ADOLESCENTS & TEENS | YOUNG ADULTS | ADULTS
Therapy for Phobias & Fears
Phobias and fears can interfere with daily living and relationships. We support individuals, couples, and families in moving through these challenges with care, compassion, and practical tools for relief.
Fear doesn’t have to define your life.
THERAPY OFFERS TOols to gently expand your sense of safey and reduce avoidance.
With support, new possibilities for connection and freedom can open.
Phobias and fears often go beyond everyday worry. They can bring sudden spikes of panic, racing thoughts, or a sense of being trapped when faced with certain situations. For some, it shows up around flying, driving, or public places. For others, it may center on eating, choking, or social interactions. Even when you know the fear isn’t logical, the body can still respond as if there’s real danger—leaving life feeling restricted and exhausting.
Therapy creates space to understand these reactions and gently shift how the mind and body respond to triggers. With approaches like EMDR, somatic practices, and gradual exposure strategies, we focus on calming the nervous system, building confidence, and widening your sense of safety. Over time, the grip of fear begins to loosen, making room for choice, connection, and the freedom to engage more fully in daily life.
HELP WITH TRIGGERS, AVOIDANCE, fears
Phobia Therapy That Meets You Where You Are
How we help. Care at Catherine Alvarado, LMFT & Associates is supportive, collaborative, and paced to feel safe. We draw on approaches such as EMDR therapy, mindfulness, somatic practices, and gradual exposure strategies to help clients work through specific fears and phobias. These methods create room to calm the body’s alarm system, shift unhelpful patterns, and gently rebuild a sense of confidence, choice, and freedom.
Accessible, steady support. Therapy is available in person in Redondo Beach and online across California, with flexible options for individuals, couples, and families. Our focus is on easing fear in the present while also creating lasting tools for navigating challenges in the future.
Phobias and fears can show up in many ways, including:
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Fear of leaving home, being in crowds, or being in places where escape feels difficult.
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Such as Phagophobia (fear of choking), Emetophobia (fear of vomiting), and anxiety around swallowing or eating in front of others.
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Including Trypanophobia (fear of needles), Dentophobia (fear of dental visits or procedures), and Iatrophobia (fear of doctors or medical care).
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Such as Zoophobia (fear of animals), Arachnophobia (fear of spiders), and Entomophobia (fear of insects like bees or wasps).
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Including Amaxophobia (fear of driving), fear of driving at night, Gephyrophobia (fear of crossing bridges), and Aviophobia (fear of flying).
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![Close-up of gentle ocean waves along the shore, featured on a webpage about individual therapy in Redondo Beach and the South Bay.]()
Individual Therapy
Through individual therapy, adults and teens gain tools to manage anxiety, heal from trauma, and build resilience.
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![Two people sitting closely with hands resting together, symbolizing connection on a couples therapy page in Redondo Beach & South Bay.]()
Couples Therapy
Couples therapy offers a supportive space to deepen understanding, work through struggles, and strengthen emotional connection.
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![Arrangement of seashells and a coral stone on a neutral background, symbolizing connection and balance on a family therapy page in Redondo Beach and the South Bay.]()
Family Therapy
At Catherine Alvarado, LMFT & Associates, family therapy in Redondo Beach helps families create balance, build trust, and nurture resilience together.
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![Clear turquoise ocean water with sunlight reflecting on the ripples, featured on a webpage about standard EMDR therapy sessions in Redondo Beach and the South Bay.]()
Standard EMDR Therapy
Standard EMDR therapy offers a 50-minute session for ongoing treatment or as adjunct support to existing therapy.
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![Hand holding a seashell, symbolizing care and healing, featured on a webpage about intensive 2-hour EMDR therapy sessions in Redondo Beach and the South Bay.]()
Intensive EMDR Therapy
A 2-hour EMDR therapy session designed to provide more time for reprocessing, available for ongoing treatment or adjunct support.
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![Person standing barefoot on the sand as ocean waves approach, featured on a webpage about adjunct EMDR therapy with 50-minute or 2-hour sessions in Redondo Beach and the South Bay.]()
Adjunct EMDR Therapy
Try EMDR therapy in either standard 50-minute or intensive 2-hour formats, available as adjunct support when needed.
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![White wall with stone steps and a blue window in sunlight, featured on a webpage about EMDR consultation for clinicians to build skills and confidence.]()
EMDR Consultation for Clinicians
EMDR consultation for clinicians provides guidance, support, and resources to strengthen skills and confidence in EMDR practice.
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![Person standing casually with hand on hip in a relaxed home environment, featured on a webpage about adolescent and teen therapy in Redondo Beach and the South Bay.]()
Adolescent & Teen Therapy
Therapy for adolescents and teens provides support for managing stress, building confidence, and navigating school, family, and relationships.
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![Young woman sitting thoughtfully on a couch in a relaxed setting, featured on a webpage about young adult therapy in Redondo Beach and the South Bay.]()
Young Adult Therapy
Young adult therapy provides a safe space to explore identity, build confidence, and navigate relationships, career stress, and life changes.
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![Adult woman with hair in a low bun wearing a white shirt, seated in a calm setting, featured on a webpage about adult therapy in Redondo Beach and the South Bay.]()
Adult Therapy
Adult therapy offers support for managing anxiety, grief, relationship stress, and life transitions with greater clarity and resilience.
Get matched to the right therapist for you.
You will get the most out of therapy if you’re working with the therapist who is the right fit for you, and we’re committed to helping you find that person.
Reach out to share more about your needs and goals, and we’ll match you with the therapist who has the background, training, & approach that will be best suited for you.
Catherine alvarado, lmft & associates
Therapy in Redondo Beach for Phobias & Fears
Our team offers therapy for phobias and specific fears in Redondo Beach and the South Bay, supporting clients from nearby communities like Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Torrance, Palos Verdes, and El Segundo. Whether it’s fear of flying, driving, choking, vomiting, animals, or medical visits, these struggles can limit daily life and cause significant distress. Using a blend of talk therapy, EMDR, mindfulness, and holistic mind–body approaches, we help ease anxiety responses, build coping tools, and support lasting change. Sessions are available online across California or in person at our Redondo Beach office.
Healing from fears and phobias takes time, and steady support can make all the difference. At Catherine Alvarado, LMFT & Associates, therapy is shaped to meet each person’s unique needs. Many clients benefit from EMDR therapy to reprocess triggering memories, somatic practices to calm the body, or mindfulness to steady anxious thought patterns. Whether facing panic when traveling, fear around eating, or avoidance of medical and dental visits, our South Bay therapists provide a supportive space to find relief, regain confidence, and move forward with greater freedom in daily life.
Resources to improve your mental health, increase your self-awareness, and invite growth.
