Dr. Claudia Canales
As a clinical psychologist, my approach is emotion-focused, experiential, and immersive. Originally from Peru, I value diverse contexts and recognize the way culture shapes who we are. People are complex, their bodies and selves are a tapestry of encounters from the past. I believe that emotion embedded in relational dynamics is at the core of memories and gives meaning to experience. I am invested in exploring all channels of experience, including any form of art, intellectual spaces, sports, as well as the spiritual realm, which is a core aspect in peoples’ lives. Doing psychotherapy is a relational endeavor, an art, and a treatment.
Furthermore, my work is highly collaborative. Your journey is a massive source of wisdom and I am a guide to discover the inner strengths that suffering can reveal. It is an honor to walk alongside you in your joy and pain, to witness your self-discovery, your strength in your body, your inner capacity for healing, your spiritual awakenings, your strategies to overcome stress and trauma, and your ability to sit with silence and to share with others.
Conduzco terapia en español y me encantaría conectar con la población Latina que busque mi presencia.
Dr. Canales' Unique Approach to Clinical Psychology
Therapeutic Techniques
Dr. Canales incorporates body awareness and emotion deepening into her treatments. These components are essential, whether she is working with individuals, couples or groups. By focusing on these aspects, she helps her clients gain a deeper understanding of their emotions and bodily sensations, which can lead to more meaningful and lasting change.
Experience and Expertise
Dr. Canales has served as a psychotherapist and psychology faculty since her graduation in 2016. Given her work at a regional medical hospital in Kansas, she gained extensive experience in dealing with a wide range of mental health issues in a hospital setting. This role exposed her to various presentations and age groups, enhancing her ability to work collaboratively across different disciplines.
Consultation and Supervision
In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Canales offers consultation and supervision services to fellow students and professionals. During her time as a training director of an APA internship site, she was able to supervise several classes of pre-doctoral and post-doctoral students. Her relational and collaborative approach stems from her belief that humans, as social animals, need to connect to survive and transcend. This philosophy not only guides her therapeutic work but also her interactions with other professionals in the field.
Claudia is a clinical psychologist who earned her PhD from the Rosemead School of Psychology in 2016. Licensed in Kansas and West Virginia, she currently offers tele-therapy sessions, making her services accessible to a wide audience. Her therapeutic approach is grounded in experiential methods, aiming to facilitate change from the inside out
Areas Of interest
Transitions
In addition to being a generalist, Dr. Canales has developed five areas of interest. Life is a sequence of developmental milestones as well as in-between moments. Sometimes we are not prepared to deal effectively with these changes and transitions. We could think of them as gross adjustments, when a person requires a new definition of oneself to cope with the unavoidable circumstances.
Immigration
Whether it is an expected or unexpected move within the US or coming from abroad, movement requires a cultural adaptation. Psychotherapy is useful in understanding the nuances of environmental change, particularly as relationships have to start anew. Our social fabric, specifically attachment relationships, are essential to our wellbeing. When these change, it is helpful to acknowledge the internal experience and external demands, grief, and notice how one reorients to the new. Dr. Canales has a wide perspective of personal and research-based knowledge in regards to acculturation issues. She is bicultural and fluent in Spanish and English. Experiences that include transition also include: Moving into college Becoming a parent Losing a loved one or part of yourself
Women’s issues
In our present times, there is a lot of pressure on women to conform, be of service, be silent, or be someone else. Assertiveness, looking the part, and living triumphantly are discouraged. At the same time, being a self-made woman today comes with various challenges. Societal and personal expectations create a sense of isolation and disconnection from oneself. Embodied psychotherapy offers a supportive space for women to connect with themselves, regardless of their life journey. This includes high-achieving women who balance their careers and family or women who have chosen to be single and powerful. My invitation is to women who are: -Balancing personal life with family demands -Body issues and Disordered eating -Post and Perinatal problems -Birth trauma -Problems attaching to a new born -Post-Partum Depression (PPD)
Spirituality
All suffering requires spirituality, a way to understand pain that transcends the linear, physical, and concrete understanding of our existence. The relationship with the sacred and supernatural is a significant source of strength, no matter the religion. However, many people have suffered religious trauma or have been wounded by a particular congregation. Embodied psychotherapy can liberate unfulfilled emotions and longing while revitalizing the self for new discoveries.
Adolescents
Adolescence is a stage of life marked by both vulnerability and wonder. Even though several brain areas reach new heights, such as creativity and processing speed, others need years to continue developing, like impulse control. Adolescents bring immense creativity and fresh perspectives to life. They increasingly rely on their peers and seek autonomy, which can clash with the previous structures that shaped their behavior. Their experiences are expressed through socially constructed symbols that make each generation unique. Their struggles and victories are deeply felt. Working with adolescents is a privilege like no other.
I see clients ages 14 and up and often include their family system to facilitate parental training. Among general concerns, I specialize in:
· Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
· Conduct disorder
· Attachment disorders
· Adjustment problems
· Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
· Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
· Intermittent explosive disorder