Testimonials
“I was looking for a family therapist to help me, my husband and our adult son with ongoing family issues. In the past individual therapy had not helped any of us resolve our problems. We were referred to Elsie by a family friend who is also a therapist. I was hopeful but not certain things could improve. Much to my surprise after several months of all three of us having individual sessions with her, things have improved dramatically.
During my sessions I felt that I was really being listened to and understood. I am able to voice my concerns in a safe environment and she always gives great feedback and the tools to help me deal with our family situation. My husband and son feel the same way! Elsie obviously knows what she is doing because our family dynamic has never been better! I highly recommend her services and will be referring her to anyone who needs assistance.”
– SS (parent of young adult)
“I highly recommend Elsie to anyone looking for a mental health professional that masterfully facilitates personal growth. Her compassionate, yet realistic approach to therapy has helped me keep moving forward in my personal journey toward improved mental health and wellbeing. She has helped me navigate some of the most difficult moments in my life with grace and professionalism. I am eternally grateful.”
– CDP (parent of young adult children)
“My sister is a social worker in Orange County who has worked with troubled youth for many years. When our daughter started to struggle we turned to her for a referral, my sister recommended Elsie unconditionally as the therapist who had most consistently been able to help some of the most challenging teens on her caseload. Our sweet compliant little girl was turning into a surly teenager. She seemed distant from us, irritable and had begun to lie about even the smallest most insignificant things. Elsie gained our daughter’s trust (which was no easy task I’m sure) and was able to help my daughter figure out the underlying issues that were impacting her mood and behavior. Elsie then worked with my husband and I to guide us in adjusting our parenting to better fit our daughter’s teen phase and her current emotional sensitivities. Elsie helped us realize the areas of our parenting that needed to be firmer and more consistent and the areas where it would be beneficial to “relax a bit” and create space to rebuild our emotional connection. Our daughter is feeling and behaving so much better and our relationship as a family is closer and more loving. Something magical happened behind closed doors between Elsie and our daughter and we will be forever grateful that it did.”
– KC (parent of teen)
“Before we came to Elsie, we had spent the past 8 years trying to get help for our daughter (now 12 years old) to conquer her bed wetting. We saw doctors and professionals, but found ourselves still looking for answers as our daughter entered middle school. Middle school can be such a challenging time even without an embarrassing secret like wetting the bed. Camps and overnights had become increasingly challenging. It had not even occurred to us to seek counseling. We are so thankful for Elsie’s creative and simple ideas to help empower our daughter and put her on the road to success. With each dry night her confidence increases and we are one step closer to stress free summer camps and overnights with friends.”
– K.S. and M (parents participated in Parent Coaching)
“Living and dealing with depression is something I never thought I would experience in my life. Seeing how negative mental illness is depicted in the media and how stigmatized seeking treatment is, I put off getting help.
I thought I was just mourning the loss of my grandmother, but I slowly started to realize that it was a whole lot more than just being sad over losing someone so close and dear to me. It started to impact my day to day life and more so, my relationships. I had started to push my family away, which I am usually very close to, and was no longer contacting my friends. All I had was my boyfriend, to vent to and cry to. Until it started to affect him, because he did not know how to help me feel better. He pushed me to seek help and I did. It was one of the best decisions of my life.I did not expect the results that I have had. I was scared that telling my friends and family that I was seeing a therapist for my depression would cause them to laugh at me. But upon telling friends, I learned that a lot of them were harboring their problems with depression as well. Elsie has helped me to rekindle my relationships with others by helping me focus on my well-being and changing the way I react to things that once were triggers for me being upset. I have brought my mom into a session with Elsie, which was a huge deal, because she was the most skeptical about depression even being a real issue. She always told me I was just being dramatic and a cry baby.But upon bringing her, she understood that it was more than drama and tears.
Elsie has a way of speaking to you and listening to you express yourself that makes you feel at home. She will be completely honest and tell you things you may already know but didn’t want to hear. She has a way of putting things into words that are so caring and understanding. I have never felt better, after going to her for help. I am so glad I pushed myself to seek help, because I am more than happy now that I have dealt with the issues that were causing me such distress and affecting my day to day life.”
– X.C. (young adult patient)
“Elsie is a great example of what a counselor should be. She gets right to the point, helps you see what you don’t see on your own and doesn’t waste your time or your money. I’ve only had four sessions with Elsie but I’ve made great progress from the start with her assistance. She helped me look at life a little differently. Elsie is very insightful and helped me change my perspective from negative to positive very quickly. I would highly recommend her.”
– K. M. (young adult patient)
“Honestly I was very skeptical as to whether therapy could work for me. When I decided to seek help I was nearing hopelessness. My deep long-term depression and anxiety had overwhelmed me. I was miserable and every waking moment had become painful. Actually, I even felt hopeless when I dreamed.I remember how nervous I was as I walked into my first therapy appointment, fearing sharing my thoughts and emotions with another person. Elsie’s kindness and compassion quickly began to put me at ease and allow me to talk about what was on my mind and how I was feeling. She has an amazing ability to provide thoughtful feedback and perspective in an honest but non-judgmental way. She has challenged and helped me overcome obsessive and unhealthy thought patterns. Elsie also seems to know when I need a little kick in the behind and she helps me push myself. Life is a lot more fun and rewarding than I ever thought possible. I am a happy person and I’m able to face life’s challenges with an optimistic attitude. A wise and competent coach can make all of the difference in the success of an athlete or sports team… and life can be much more complex than any given sport.I highly recommend Elsie as a therapist, counselor and life coach.”
– N.D. (young adult patient)
“I was hesitant to seek “therapy” or any kind of help at first. In fact, things were so distorted in my head that I truly believed that I did not have any problems. No, not me. I’m a doctor. I was fine. But my husband had problems and his problems were ruining our marriage. So I decided that we should seek marriage counseling. Reluctantly he agreed. I sought a referral from a colleague, a psychiatrist. I will never forget that first meeting with Elsie, my husband and me. It didn’t take more than ten minutes for me to break down and start crying (after Elsie asked me why I thought we needed counseling). Eventually I stopped sobbing long enough to hear what she had to say to us. She kindly recommended that I seek a medical evaluation and treatment for my depression. I did not even realize how depressed I was, but she recognized my depression before we even got going with our “therapy”.That was four years ago. I have been seeing Elsie on and off ever since then and I thank God for her every day!Not only does she have sharp clinical acumen, she has compassion for her patients and empathy that is palpable. I have worked through so many problems that were never even on my radar. It’s amazing how much a person can emotionally bury and just convince themselves that everything is fine. Elsie has a therapy style that allows me to “feel” rather than think out my problems. It’s hard to work through stuff but Elsie is right there to work with me when our sessions get hard (emotionally). And I have never felt too raw to leave her office (read this as, she doesn’t just leaves you hanging after you spill your guts just because “time is up”). At the same time, she is so experienced that during a 50 minute session, I feel like we have processed and discussed so many things.I am no longer ashamed to talk about my depression and anxiety. It’s a part of me that I will always need to work on to keep in check. Elsie and I joke now that I am a “beacon” because now I always tell my friends, family and patients to stop ignoring their emotional health. It’s all the same whether you have diabetes, asthma or a psychological problem. People only care when you’re not taking care of yourself. Friends, even your husband cannot be your therapist, they cannot really help you.But a therapist like Elsie can help you. Seek treatment. You can feel so much better and improve the quality of your life. Elsie is exceptionally good at what she does. She is the therapist that I recommend to anyone who ever asks me for a referral, no matter the age or issue of the person. I am grateful to have found such a wonderful therapist, and that is why I am writing this testimonial.”
– P.L., MD (parent teenage children)
“Before coming to see Elsie, I struggled with severe depression for 4 years, mostly during college. I had felt hopeless and disconnected from the world. However, Elsie provided me with support, guidance, and a safe space throughout my healing journey. She made me feel heard, seen, and encouraged to explore sensitive topics. I can say with confidence that I overcame depression, but also developed resilience and self-awareness to thrive in all areas of my life. I am forever grateful for the impact Elsie had on my whole well-being and recommend her services who are needed for a compassionate and successful therapy.”
– NH (college student)
“As a mother, one wants to do whatever they can to help their child learn the skills to cope or get the help they need to make their way through a difficult time. As a parent it’s hard to determine just how dire that situation may be for your child. This makes it almost impossible to find “just the right” person (therapist) who you can put your trust and faith into. You are essentially trying to find someone who will help you with one of the most stressful times in your life. And in your child’s life. I was referred to Elsie a little over a year ago for my child who was struggling with debilitating OCD. Today he feels good, has goals he is consistently working on, preparing for a new chapter in his life (College bound) and I can wholeheartedly say that Dr. Echevarria had a hand in that. Life has many challenges and who we have to guide us through them matters. I am grateful that Dr. Echevarria was available to guide us through this difficult time. Both my child and myself are better for it! She listened, advised and offered solutions and ideas. She was also more than willing to listen to my concerns and answer my questions. As a parent you couldn’t ask for more. I would highly recommend giving Elsie the opportunity to do the same for you.”
– FS (mother high school student)