Manage your emotions and feel safe again with Comprehensive DBT. Online therapy for adults specializing in Anxiety, Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), and Emotion Regulation. Free Consultation.
Life has been at a standstill for too long.
You’re here because you’re ready to finally move forward.
But it’s hard to know how to take the next step when every idea you have is followed by worrying about endless worst-case scenarios, self-sabotage, and second-guessing your instincts. You’ve probably been to therapy before, but haven’t walked away with many useful strategies for managing your emotions or tangible skills to help you get to the version of life you want to be living.
Ready to break the cycle?
This is where change begins.
We’ll work well together if you…
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Are seeking tools & skills to use in everyday life — I use methods like DBT, CBT, and ACT, which means you’ll walk away from our sessions with practical skills for emotional regulation, communication, and more.
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Have had to figure things out on your own, probably since childhood — Maybe your caretakers weren’t emotionally present, or their expectations were astronomical, or nothing you did ever seemed good enough for them. Here, you can get the kind of compassionate support you didn’t then but needed…as anyone would.
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Often beat yourself up for mistakes (even little ones) — How many times in a day do you apologize without actually having done something wrong? We’ll work together to shift the critical voice in your mind to be more supportive, constructive, and accepting.
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Feel like you don’t know who you really are — You’re always doing or being something for someone else. We’ll figure out what you actually care about and want, and then how to live in alignment with the truest version of you.
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Get easily overwhelmed and have intense emotions that are hard to manage — It feels like you can’t control the impulses and big reactions that consistently put a strain on your life and relationships. You can, and we’ll learn how together.
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Want more acceptance, stability, and structure in your life — You’re exhausted of living this way, and open to trying new approaches to life if it means you can enjoy existing.
This work is about more than what you can do. It’s about who you can be.
Thomas Dunleavy, LCSW
When we work together, my focus is on helping you better manage your emotions, form a new relationship with your thoughts, and build a life that feels more peaceful, compassionate, and fulfilling. This is a space where we’ll work on taking care of your needs, while honoring the relationships that matter to you. Therapy with me is about exploring who you are, becoming friends with yourself again, and finding more enjoyment in just being—because you’re so much more than what you can do for others.
You can expect a lot of warmth and understanding here.
I’m 100% in this with you.
Many people come from households where their emotions weren’t validated or taken seriously, but my goal is to always make you feel seen and heard. I encourage you to be yourself and bring in your hopes for the future you want to build together. I’m here to listen, help you make sense of your thoughts and feelings, sit mindfully in acceptance of what is (even when it’s not what you want it to be), and equip you with real strategies you can use in your daily life. I truly believe that the work we do here can be transformative because I’ve seen it happen—and not just for others, but in my own life as well.
I can’t give you the answers, because only you know what’s right for you. My role is to walk alongside you and give you the tools to see those answers more clearly for yourself as we find solutions to what’s been holding you back together. To do this, we’ll work together to identify what you need, set clear action plans with lots of support built in, and celebrate often—
for successes big and small.
Education & Licensure
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University of Southern California,
Master of Social Work
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Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Trainings & Certifications
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Intensively trained in DBT
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Certified in CBT by the Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies
My Full Bio
Thomas Dunleavy, LCSW is a mindfulness-based psychotherapist, coach, and workshop leader specializing in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). With a focused interest in the treatment of anxiety, perfectionism, and trauma related disorders within the LGBTQ+ community, Thomas has been certified in CBT by the Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies and completed advanced CBT trainings in Cognitive Processing Therapy; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Eating Disorders; and Prolonged Exposure for Panic and Anxiety Disorders to name only a few. Thomas has been trained in DBT by Harbor-UCLA and provided Comprehensive DBT to clients with severe and persistent mental illness for the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health. In addition to completing his training in ACT with Russ Harris, Thomas graduated with the highest honors from the University of Southern California, where he earned his Master of Social Work, and was awarded the USC Order of Arete for social contribution and leadership in the field of homeless services. With over 15 years experience as a personal development and corporate coach, Thomas has been certified by the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC) and has traveled nationally leading seminars on life fulfillment and emotional intelligence. Thomas has created and delivered workshops addressing a variety of mental health and quality of life topics, including affirmative thought, constructive self-image, values, and gender affirming care. An East Coast native and lover of Southern California nature, Thomas has been utilizing his passion for present moment awareness as a student of mindfulness for over 22 years.
In Our Sessions...
WE’LL WALK THE MIDDLE PATH BETWEEN ACCEPTANCE AND CHANGE.
…I create a space where your feelings are completely welcome and we’ll learn how to listen closely to what they’re trying to tell us.
We’ll create a clear structure for our work together so you can know what to expect. Whether we’re focusing on your feelings in the present or diving into experiences from your past, we’ll stay anchored in the direction you want to be heading while allowing space to adjust our course as needed. And when what’s in front of you feels hard or you need extra support, I’ll guide you through with strategies that bring clarity and calm.
"You can't stop the waves but you can learn
how to surf."
- Jon Kabat-Zinn
My approach to therapy
Therapy with me is...
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LGBTQIA+ affirming
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Skills-focused and solution-oriented
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Encouraging, validating, and accepting
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Flexible and dynamic
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Mindfulness-based
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A space to rediscover hope and kindness
Therapy with me is not...
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Judgmental or dismissive
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A one-size-fits-all approach
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Passive or unstructured
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Focused solely on the past
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Rigid or uncompromising
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A quick fix or temporary solution
Rates
Three Waves Psychotherapy is a private pay and out of network provider however you may be eligible for partial reimbursement from your insurance company. Should your plan cover out of network services, please inform us during your consultation call so we may provide you with a monthly superbill for you to submit to your insurance carrier for reimbursement. We recommend that you also clarify with your insurance provider that telehealth sessions are eligible for out of network reimbursement under your plan.
Individual and group session rates vary depending on which treatment is requested and recommended to achieve your mental health goals.
$250 + for 50 minute sessions
Terms
All session fees will be collected in full by credit card at the time of service and a credit card is required to be on file to hold your appointment time.
We additionally require 24 hours’ notice for cancellations to avoid having your card charged the full amount for any missed sessions.
Good Faith
Estimate
Under law, you have the right to receive a "Good Faith Estimate" explaining how much your healthcare will cost during the time you are enrolled in treatment.
Good Faith Estimates are applicable to:
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Clients who are not using insurance to cover their healthcare and
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Clients who do not plan to submit a superbill to their insurance provider for out of network reimbursement
Visit the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services HERE for more information.
Sliding
Scale
Making quality therapy accessible to a diverse group of clients aligns with the guiding values of Three Waves Psychotherapy.
We are pleased to offer limited sliding scale appointments, pending availability, for those demonstrating financial hardship. Please contact us to check availability and further discuss conditions for sliding scale sessions.
In The Media
Thomas loves to share his expertise and has been recently featured and quoted in various media publications.
Gain the wisdom and practical skills
you need to thrive.
Click the button below to schedule a free consultation. On this brief call, we’ll talk about what’s bringing you to therapy and I can answer any questions you have for me. Three Waves Psychotherapy is based in West Hollywood and offers virtual sessions across the state of California.