Together we're stronger · since 2023
Therapy that meets
you where you are.
A California telehealth practice led by LMFT Christina Mathieson — specializing in couples, sex therapy, trauma recovery, and the kind of care that actually moves the needle.
What we believe
Healing isn't a performance. It's a conversation — at your pace, in your language, with someone who's trained to listen for what you don't know how to say yet.
Our guiding values
Three principles that shape how we work.
Introspection
Self-reflection as a catalyst for growth. We meet your thoughts, emotions, and experiences with curiosity rather than judgment.
Transparency
Trust and authenticity are the foundation of our work. We name what we see, and we expect the same in return.
Respect
Every client's journey is unique, and we honor that. Your story, values, and perspectives matter here.
The team
Four therapists.
One standard of care.
Christina Mathieson
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) #115093
Sex Therapy · Couples Therapy · ADHD and Neurodiversity-Affirming
Michelle Cortez
Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) #146795
Supervised by Christina Mathieson, LMFT #115093
Couples Therapy · EFT-informed couples work · Attachment Work
Jalyse Stewart
Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) #153712
Supervised by Christina Mathieson, LMFT #115093
EMDR · Trauma Therapy · Women's Therapy
Tina Masoudi
Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) #155851
Registered Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC) #19568
Supervised by Christina Mathieson, LMFT #115093
Grief · Anxiety · Trauma Therapy
Press
Cited as an expert.
Our team has been quoted in national publications and credited on public-radio programs covering sex therapy, desire, and relational health. Hover to pause.
Men's Health
“When something is coded as sexually relevant the brain hits the accelerator for sexual response.”
Christina Mathieson, LMFT
Quoted as expert source on responsive desire and the brake/accelerator model · Updated 2022-12-28
Embodied (WUNC / NPR)
Sex Therapy: Beyond The Physical
Christina Mathieson, LMFT
Credited expert source · 2022-05-06
Men's Health
“When something is coded as sexually relevant the brain hits the accelerator for sexual response.”
Christina Mathieson, LMFT
Quoted as expert source on responsive desire and the brake/accelerator model · Updated 2022-12-28
Embodied (WUNC / NPR)
Sex Therapy: Beyond The Physical
Christina Mathieson, LMFT
Credited expert source · 2022-05-06
Men's Health
“When something is coded as sexually relevant the brain hits the accelerator for sexual response.”
Christina Mathieson, LMFT
Quoted as expert source on responsive desire and the brake/accelerator model · Updated 2022-12-28
Embodied (WUNC / NPR)
Sex Therapy: Beyond The Physical
Christina Mathieson, LMFT
Credited expert source · 2022-05-06
Men's Health
“When something is coded as sexually relevant the brain hits the accelerator for sexual response.”
Christina Mathieson, LMFT
Quoted as expert source on responsive desire and the brake/accelerator model · Updated 2022-12-28
Embodied (WUNC / NPR)
Sex Therapy: Beyond The Physical
Christina Mathieson, LMFT
Credited expert source · 2022-05-06
What we work on
Specialties
Couples Therapy
For partners stuck in the same argument, rebuilding trust after rupture, or relearning how to be close. Gottman-informed, EFT, and sex therapy woven together.
Learn moreSex Therapy
A shame-free space to work on desire, pleasure, pain, or disconnect — whether the question is 'what happened to us?' or 'what's happening to me?'
Learn moreTrauma Therapy
Process what the nervous system has been holding. EMDR, somatic practices, IFS — the work of helping your body catch up to the present.
Learn moreADHD and Neurodiversity-Affirming
Therapy for ADHD and adjacent neurodivergent patterns — executive function, emotional regulation, late diagnosis, and relationships shaped by a brain that works differently.
Learn moreIndividual Therapy
Anxiety, depression, identity, life transitions — one-on-one work at the pace you need, with practical tools and deeper insight.
Learn moreLGBTQ+ Affirmative
Identity-aware, affirming support for LGBTQIA+ clients and couples — including non-monogamous and kink-affirming work. No teaching required.
Learn moreWhat other clinicians say
Endorsed by colleagues.
California regulations prohibit therapy practices from publishing client testimonials. The endorsements below come from fellow clinicians and professional colleagues who know our team's work directly. Hover to pause.
“I highly recommend My Mental Climb and their team of dedicated therapists. As a colleague, I've had the opportunity to meet their clinicians, and I'm truly impressed by their knowledge, skill, and compassionate approach. They create a welcoming and supportive environment where individuals and couples can feel heard and empowered. Their evidence-based methods and personalized care align perfectly with their mission to help clients achieve emotional well-being and personal growth.”
“I know Jalyse professionally, and she's one of the warmest, most grounded therapists I've met. She has a gifted way of supporting people through trauma and uses EMDR with so much care and skill. Anyone looking for a compassionate, trauma-informed therapist would be lucky to work with her.”
Marissa Kuhl
About Jalyse Stewart, AMFT #153712 (supervised by Christina Mathieson, LMFT #115093)
“Having experience working with Christina, I can confidently say that she is an excellent, competent therapist who has spent extensive time training and developing her skills using a holistic lens. Personally and professionally, she is an approachable and warm person who makes a great effort to invest in anyone she works alongside.”
“I highly recommend My Mental Climb and their team of dedicated therapists. As a colleague, I've had the opportunity to meet their clinicians, and I'm truly impressed by their knowledge, skill, and compassionate approach. They create a welcoming and supportive environment where individuals and couples can feel heard and empowered. Their evidence-based methods and personalized care align perfectly with their mission to help clients achieve emotional well-being and personal growth.”
“I know Jalyse professionally, and she's one of the warmest, most grounded therapists I've met. She has a gifted way of supporting people through trauma and uses EMDR with so much care and skill. Anyone looking for a compassionate, trauma-informed therapist would be lucky to work with her.”
Marissa Kuhl
About Jalyse Stewart, AMFT #153712 (supervised by Christina Mathieson, LMFT #115093)
“Having experience working with Christina, I can confidently say that she is an excellent, competent therapist who has spent extensive time training and developing her skills using a holistic lens. Personally and professionally, she is an approachable and warm person who makes a great effort to invest in anyone she works alongside.”
“I highly recommend My Mental Climb and their team of dedicated therapists. As a colleague, I've had the opportunity to meet their clinicians, and I'm truly impressed by their knowledge, skill, and compassionate approach. They create a welcoming and supportive environment where individuals and couples can feel heard and empowered. Their evidence-based methods and personalized care align perfectly with their mission to help clients achieve emotional well-being and personal growth.”
“I know Jalyse professionally, and she's one of the warmest, most grounded therapists I've met. She has a gifted way of supporting people through trauma and uses EMDR with so much care and skill. Anyone looking for a compassionate, trauma-informed therapist would be lucky to work with her.”
Marissa Kuhl
About Jalyse Stewart, AMFT #153712 (supervised by Christina Mathieson, LMFT #115093)
“Having experience working with Christina, I can confidently say that she is an excellent, competent therapist who has spent extensive time training and developing her skills using a holistic lens. Personally and professionally, she is an approachable and warm person who makes a great effort to invest in anyone she works alongside.”
“I highly recommend My Mental Climb and their team of dedicated therapists. As a colleague, I've had the opportunity to meet their clinicians, and I'm truly impressed by their knowledge, skill, and compassionate approach. They create a welcoming and supportive environment where individuals and couples can feel heard and empowered. Their evidence-based methods and personalized care align perfectly with their mission to help clients achieve emotional well-being and personal growth.”
“I know Jalyse professionally, and she's one of the warmest, most grounded therapists I've met. She has a gifted way of supporting people through trauma and uses EMDR with so much care and skill. Anyone looking for a compassionate, trauma-informed therapist would be lucky to work with her.”
Marissa Kuhl
About Jalyse Stewart, AMFT #153712 (supervised by Christina Mathieson, LMFT #115093)
“Having experience working with Christina, I can confidently say that she is an excellent, competent therapist who has spent extensive time training and developing her skills using a holistic lens. Personally and professionally, she is an approachable and warm person who makes a great effort to invest in anyone she works alongside.”
Free monthly workshops
Couples & individuals.
Online. Open to anyone.
Practical, research-grounded 60-minute Zoom sessions led by our clinicians — conflict, trauma responses, attachment, connection rituals. Free to attend.
Your first session
What actually happens, step by step.
- 01
Book a free 15-min call
We’ll talk briefly about what’s bringing you in and help you pick the right therapist. No intake forms yet.
- 02
Your first real session
Within a week. Your therapist will ask about context and goals — you don’t need to know what to say. Most people cry a little or not at all. Both are fine.
- 03
Then, the work
Weekly or biweekly, 50-minute sessions — secure video, or in-person in Walnut Creek with Tina. You’ll know within a few sessions if it’s working.
Cost & insurance
Private pay with sliding scale available. In-network with Lyra. For other insurance, we partner with Mentaya to handle out-of-network reimbursement paperwork on your behalf. Superbills on request. Current fees confirmed on your consult call.
Recent writing
Notes from the work.
How to Set Boundaries in Relationships Without Turning Them Into Ultimatums
What therapists actually mean by a boundary, the most common mistake that turns boundary-setting into a power struggle, and what makes the work go sideways or land cleanly in real relationships.
ReadRejection Sensitivity in ADHD Relationships: What's Actually Happening and How to Work With It
Rejection-sensitive dysphoria in ADHD doesn't run as a solo problem; it runs as a couples-system pattern. Here's what the cycle looks like from both sides, and what actually helps in the room.
ReadWhat Ted Lasso and Shrinking Got Right About Therapy
Two prestige TV shows have done more for the cultural normalization of therapy than a decade of public-health campaigns. A clinician's read on what Ted Lasso and Shrinking actually got right, where they take artistic license, and why the visibility matters.
ReadRecommended reads
Books, podcasts, and videos we reference.
Curated by topic: relationships, sex therapy, trauma, anxiety, and more. The body of work our practice operates from.
Good questions
What most people
ask first.
Do you take insurance?+
Yes — we're in-network with Lyra, and for any other insurance plan we partner with Mentaya to help you get reimbursed using your out-of-network benefits. Mentaya handles the paperwork for a 5% fee per claim. We also accept self-pay (credit, debit, HSA/FSA) and provide superbills on request.
How much does a session cost?+
Sessions are private-pay with fees that vary by therapist and session type — we confirm current rates on your free 15-minute consult and offer sliding-scale options for clients who need financial support. We also provide a written Good Faith Estimate before your first paid session, as required by the federal No Surprises Act.
What if my partner won't come to therapy?+
You can absolutely work on your relationship in individual therapy. Many clients start there — learning to shift their own patterns, communicate more clearly, and set boundaries — and often their partner joins later when they see the change. Christina specializes in individual relationship work.
Is everything online?+
Most sessions are telehealth — secure video across California, seven days a week with flexible evening and weekend availability — with in-person sessions available by request or clinical recommendation at our Walnut Creek location with one clinician, Tina Masoudi.
What happens in a free 15-minute consultation?+
We'll ask what brings you to therapy, answer your questions, and help you figure out if we're the right fit. No pressure — if we're not the right match, we'll point you toward someone who is. Book online and we'll follow up to confirm.
What's the difference between your therapists?+
Each of our four therapists brings a different clinical focus: Christina (LMFT) specializes in sex therapy, couples work, and ADHD; Jalyse (AMFT) focuses on trauma and EMDR, particularly with women healing from childhood sexual abuse; Michelle (AMFT) works with anxiety, cultural identity, and relationships; Tina (AMFT/APCC) offers integrative trauma work with optional Christian counseling.
Start the conversation
A 15-minute call.
No pressure.
Free consultation. We'll talk about what you're working on, answer any questions, and help you figure out if we're the right fit — or point you somewhere better if we're not.
Book Your Free Consult