THE MOST IMPORTANT GIFT YOU CAN GIVE YOUR FAMILY MAY BE AN INVESTMENT IN MENTAL HEALTH

Bu John Grossi

What do small children, athletes, and first responders have in common?

Individuals in these three groups may have more trouble than most when it comes to regulating emotions and articulating their feelings.

Though many struggle with the challenges of “emotional regulation,” local Children and Family Therapist Dawn-Marie Luna finds herself working with those three demographics often; and has carved out a niche in helping Long Beach families reach their potential.

“I believe all or almost all children, at some point between the ages of two-and-a-half and six, would benefit greatly from this style of therapy, especially in this day and age with such an influx of technology use,” says Dawn-Marie. “These are developmental years and many kids need support with positive peer relationships and processing emotions.” 

If a child is getting too old for, yet still throwing tantrums; has sensory issues like hitting or biting; or is often moody; that child can improve mental health by learning to better understand their own body, environment, and relationships. And that’s what Dawn-Marie can help with.  

Dawn-Marie Luna

An Action-Based Therapy Plan

Dawn-Marie’s family practice is growing in popularity due to the unique and proprietary method she coined with the acronym ALBA, A-Attachment, L-Love,- B-Breath, A-Action. It’s her own flourish on “Attachment-Based Therapy,” one of the leading theories in modern therapy, in which her practice is grounded.

Besides the Attachment-Based Therapy tools she uses to help her clients understand their attachments, her practice also focuses on the concept of “Love.” Understanding that we all want to love and be loved, she explores what love looks like for each individual client.

The “Breath” component adds a physical tool, with conscious breathing proven to help clients work through stress and trauma. Most importantly, the “Action” component encourages clients to not just explore their attachments, but to make a change toward aligning their lives with their feelings.

“Contrary to popular belief, we do want you to leave our office. We want you to not be dependent on us,” notes Dawn-Marie at the perception of having a life-long therapist.

Action And Alignment, Not Advice

When it comes to health and wellness, Dawn-Marie gets passionate about the concept of Alignment. 

“For me, everything comes down to mind, body, and soul, and aligning the three…making sure they’re harmonious with each other,” says Dawn-Marie. “If you’re pursuing something that you don’t believe in, or spending time on a purpose you don’t agree with, you are not aligned. The results will leak into your body and mind. Likewise, if you’re not nourishing your body, the physical effects will spill over into your mind and soul.”

A goal of therapy is to first understand what is not aligned in your life, then come up with an action-plan to align mind, body, and soul.

But Dawn-Marie is quick to note a difference between action and advice. “If you’re looking for advice, I’m definitely not your person,” admits Dawn-Marie, “I don’t have advice for anyone.”

Rather, she explains, each individual client must set a goal of improving their mental health. The explorations, discoveries, and action-plan will all come from the client, and be self-informed. Dawn-Marie’s gift and passion is in guiding the process, evaluating areas of improvement, introducing helpful tools, and showing love and care throughout the journey.

Is there any type of client who you don’t think you can help? I ask Dawn-Marie.

“Yes, anyone who isn’t ready to invest in their mental health,” she says. “Mental health is an investment. You will have a return on that investment, but ultimately the client has to be ready.”

MORE ABOUT ALBA CHILDREN & FAMILY THERAPY

     • Children & Family therapy for children ages 2.5 to 6 requires full involvement from the family unit, with sessions involving the parents as well as the child.

     • In-home therapy is available, in addition to virtual and in-office sessions for families.

     • First Responders: Dawn-Marie’s specialized training in a highly effective technique called “brain spotting” allows many first responders, including individuals who work in emergency response, medical fields, or otherwise experience a tough environment, to better work through trauma using a focused-eye moment technique that allows for rapid processing     

     • Competitive Performance: Therapy that focuses on working through frustrations and channeling them into your talent can greatly improve your success in physical fitness, sporting 

achievement, and career performance in Corporate America.

     • ALBA’s highly individualized therapy sessions are typically $250/hour and can be bought in packages to reduce the cost.

Background: Dawn-Marie Luna received her B.A. in Clinical Psychology & Women’s Studies from Fresno State and her Master in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University where she now teaches as an adjunct faculty member. She is passionate about helping both English and Spanish speakers from all backgrounds become more emotionally intelligent by learning the tools that can help them live an aligned life without symptoms of stress, trauma, or emotional dysregulation.  

If you or a family member is showing signs of external coping whether it be crying, tantrums, overeating, undereating, alcohol abuse, moodiness, anger, or other signs of stress, it may be time to invest in an internal fix before the external coping mechanisms continue too long.

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Dawn-Marine Luna, LMFT #131283 is passionate about bringing action-based therapy to Long Beach Families

CONTACT: 3711 Long Beach Blvd, 90806  |  (562) 222-0236  |  IG: @ ALBALMFT