I accept a limited number of new clients to ensure the highest level of responsiveness and personalized care for my existing practice. I currently work with clients in-person at my Hermosa Beach office and virtually throughout California.

Because of this, my availability changes weekly.

The most efficient way to secure an appointment is to view my live calendar via the "Schedule Now" button at the top of this page.

• If you see a slot: I recommend booking it immediately, as openings tend to fill quickly.

• If you do not see a time that works: Please email me directly. I often have cancellations or shifting availability that doesn't always make it to the public calendar, and I can add you to my priority waitlist.

I offer both. For local clients, I provide in-person therapy at my office in Hermosa Beach (convenient to Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, and Palos Verdes). For busy professionals throughout California, I offer secure, HIPAA-compliant virtual therapy. This allows you to access high-level care from the privacy of your home or office, regardless of your location in the state.

• Individual Therapy: $300 per 50-minute session.

• Couples & Family Therapy: $350 per 55-minute session.

• Intensive Sessions: $450 per 75-minute session (recommended for intake sessions).

• Please reach out for half and full-day intensive session pricing and availability.

I am a specialized, cash-pay practice and do not directly accept insurance.

Can I still get reimbursed? Yes. I provide monthly "superbills". If your insurance plan includes out-of-network benefits (PPO), you may be eligible for partial reimbursement. I recommend calling your provider to ask about your "out-of-network mental health benefits" prior to our first session.

My background allows me to be direct, pragmatic, and highly engaged. I don't use vague clinical jargon; I use language that resonates with analytical minds. I view therapy as a partnership where we architect a better life for you, using the same level of rigorous honesty and strategic thinking required in the boardroom, but applied to your emotional well-being.

My practice is built on insight plus accountability. Many of my clients come to me after feeling dissatisfied with therapy elsewhere because they didn't need a cheerleader; they needed a strategist. I don't just sit back and nod. I actively engage with you to identify the blind spots you can’t see. We won't just talk about your week; we will look at why your week went that way and what you are going to do differently next time. If you are looking for a place to passively unload, I am not the right fit. If you are ready to be challenged and held accountable to your own potential, this is the right place.

Yes. I work with many executives, business owners, and those in leadership roles. My practice is designed for professionals in high-stakes environments, including law, finance, and tech. As a former structured finance lawyer and investment banker, I understand the architecture of your life—the billable hours, the deal cycles, and the political landscape. I help clients navigate burnout, career transitions, difficult work relationships, and the specific anxiety that comes with high-performance expectations.

While I bring executive experience to the room, our work goes deeper than strategy. Coaching often focuses on future performance and tactical goals. Therapy with me addresses the root causes of your behaviors, your relational patterns, and the emotional blocks that keep you stuck. We don't just solve the work problem; we solve the underlying dynamic so it doesn't keep happening.

Dr. Mike Collins and I co-facilitate an in-person co-ed adult process group at our offices in Hermosa Beach. The group is limited to 10 members and meets at 6:15 every Wednesday for 90 minutes. There is currently one opening in the Wednesday group and we are forming a waitlist for a Monday night group. Reach out to info@reginaabayev.com for details.

My goal is to move you out of "gridlock" and into connection. I focus on Relational Life Therapy (RLT), a model that emphasizes radical honesty and personal accountability. We will look at the "dance" you and your partner do—the repetitive cycles of conflict that leave you feeling lonely or misunderstood. Instead of just teaching you "communication scripts," I help you identify the childhood wounds and defense mechanisms that fuel these cycles, so you can stop blaming each other and start building a mature, intimate partnership.

I have completed Gottman Level 1 & 2 training and respect the method, but my primary approach is Relational Life Therapy (RLT). While the Gottman method is excellent for conflict management, I find that RLT goes deeper into the individual issues that plague the relationship. We won't just talk about how to fight fair; we will look at why you are fighting in the first place. This approach empowers each partner to take responsibility for their own reactivity, which is where the real transformation happens.

Yes. A co-founder relationship is a "professional marriage," and it suffers from the same communication breakdowns as a romantic one. Whether you are navigating a stalemate in strategy or a loss of trust, I use my background in mediation and RLT to help you de-escalate conflict and rebuild a functional, profitable partnership.

Yes. I specialize in helping clients navigate the disorientation of betrayal trauma, whether from infidelity, a high-conflict divorce, or a professional breach of trust. Trauma in high-functioning individuals often doesn't look like "falling apart"—it looks like hyper-vigilance, controlling behaviors, or emotional shutting down. I use evidence-based approaches to help you process the shock, stabilize your nervous system, and rebuild your ability to trust—not just others, but your own judgment.

Absolutely. Many couples I work with function perfectly as "business partners" running a household, but have lost the thread of intimacy. This isn't usually a communication problem; it's a safety and vulnerability problem. I help couples move past the "roommate phase" by identifying the emotional blocks that kill desire. We will work on restoring not just the friendship, but the erotic and emotional aliveness in the relationship, moving you from functional to connected.

es. Whether you are dealing with a high-conflict co-founder, a narcissistic parent, or a complex blended family dynamic, the stress can be paralyzing. We cannot change them, but we can fundamentally change the way you engage with them. I help clients master the art of differentiation—the ability to stay connected to your own values and reality even when those around you are chaotic. We will build specific strategies for boundaries that allow you to stop absorbing their anxiety and start protecting your peace.

I believe in being transparent about where I can offer the most value—and where I cannot. To ensure ethical and effective care, I do not work with:

• Children and Adolescents: My practice is focused on adults (18+), families, and couples. I may work with adolescents 16+ on a case-by-case basis.

• Active Physical Violence in Relationships: I do not provide couples therapy when active physical violence or severe coercive control is present. In these situations, joint therapy is clinically contraindicated because it can compromise safety.

• Acute Crisis or Higher Level of Care: As a private practitioner, I do not have the infrastructure to safely treat active, untreated substance dependency, severe eating disorders, or acute suicidality requiring 24-hour monitoring.

• Custody or Legal Evaluations: Although I hold a JD, I do not provide legal counsel, child custody evaluations, or court testimony for my therapy clients. My role is strictly limited to your clinical care.