About DBT Center of the South Bay, Torrance CA

About Us

Our Mission DBT Center of the South Bay is a private group practice of trained Dialectical Behavior Therapists. Our goal is to guide those whose lives are marked by intense emotional suffering toward a life worth living by using evidence-based treatments. We recognize that when life is full of pain, people’s attempts to cope can lead to even worse consequences. DBT helps people find more effective ways to deal with life’s stressors and reduce their own suffering. We strive to find a balance between warm validation and a steadfast focus on changing the behaviors that create problems in clients’ lives.

Kari Barker, M.S., LMFT 39947

DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, Certified Clinician™

Certified DBT Clinician Kari Barker, LMFT is a DBT-Linehan Board Certification, Certified Clinician™. She is the founder and Director of the DBT Center of the South Bay. Kari is a Licensed Marriage and Family therapist who has been working with adults, adolescences, couples, families, and groups for more than 19 years.

Her experience includes working on a specialty program in an in-patient hospital setting, in a school-based setting, a non-profit outpatient community counseling center, and in private practice. Kari is an intensively trained DBT therapist, has had advanced intensive DBT training along with advanced DBT training in treating trauma with Prolonged Exposure therapy by Melanie Harned, PhD, DBT PE Treatment Developer. She has also completed training for the DBT-ACES program with the creator of DBT-ACES, Kate Comtois, Ph.D., MPH. Kari has participated in a 5-day silent mindfulness retreat with Zen Master (Roshi), Marsha Linehan and continues to maintain a daily Mindfulness practice. Kari also has experience and extensive training in working with trauma survivors and dissociation. In addition to providing individual therapy, family therapy, and DBT skills training, Kari offers training, supervision, and consultation to mental health professionals. She has been an invited presenter at local professional organizations, local colleges, and was on a panel of speakers for the California Association of Marriage & Family Therapists Annual Conference to discuss her experiences with DBT-LA Network, a consortium of DBT private practitioners, in “DBT in Private Practice: Lessons Learned.” Kari is passionate about DBT and her clients. She approaches treatment with a focus on validating the client’s strengths and helping them to fulfill their potential and to create a life worth living.

MAYA SUTTA-GOMEZ, M.S.W.

Registered Associate Clinical Social Worker ASW 95261

Supervised by Dr. Carol Seixas, PSYD., OTR/L., LCSW 21390

Maya Sutta-Gomez is an Associate Clinical Social Worker under the supervision of Dr. Carol Seixas, PSYD., OTR/L., LCSW. Maya is passionate about helping children, adolescents, adults, and families create a life worth living. Maya attended California State University at Long Beach where she earned her master’s degree in Social Work with a concentration in Integrated Health. Her most recent work has been at the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center where she provided psychotherapy for veterans who had experienced sexual trauma, post-traumatic stress, substance dependence, depression, and eating disorders. Maya has co-led DBT groups for veteran women with co-occurring disorders and Early Recovery and Relapse Prevention groups in which she utilized the matrix method at the VA Substance Use Disorder Clinic. Maya is a Grief Recovery Specialist and has worked with adults and children receiving services at Our House Grief Support Center and in other outpatient settings. She received training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Prolonged Exposure (PE). Maya enjoyed the process of writing her thesis, the subject of which was “Post-Traumatic Growth” (on resilience). This research inspired her belief in empowerment through crisis and survival. In many instances, it has been shown that a person who survives a traumatic experience can also, as a result of awareness of techniques, skills, and of self-discovery, live a more fulfilling life than he or she did pre-trauma. Maya believes in creating a safe, honest, and nonjudgmental environment to help her clients see that they are doing the best they can at any given moment, while acknowledging that certain things need to change. “Struggle can be our greatest call to courage and the clearest path to a wholehearted life.” – Brené Brown.

DR. CAROL SEIXAS, PSYD., OTR/L., LCSW 21390

Dr. Carol Seixas is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Occupational Therapist with over 35 years of experience working in the mental health field. She studied and researched the area of attachment theory and the vulnerability to the experience of chronic pain while completing her doctoral program. She has worked in a variety of settings including inpatient psychiatric hospitals (serving geriatric, adult, adolescents and children), for County Mental Health in a women’s jail, for the homeless mentally vulnerable population, and for the last 17 years in private practice. She was first introduced to DBT training in 2000. She has had advanced intensive DBT training and is in the Linehan Board Certified process of becoming certified as a DBT clinician. She has been trained in prolonged exposure with Melanie Harned, PhD, DBT PE Treatment Developer and is currently receiving consultation/supervision with Sheri Manning PhD, author of Loving Someone with Borderline Personality Disorder and owner of Treatment Implementation Collaborative DBT treatment in Hilton Head, South Carolina. Carol is dedicated to helping others discover their ability to make meaningful changing in their lives using tried and true evidence-based practices. It has been established that Carol can find the “good” in people and help empower them to reach their goals established in treatment.

BRITTANY MULLAN, M.A.

Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist AMFT 129756

Supervised by Kari Barker, M.S., LMFT 39947

Brittany Mullan is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist under the supervision of Kari Barker, M.S., LMFT 3994. Brittany graduated from California Institute of Integral Studies with a degree in Integral Counseling Psychology. At this graduate program, Brittany learned the importance of bringing together contemplative practices, in both a secular and spiritual context, with cognitive behavioral techniques to create real and lasting change. Brittany completed her internship at an Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) outpatient program. At this program, Brittany provided psychotherapy with individuals who experienced homelessness, trauma, co-occurring disorders, and institutionalization. In addition to individual psychotherapy, she was a facilitator for groups such as self-compassion, DBT, Seeking Safety, and CBT.

Brittany first learned of DBT at her job as a Rehabilitation Therapist at an inpatient facility; where she co-led DBT groups. During her time there, Brittany also led groups on Mindfulness, Stress Reduction, and Handling Emotions. Throughout her career, Brittany has experience working with people who struggle with personality disorders, mood disorders, trauma, and substance use. Brittany has a passion and connection to mental health as a result of her own personal experiences. Brittany believes that everybody has the right to access mental health care. She also has faith that human beings have innate goodness and inner wisdom, and that we work together to reveal this to ourselves.

SAMANTHA REITZ, M.S. (She/her)

Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist AMFT 133699

Supervised by Kari Barker, M.S., LMFT 39947

Samantha earned her Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Clinical Psychology from San Jose State University and holds both a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Psychological Brain Sciences and Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Sociology from the University of California Santa Barbara.

Her learning at San Jose State emphasized a scientific understanding and case formulation of psychopathology, known as an evidence-based practice approach to psychotherapy. While ensuring adherence to these evidence-based practices, Samantha also uses a culturally competent lens which ensures that treatment is individualized to each person or family.

Samantha completed her internship with Gardner Health Services, a school-based program. Within this program Samantha provided individual, family, and parent therapy to diverse populations, ranging from children with behavioral disorders, to teens with trauma and mood disorders. She also co-facilitated stress management and social skills groups. She has received training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). Samantha also worked with teens who were navigating foster care and the juvenile justice systems.

Samantha first began using a DBT approach with her clients who were displaying suicidal and other self-destructive behaviors. After witnessing the positive change made by clients using this approach, Samantha became passionate about applying DBT in a more comprehensive manner, which is what led her to her work at DBT Center of the South Bay.

At the core of all services that Samantha provides is compassion, non-judgmental, consistent collaboration, as well as the belief that we are all doing the best we can AND we can do better.