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Michael Pezzullo
Leading Gay Therapist in Los Angeles, California
Telehealth available throughout California and Florida
Create the life you want to live.
We heal through relationship...not in isolation.
Rather than providing a list of pre-scripted tools, I strive to develop genuine connections with my clients. But beyond simply looking for relief from troubling symptoms, my goal is to help you create the life you want to live.
You don't have to stay stuck
On the other side is a life feeling confident and good about yourself. If you’re like most clients I work with, you don’t want to just live–you want to thrive.
I’ll help you set clear goals for treatment, understand how your past is informing your present and develop strategies to optimize your life to its fullest potential. To get started, schedule a free 15 minute phone consultation.
Meet Michael
My journey with mental health began in a dramatic way—by entering a residential treatment center. In my first therapy session, I couldn't shake the thought: I don’t want to be here. How could a stranger, someone who knew nothing about me, possibly make a difference in my life? But I decided to give it a try. After a few sessions, I finally connected with the right therapist—someone who truly understood me, someone who could articulate my feelings better than I could. This therapist was transparent, direct, and provided clear, specific guidance. It was through this experience that I realized the power of connection as the key to healing. I believe that therapy should be strategic, consistent, and sincere. Today, I am proud to be recognized as one of the top therapists in Los Angeles, specializing in trauma, addiction, and the LGBTQ+ community.
Specialties
Navigating fear is part of life. Humans have a natural drive to find safety and security. Anxiety is nature’s way of alerting you that something is wrong. We don’t want to get rid of that entirely. Rather, we want our anxiety to work for us, not against us.
For some, depression is a distinct phenomenon that has a beginning, middle and end. For others, depression comes and goes, for a long time. Depression can also be experienced as a chronic state of being. When treating depression, I take a holistic approach by considering all of the factors that can cause, and exacerbate, a depressive state.
Gay Men
You’ve likely internalized shame from a culture that made you feel flawed, leading to perfectionism or unhealthy coping mechanisms. In my practice, I specialize in helping gay men rediscover and celebrate their authentic selves through therapy.
You may have built a successful life, but despite external validation, feelings of inadequacy and the struggle to be your authentic self persist. I specialize in therapy for the LGBTQ+ community, using a tailored approach that embraces your identity, helping you create a life where you truly thrive.
With years of specialized experience across various levels of care, I can help you understand and address the underlying causes of substance use through both harm reduction and abstinence-based models. Seeking help takes courage, and I’m here to connect you with the resources you need to overcome addiction.
Maintaining healthy relationships requires ongoing effort and support, as the complexities of human emotions and interactions can lead to misunderstandings, conflicts, and stress. Seeking help with relationship health is crucial because it provides a structured environment to address these issues, offering strategies and tools to enhance communication, resolve conflicts, and strengthen emotional bonds.
Resources
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Gay Men Going Deeper Podcast
In this powerful episode, we address a topic that affects many but is often shrouded in silence and stigma: sexual abuse. I was able to share my experience as a seasoned therapist.
"Speaking Out" Documentary Premiere
"Speaking Out" is a documentary about trauma in the gay community. I lent my expertise to this very important film, which examines the intersection between gay male identity and trauma. The film premiered at the 23rd Los Angeles Latino Film Festival in Hollywood, CA.
Free Download: Gay Men's Sexual Confidence Guide
Want to develop more sexual confidence? I've developed this questionnaire specifically for gay men. Use this guide to find your most authentic and confident sexual self.
Services
We will have a one-on-one counseling session where we work together to explore and address personal issues, emotions, and behaviors. It provides a private space for individuals to gain insights, develop coping strategies, and work towards personal growth and healing.
We will meet as a small group of individuals to discuss and work through common issues or challenges. This collaborative setting allows participants to gain support, share experiences, and learn from each other’s perspectives and coping strategies.
This service is specifically designed to address the unique emotional and psychological challenges faced by adolescents. It provides a supportive environment where teenagers can openly discuss their struggles, develop coping skills, and build resilience with the guidance of a trained therapist.
This is a therapeutic approach where partners work together to address relationship issues, improve communication, and resolve conflicts. It aims to enhance the emotional connection between partners and build healthier, more fulfilling relationships.
A specialized form of counseling that helps individuals or couples address and resolve sexual issues and concerns. It focuses on improving sexual function, communication, and intimacy, and often involves exploring both emotional and physical aspects of sexual health.
EMDR therapy, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a therapeutic approach designed to help individuals process and overcome traumatic memories through guided eye movements. This method aims to reduce the distress associated with traumatic experiences and promote healthier coping mechanisms and emotional healing.
Ketamine-assisted therapy involves the use of ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic, in conjunction with psychotherapy to treat mental health conditions like depression and PTSD. The therapy leverages the drug's rapid-acting effects to facilitate deeper emotional processing and enhance the therapeutic experience.
Trauma therapy is a specialized form of psychotherapy designed to help individuals process and heal from the psychological impact of traumatic experiences. The goal of trauma therapy is to create a safe and supportive environment where individuals can explore and make sense of their traumatic experiences, develop coping strategies, and gradually rebuild a sense of control and well-being. By addressing both the emotional and physiological effects of trauma, therapy aims to help individuals move towards recovery and a more resilient, fulfilling life.
