Hi, I’m Mimi
I'm Mimi Olavarrieta, a Marriage and Family Therapist providing psychotherapy for adolescents, adults, couples, and families throughout California.
I believe therapy works best when you feel genuinely seen, heard, and understood. My goal is to create a warm, supportive, and nonjudgmental space where you can show up exactly as you are—without pressure to have everything figured out before you begin.
Whether you're navigating anxiety, relationship challenges, life transitions, grief, trauma, emotional overwhelm, or simply looking for a space to better understand yourself, therapy can offer an opportunity to slow down, reflect, and move through life's challenges with greater clarity, self-compassion, and connection.
I hold a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Integral Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), where I developed a deep appreciation for relational, humanistic, and holistic approaches to healing.
At the heart of my work is a simple belief: you do not need to be fixed. Many of the struggles we experience are part of being human. Therapy can provide a space to better understand those experiences and develop a more compassionate relationship with yourself along the way.
A Grounded, Relational Approach to Therapy
I believe meaningful change happens through connection, self-understanding, and the experience of being fully seen.
In therapy, we can slow down together and make space for what feels confusing, overwhelming, painful, or difficult to name. Many clients come to therapy feeling stuck, disconnected, emotionally exhausted, or unsure how to move forward. Some feel frustrated that things are not changing despite their efforts, while others may simply know something feels off.
Rather than pathologizing difficult emotions, I help clients understand them as meaningful and deeply human responses to life, relationships, and past experiences. Anxiety, grief, anger, uncertainty, emotional overwhelm, and disconnection are not signs that something is inherently wrong with you. They are experiences we can approach with curiosity, care, and compassion.
I strive to meet clients where they are rather than where they think they "should" be. I view therapy as a collaborative process built on trust, curiosity, and authenticity.
Rather than approaching therapy as a place to fix what is wrong, I help clients explore their experiences with compassion and greater understanding. Together, we may look at how past experiences, attachment patterns, family dynamics, relationships, and internal beliefs continue to shape the present.
While deeper reflection and insight are important parts of therapy, I also believe in practical support. Therapy can be a place to build coping skills, strengthen communication, establish healthier boundaries, navigate life transitions, and work toward meaningful goals in a way that feels realistic and sustainable rather than rooted in pressure or perfectionism.
My hope is that clients leave therapy not feeling "fixed," but feeling more connected to themselves, their relationships, and their capacity to navigate life's challenges with greater confidence and self-compassion.
My work integrates relational, psychodynamic, humanistic, and holistic perspectives. I pay attention to the connection between mind, body, relationships, past experiences, present challenges, and a deeper sense of self. Rather than viewing emotions or symptoms in isolation, I approach therapy as a whole-person process, helping clients understand how their inner world, relationships, and lived experiences are connected.
What You Can Expect
A pace that feels supportive
Therapy with me moves at a pace that feels steady rather than overwhelming. There is no pressure to have the right words, a clear goal, or a neatly defined problem before beginning.
Space for honesty and self-understanding
Sessions offer room to explore emotions, patterns, relationships, identity, and past experiences with curiosity. My goal is to help clients build awareness without shame, self-criticism, or the belief that they need to become someone else in order to be worthy of support.
Support for both insight and daily life
While therapy may include deeper exploration, I also support clients in developing tools for emotional regulation, communication, coping, boundaries, and navigating everyday challenges. The goal is not only to understand difficult emotions, but to help them feel less overwhelming and more manageable.
A relational and inclusive process
Whether I am working with individuals, couples, teens, or families, I place strong emphasis on creating a space where each person feels respected, included, and able to show up authentically.
With couples and families, I focus on helping each person feel genuinely heard and valued. Together, we can work toward more open communication, mutual understanding, and stronger connection, especially when people feel caught in repetitive cycles of conflict, reactivity, or disconnection.
Beyond the Therapy Room
Outside of the therapy room, I deeply value creativity, curiosity, movement, and connection. I love spending time in nature, practicing yoga, reading, and finding moments of slowness and grounding in everyday life.
Before becoming a therapist, I studied art history and worked in art galleries. Those experiences continue to shape how I see the world. I have always been drawn to observing patterns, meaning, and the beauty that can exist within ordinary, complex, or difficult moments.
I also have a deep appreciation for logic, problem-solving, and breaking things down into manageable pieces. I love puzzles, strategy games, and the clarity that can come from approaching something overwhelming one step at a time. This part of me naturally informs my work with clients, especially when therapy includes goal-setting, personal growth, or creating realistic plans for change.
While therapy can involve difficult emotions and meaningful exploration, I also believe there is room for humor, warmth, authenticity, and moments of ease. These parts of who I am shape the way I show up as a therapist: balancing curiosity with insight, depth with practicality, and reflection with meaningful change.
Begin with a Conversation
You do not need to have everything figured out before reaching out. If you are curious about working together, a free consultation is a simple place to begin.