Dr. Celeste Simmons is currently accepting new clients.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist in California
About Dr. Celeste Simmons
I am a Licensed Psychologist (Ph.D.) specializing in family and forensic psychology, with experience working with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families. Throughout my career, I have worked with individuals and families navigating a wide range of challenges, including communication difficulties, relationship conflict, parenting concerns, trauma, anxiety, depression, stress, and major life transitions.
I have a particular interest in helping clients navigate high-conflict relationships, co-parenting, divorce, and other complex family transitions. My experience working with court-involved families and in high-conflict situations has given me a unique understanding of complex family systems and relationship dynamics. I understand that these circumstances can be emotionally overwhelming, and I strive to help clients find a path forward while maintaining compassion for themselves and the people involved.
My background includes working in community mental health, correctional settings, early childhood programs, and with court-involved families. These experiences have shaped my ability to understand challenges from multiple perspectives and to meet clients where they are. I am passionate about helping individuals and families strengthen their relationships, improve communication, build resilience, and create lasting change.
I especially enjoy working with individuals who want to improve their family relationships, develop healthier patterns of communication, and move through difficult life transitions with greater confidence and clarity. My goal is to help clients better understand themselves and their relationships while developing the tools they need to move forward in a healthier and more meaningful way.
My Approach to Individual Psychotherapy
My approach is trauma-informed, evidence-based, and practical. I believe therapy should be collaborative, direct, and tailored to each person’s goals, strengths, and circumstances. While I provide a supportive and nonjudgmental space where clients can feel heard and understood, I also encourage meaningful growth, accountability, and the development of practical strategies that can be used in everyday life.
My Approach to Couple’s Counseling
My approach to couples counseling is collaborative, direct, practical, and grounded in evidence-based care. I work with couples to better understand both their individual experiences and the patterns that have developed within their relationship. Rather than focusing only on the content of a particular disagreement, I help couples identify recurring cycles of conflict, communication breakdowns, emotional disconnection, and unmet needs. Understanding how these patterns develop—and what keeps them going—is often an important part of creating meaningful change.
I strive to create a space where both partners can feel heard, understood, and respected while also encouraging each person to reflect on their own role in the relationship dynamic. My work is informed by an understanding of attachment, trauma, family systems, and the ways past family and relationship experiences can shape how we connect with others today.
Together, we work on developing practical skills for communicating more effectively, managing conflict, repairing after difficult interactions, setting healthy boundaries, and strengthening emotional connection. I believe that healthy relationships do not require partners to agree on everything. Instead, the goal is to help couples navigate differences with greater understanding, respect, flexibility, and intention.
For couples who are also parenting together, I pay particular attention to the ways the couple relationship and parenting relationship influence one another. My experience working with high-conflict and court-involved families has also given me insight into how conflict can escalate and become entrenched over time, and the importance of interrupting unhealthy patterns before they become the primary way partners relate to one another.
Every couple brings their own strengths, challenges, and goals to therapy. Treatment is tailored to each couple and may focus on strengthening the relationship, navigating a major transition, rebuilding trust and connection, or gaining greater clarity about the future.
So you can learn more about my services and make sure we’re a great fit, I offer free consultations over the phone or via live video chat.
Both individual psychotherapy & couple’s counseling are available through a secure video conferencing system.
To begin your journey of healing and personal growth with a member of the California Women’s Therapy team, please reach out below.
Contact us to schedule your initial consultation.
Begin your journey with Dr. Celeste today 🌱