Patricia Gimer, MA

HistoryI have nearly a decade of experience in the mental health field. My private practice opened in San Luis Obispo in 2020 and I am accepting new clients. I've been privileged to witness so much growth through the therapeutic relationship in multiple settings; somatic clinic, school-based, grief clinic, and community-based agencies.SpecialtiesI offer you a sacred time and space to explore the elements that are leading to this current situation. I utilize a holistic, mindful and relational approach adapted to each individual who walks in including children, teens and adults. As a Somatically trained therapist, I encourage therapy to gather information from your thoughts, feelings and beliefs as well as information from you body (sensations, pain, tension, movements). I encourage self-learning, self-compassion and learning new skills. With children I offer non-directive play therapy and include education, ideas and collaboration with parents. With teens I use a relational approach to build insight and skills in a safe, caring relationship. With adults I incorporate talk, somatic, relational, CBT and other trauma-informed approaches allowing for individualized collaboration in healing.

SpecialtiesI am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of California.I am also Certified in Sexual Addiction treatment and Compulsive Gambling Treatment.I have been trained in PTSD and Complex Trauma treatment.In addition I treat Sexual Abuse in children and adults. and I treat the trauma associated with addictions and with sexual abuse.We provide individual,group and couples therapy.Research supports the belief that traumas such as sexual abuse trigger addictions such as sexual addiction and the addictive is used to treat the trauma.Sexual Addiction,Gambling and Trauma Treatment are my specialties.I believe that a trauma such as sexual abuse can trigger sexual addiction and both need to be treated as part of the same problem.I also believe that trauma can trigger alcohol dependence and also can trigger a mental illness such as Schizophrenia. I am a recovering alcoholic and I attend AA Meetings.I also have Major Depression which I used to treat with alcohol.I now use antidepressants..In addition I was the victim of childhood trauma.These experiences.help me to better understand the experiences of my clients.