South Pasadena Psychologists and Therapists
Dr. Melissa McMullin, Founder and Licensed Psychologist (PSY23314)
Hi, I’m Melissa McMullin. I founded Aspire Therapy Center in hopes of meeting a unique need in the community. Many practices focus on what’s “wrong” with a client and how to “fix” them.
Therapy is so much more than that! It’s an opportunity to learn and grow with intention, a chance to become more resilient and happier with ourselves and more confident in relationships. Most of all, it’s a place to explore and actualize things that provide you with meaning and purpose.
Throughout my years in practice and while earning my doctorate at Stanford, I’ve worked with people from very diverse backgrounds. I’ve found that establishing trust, exploring life goals, creating a plan, and providing tools to achieve their goals is a most effective therapeutic approach.
I have worked at Claremont Colleges and USC, where I advocated for students with disabilities, including ADHD, learning disabilities, and physical disabilities/chronic illness. I’m aware of the unique demands of higher education and the challenge of sustaining a life-study balance.
I’m passionate about providing services to expectant and new mothers. Adjusting to the demands of parenting is deeply life-altering and challenging. By exploring your childhood experiences and your expectations of parenting, we can create greater peace, focus, and resilience to surf the never-ending tides of parenting.
Peter Clark, M.A. California Registered Psychological Associate Registration # PSB94047348
We are living through times of change. Your response to these changes is unique, but can often cause
distressing reactions such as feelings of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and relational problems. If you’re struggling with these feelings or you are not feeling able to engage in the daily tasks of life, I welcome you to reach out for help and learn how to release these negative emotions and develop more adaptive coping mechanisms.
Through a client-centered therapeutic relationship built on support and trust, we will collaborate to navigate and develop insight into your current struggles, thoughts, and emotions to help you build effective coping skills, recover from past traumas, and develop satisfying relationships with others and yourself. In only a few sessions, you’ll find therapy can help you gain perspective, improve your mood and personal relationships, and learn to identify solutions to several problems getting in the way of you fully enjoying life.
Lauren McAulay, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
Hi, I’m Lauren! I’m here to provide a safe non-judgmental space for you to share your life and ways you would like to process, shift, and grow in areas of need or interest. Life can be challenging and rewarding, you don’t have to do it alone!
I am passionate about helping my clients empower themselves from the inside out. Those who want to feel in alignment with their true selves, use their voice, feel at home in their bodies, and feel freedom from their busy critical minds.
I work with teens to adults to overcome disordered eating and body image through an intuitive eating and Health at Every Size (HAES) approach. Healing your relationship with food, body, and movement by unlearning maladaptive thought patterns and relearning to trust yourself.
I am also passionate about working with a diverse population who are experiencing addiction as well as grief, depression, anxiety, and hardship from traumatic events such as miscarriage, divorce, domestic violence, etc.
I have spent the last 10 years coaching and connecting with women who chose to improve their lives by being true to themselves and blocking out societal expectations. This led me to completing my masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling to continue to build knowledge and skills in a therapeutic setting. That being said, I was not led to the helping field because of the logistics, I was led to it because of my own life experience. I am deeply empathetic, compassionate, and looking forward to working with you!
I enjoy spending time with my two daughters (& friends and family), going to hot yoga, walking in the sunshine, waking up to my morning coffee and reading before the day starts.
Janine Betts, Therapist
I’m Janine Betts, and I’m a doctoral and master’s degree candidate in psychology at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. For as long as I can remember, it has been a personal mission of mine to increase awareness of, and access to, mental health professionals of color. It is important to me that clients feel safe sharing their struggles with me and that they receive the affirmation and support they need in a setting where they may do so without judgment. During our time together, I will help you sort through and gain perspective on your current concerns and feelings; this will allow you to develop effective strategies for dealing with stress; you’ll be able to heal from past trauma; and you’ll be able to build more fulfilling connections with others and with yourself.