Matthew Herrera, AMFT | OCD, Anxiety & Trauma Therapist

Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, in-person in Pasadena and online throughout California

Helping You Build a Life That Feels More Connected, Purposeful, and Authentic

I am a therapist who helps people explore the internal landscapes shaped by anxiety, trauma, and relationships. Anxiety, trauma, and our hardest relationships shape our internal landscape more than we often realize. None of it has to be faced alone.

​

Choosing a therapist is an important decision. Whether you're seeking therapy for the first time or returning after years away, my goal is to provide a space where you feel genuinely understood — and to help you move toward real, lasting change.

​

I offer private-pay therapy for teens, adults, and couples in Pasadena, the San Gabriel Valley, and throughout California via secure telehealth, specializing in OCD, anxiety, trauma, and relationship concerns.

​

My Background

​I'm a male, LGBTQIA+ affirming therapist based in Pasadena, California.

​​

I earned my Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Southern California (USC). Before becoming a therapist, I spent years working in higher education and as an executive search consultant — experiences that continue to shape how I understand achievement, leadership, professional identity, and career development, and that allow me to connect with clients navigating demanding careers, graduate education, and major professional transitions.

​

My clinical experience includes working in private practice in Pasadena and providing therapy to veterans and military families through U.S. VETS: Outside the Wire.

​

My Approach to Therapy

​​No two people experience life in exactly the same way, so therapy shouldn't be one-size-fits-all.

​

My approach is collaborative, evidence-based, and tailored to your unique goals and history. I lead with the most targeted, effective tools available for what you're working through — then integrate additional approaches as your needs evolve.​ I am informed in the following modalities: 

​

• Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD — the gold-standard, evidence-based treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

• Brainspotting — a body-based approach for trauma, emotional processing, and getting unstuck

• Gottman Method Couples Therapy — research-backed tools to improve communication, rebuild trust, and strengthen connection. 

​

Depending on your goals, I also draw on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Psychodynamic theory, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Solution-Focused techniques, Gestalt interventions, Somatic approaches, and Mindfulness-based practices.

​

Together, we'll identify the patterns keeping you stuck and develop the insight and tools to create meaningful, sustainable change.

​

Areas of Focus

I frequently work with clients experiencing:

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and ERP treatment

• Anxiety and chronic worry

• Trauma and complex trauma (C-PTSD)

• Relationship and communication challenges

• Sex and intimacy concerns

• Dating confidence and relational anxiety

• Couples therapy

• Career transitions and professional burnout

• Life transitions and identity development

• Perfectionism

• Stress management

• Self-esteem and personal growth

​

Who I Work With

​While I welcome clients from all walks of life, my Pasadena private practice focuses on:

• Teens, adults, and couples ready for meaningful change

• Creatives, artists, and entertainment professionals — including actors, writers, musicians, producers, directors, executives, designers, editors, and crew

• Veterans and military families

• Aspiring therapists and helping professionals

• Individuals navigating career transitions or professional uncertainty

• High-functioning professionals seeking greater balance, fulfillment, and emotional well-being

​

Many of my clients are intelligent, motivated people who appear successful on the outside but privately struggle with anxiety, perfectionism, relationship challenges, or a sense of disconnection from themselves. They're ready for something more than temporary relief.

​

Therapy for Creatives & Entertainment Professionals in Los Angeles

 

Living and working in Southern California has given me the opportunity to support many clients working throughout the entertainment industry.

​

Creative careers involve unique stressors — auditions, deadlines, rejection, inconsistent income, perfectionism, public visibility, and the constant pressure to perform. Therapy offers a confidential space to process these experiences while protecting the creativity and passion that brought you to your work in the first place.

​

Whether you're an actor preparing for your next role, a writer working through creative blocks, or a studio executive managing high-stakes professional demands, therapy can help you navigate both the personal and professional pressures of a creative career.

​

​Advanced Clinical Training: 

​

• Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD — CBT School

• Brainspotting — David Grand (Integrating the Neuroexperiential Model for Rapid Trauma Healing)

• Complex Trauma (C-PTSD) — Trauma Therapist Institute

• Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) — Medical University of South Carolina

• Gottman Method Couples Therapy, Level 1 — The Gottman Institute

​

I remain committed to ongoing professional development to ensure clients receive thoughtful, evidence-based care informed by current research and best practices.

​

Therapy in Pasadena & Throughout California

 

I offer in-person therapy at my Pasadena office.

​​​​

I also provide secure telehealth therapy for clients anywhere in California.

 

Whether you're located in Pasadena, San Marino, La Cañada Flintridge, Arcadia, Sierra Madre, Altadena, Los Feliz, Highland Park, Monrovia, Glendale, Burbank, Studio City, or anywhere else in California, I am happy to discuss whether I am the right fit for your needs.

​

Let's Connect

​​Beginning therapy can feel like a big step — but you don't have to figure it out alone.

​

If you're looking for a private-pay therapist in Pasadena or anywhere in California who specializes in OCD, anxiety, trauma, relationships, or the unique challenges faced by creatives and high-performing professionals, I'd be glad to speak with you.

​

I offer a free 20-minute consultation to answer your questions, learn more about your goals, and help determine whether we're a good fit.