 families nationwide.  Attended M.D. & Ph.D. clinical rounds, discussed complex and multi-dimensional treatments for individuals & families through wide variety of Intensive Outpatient programs.

Harbor View Family Services, Long Beach, CA; Sept 1998 to March 2000.  Clinical Manager and Counselor provided Individual & Family Counseling & Group Therapy.  Intakes & Service Plans for high risk emotionally disturbed adolescents.  Facilitated daily self-esteem, anger management, substance abuse educational groups and stress management groups for an after school program.  Provided in-services to community organizations and schools on adolescent developmental stages and parenting issues.

ChildNet, Youth & Family Services, Long Beach, CA; Sept 1997 to August 1998.  Adolescent and Family Therapist. Facilitated Court Approved Parenting Skills Classes.  Implemented Treatment Plans for DCFS & Probation adolescents in a 40 bed residential group home.  Employee of month who involved the most grandparents in order to help the 11 to 13 year olds so real change would occur within each family.

Straight Talk Counseling Clinic, Inc., Cypress, CA; Jan 1996 to June 1998.  Individual, Couples, and Family Therapist Intern.  Completed over 250 hours of training seminars in wide variety of topics.  Facilitated Parenting Groups.  Responsible for new intakes.  Wrote daily treatment plans; completed 3000 client hours for State Licensure.  Also worked as a child counselor at 6 elementary schools in Orange County.

OTHER WORK EXPERIENCE:

Substitute Teacher, Long Beach Unified School District, LB, CA; Sept 1995 to June 1998.

Story Researcher, Lost & Found TV show, New Line Cinema, LA, CA; 1995.  Counseled individuals by phone toward rediscovering and then potentially renewing important relationships from the past.

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE:

Over 25 years of volunteer experience providing therapeutic & support services to culturally diverse populations: individuals, families, couples, groups, adolescents, and children.

Teaching Yoga & Nutrition Classes and Conflict Resolution Workshops, Long Beach, CA; 2007-present.

Suicide Prevention & Crisis Intervention, Santa Cruz, CA; 1993 to 1995.  30 hour initial training program, provided crisis interventions & support for suicidal callers.  Co-facilitated workshops and seminars on PTSD and Stress Reduction coping skills for approximately 60 new incoming volunteers and staff.

Ark Alternative High School, Santa Cruz, CA; 1990 to 1992.  Counseled new students and provided resources for students from Mexico and Central America.  Encouraged journaling for students who had difficult transition time.  Helped connect kids by starting mentoring program and created Friendship Circles focused on acceptance of multi-cultural differences in order to expand mindset of teens.

Women's Crisis Support, Santa Cruz, CA; 1987 to 1989.  Volunteer Crisis worker, coordinated office work and most importantly provided childcare while family was in conflict.  Encouraged small children to draw, and taught basic yoga poses along with tai chi movements for traumatized children.

AFFILIATIONS:

California Association of Marriage & Family Therapists, active member since 1995.

Board Member, Clinical Director at Large for Interns, Long Beach/South Bay Chapter 2004-2005.

Served on SARB (School Attendance Review Board) South Bay from January 2008 to June 2009.

New clients, please call office number. Do not call therapist.
Administrative information needs to be gathered before scheduling.
Page last updated: 10/12/11