Meet The Tehachapi Team

Carla Cook is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who graduated from California State University, Bakersfield with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology,  a secondary degree in Gerontology and a Masters degree in Social Work. Before she became a clinician she  worked for years with the deaf and hard of hearing and is fluent in American Sign Language.

Carla is a strong advocate for social justice, human rights, autonomy and respect for individuality. She strives to cultivate cultural sensitivity, empathy, compassion, and ethical integrity. She has experience working with cultural diversity, alternative lifestyles issues, anxiety, depression, trauma, grief and loss, personality disorders, justice-involved individuals, and a wide variety of mental health symptoms and populations. She has a strong commitment to the Recovery Model, supporting people during the transitional periods of their life, and helping others develop positive coping strategies to navigate a stressful world.

Carla has a holistic approach to mental health, and is a Certified Integrative Mental Health Professional, She is trained in mindfulness and Vipassana meditation techniques.

In her free time she enjoys relaxing with her husband of over 40 years, spending time with her three adult children, visiting with friends, playing with her exotic silkie chickens, two cats and her English bulldog, Winston. She is currently studying German and Spanish and hopes to visit German and Spain someday soon. 

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QUALIFICATIONS 

Certified Integrative Mental Health Professional

Fast Facts:

IF YOU COULD HAVE DINNER WITH ANYONE WHO WOULD IT BE?

My father who passed away when I was six years old.

WHAT IS YOUR IDEAL SATURDAY?

Ziplining with loved ones in a beautiful environment in nature.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO MOVE YOUR  BODY?

Combat Hapkido, boxing and yoga.

HOW DO YOU TAKE YOUR COFFEE?

w/collagen powder, oat milk and maple syrup.

WHAT WAS YOUR CHILDHOOD DREAM?

to be a veterinarian

WHAT IS THE GREATEST THING ABOUT BEING A THERAPIST?

I have the honor of walking beside people on their journey of change and recovery to witness their incredible strength and courage.

I am a LMFT and I have experience in helping people navigate through life stressors, diagnoses, co-occurring addictions, couples, relationships, exploring spirituality, sexuality, intimacy, and chronic illness. I have 10 years working in the mental health field, starting with mental health case management before expanding into therapy, which I have been doing since 2021. I have worked primary with adults, with varying diagnoses from anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and related disorder, complex trauma, personality disorders and addiction. I use an eclectic approach in treating persons, using a variety of interventions, skills, and techniques to help people grow, process, become unstick, in order to facilitate healing. I work with individuals in developing sense of awareness/introspection in order to change and identify maladaptive behaviors and negative thoughts that serve as barriers for growth and personal development.

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Fast Facts:

IF YOU COULD HAVE DINNER WITH ANYONE WHO WOULD IT BE?

My grandparents (passed)

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE TRIP YOU HAVE TAKEN?

When I went to sycamore springs with my significant other and he proposed

WHAT IS YOUR IDEAL SATURDAY?

Rest and sleeping in

HOW DO YOU TAKE YOUR COFFEE?

I’ll take it anyway I can get it, but love a good sugar free caramel macchiato from Starbucks

WHAT IS THE GREATEST THING ABOUT BEING A THERAPIST?

Helping others and growing through negative beliefs that hinder their true self.

WHO OR WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST TEACHER?

I had a few, but in high school I had a particular English teacher and school counselor that helped me through a lot and helped me see strengths I wasn’t able to see in myself at that age.