Vahan Oknayan (he/him)

Accepting Clients

Hi, my name is Vahan (two-syllables, sounds like it's spelled)! I'm currently finishing up my Masters in Clinical Psych from Pepperdine.

Marriage & Family Therapist in Tustin, CA
Supervised by Dr. Pamela Reeves

About My Clients

As a past and present client of mental health as well as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I make these parts of my identity known as a means of visibility and normalization. I believe in an integrative and holistic approach to therapy. My focus is on working with individuals as well as families and couples to improve relational dynamics and achieve emotional wellness for everyday functioning.

My Background and Approach

As I navigated talk therapy as a client, I found that interpretation and behavioral modification could also benefit from tension reduction and expressive exploration which is standard for performers. Since then, my passion has been understanding means of improving quality of life that encourages us not just to exist but actively participate in living. I define my theoretical approach as a Humanistic Integrative Common Factors Approach which draws a little bit from everywhere, applying the most relevant techniques to a client's needs. This includes Humanistic (validating personal experience), Psychoanalytic (finding connections to past experiences and present behaviors), Cognitive-Behavioral (focused adjustments to thought and behavior patterns), and Narrative (empowerment through identifying and building upon individuals' unique strengths) approaches.

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

I have a passion for various arts and humanities including visual and performance arts, music, literature, and history. During my time in a conservatory-style acting program at California State University Fullerton, I was introduced to physical techniques that I found useful in my own journey in managing OCD, anxiety, and depression. There is significant overlap between acting technique and mental health. As the body is the instrument of the actor, so too is it the instrument for living.

I offer online counseling in the following states:

At A Glance

  • Experience: 1 year of practice

Info

(949) 414-5341 Email Vahan
12821 Newport Ave
Tustin, CA 92780

Reach out to Vahan