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Tonya brings a deep commitment to fostering healing and resilience in her clients. She holds a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Counseling from San Francisco State University. From the very start of her career, Tonya has focused on addressing complex mental health issues and has a long-standing dedication to supporting underserved communities.
Early in her career, Tonya worked extensively with at-risk adolescents and foster youth in Level 14 group homes, witnessing firsthand the profound impact of trauma on young people. This experience deepened her understanding of how trauma shapes development and affects learning. She went on to work in a crisis residential facility, providing critical support to adults on the brink of psychiatric hospitalization. This role developed her expertise in working with severe mental health concerns, including major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD, personality disorders, and dual diagnoses.
As she progressed through her graduate studies, Tonya served communities impacted by violence, generational trauma, and systemic marginalization. In South Los Angeles, she worked with adolescents and adults in a community mental health clinic, where she gained a nuanced understanding of how environmental factors can affect not only treatment outcomes but also a person’s capacity to thrive. This experience reinforced her belief in addressing mental health from a holistic, trauma-informed perspective.
Tonya then transitioned into substance use recovery work, finding it a transformative journey as clients rebuilt their lives by healing from past wounds. She observed the powerful change that occurs when individuals are supported in reshaping their outlook and adopting healthier ways of coping. Tonya later worked within educational settings, providing counseling to adolescents in traditional high schools and juvenile detention centers. She developed a unique ability to connect with youth, helping them navigate challenges like Oppositional Defiant Disorder, complex trauma, and substance use. Tonya’s experience as an academic counselor has further equipped her to guide students through educational pressures and pathways to higher education, offering a well-rounded support system.
In recent years, Tonya’s practice has expanded into maternal mental health, where she is passionate about supporting mothers through the complexities of pregnancy, infertility, pregnancy loss, high-risk pregnancy, and postpartum challenges. She provides compassionate care for women navigating depression, anxiety, life transitions, and ongoing medical concerns during this vulnerable time. Tonya believes in empowering mothers to prioritize their mental and emotional well-being as they adapt to these new roles and identities.
Tonya’s dedication to self-growth led her to complete a 200-hour yoga teacher training in 2017, and she has since taught yoga at Radiant Hot Yoga in Newport Beach. She is trained in Trauma-Informed Yoga and mindfulness techniques, recognizing the powerful role that body-based practices can play in processing trauma, fostering self-awareness, and grounding clients in the present.
In her therapeutic approach, Tonya is highly adaptable and places emphasis on meeting each client where they are in their journey. She draws from evidence-based practices with a strong focus on trauma-informed care. Her primary methods include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients reshape unhelpful thinking patterns, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) to support emotional regulation, and Brainspotting and mindfulness practices to deepen body awareness. As a holistic practitioner, she combines these modalities thoughtfully, creating a safe and affirming environment where clients feel understood and valued. Tonya’s authentic, human-centered approach allows her to truly attune to her clients, making space for connection, growth, and healing.
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Tonya is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, License No. 112043, in the State of California. Contact Tonya: Via email at ttorres@mindgardencounseling.com – Via telephone at 949.386.0073