We were lucky to catch up with Lizeth Ma recently and have shared our conversation below.

Lizeth, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.

While in college, my mom faced some severe struggles that had her seeking mental health care. As a pre-med college student, I quickly realized navigating the system and seeking help was not only stigmatizing, it was demoralizing. All the clinics we went to were rundown, outdated, and not inviting at all. I knew I had to find the best help for my mom as me and my sister were helping take care of our youngest sibling. We wanted her to have the same mom we did and her depression impeded that. Shortly after navigating the mental health system, I changed my major to psychology. Upon graduation, I enrolled in graduate school and became a licensed clinician. My first job was with Kickstart, a clinic specializing in treating severe mental illnesses. It was the first place where I felt it was our mission to get our clients the best mental health treatment. My work there led to an invitation to join the PIER training institution, which is the model used at Kickstart. At the PIER training institute, I was the youngest faculty member and the youngest Spanish speaking female. Since 2015, I have been working with them. I travel across the United States connecting with social workers, therapists, counselors and psychiatrists, teaching them how to treat bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. I have also supervised up to 11 sites that use the model. Shortly after getting licensed, my dream was to create a practice where it would be easy to seek help and get the answers families and clients needed. I opened my first practice in La Jolla, California, in 2018 and another in Chula Vista in 2019. In 2022, we expanded to a larger space to help serve more individuals. People who come seeking services mention the office looks like a wellness clinic more than a therapy office and people love coming in. I have continued to stay in private practice to help individualize all treatments and make treatments unique and approachable. I screen all clients on my own and I continue to provide direct services. I like to call it concierge therapy, as my clients can reach me and not a voicemail system or an assistant. I want to bring back the human approach to treatment and end stigma with mental health care, one individual at a time. let’s talk about struggles and barriers. I come from a working class family and as a first generation college student navigating college, healthcare systems, and school for my younger sisters and recently, a new business was a steep learning curve. No one teaches you how to start a private practice and the amount of money and time it takes to get a business off the floor and up and running. I tell everyone around me that without the support of my husband and family I would never be here today. Best advice I can give someone that is considering starting a practice would be to save and trust your instincts and talk to mentors and people who have done it. Don’t try to re-invent the wheel.

Lizeth, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a passionate clinical therapist who loves working with children, women, couples and families going through challenging times. Are you and your child having trouble communicating? Are you and your spouse having trouble communicating? Do you see them going through a hard time, long to help, but don’t know how? Do you have Bipolar Disorder? I am here for you. Do you feel undone by anxiety or depression and don’t know how to “shake it off”? Please call today. My number one goal is to help with the most comfortable and holistic approach possible. It’s OK, not to be OK. Together we can get there, one step at a time. I provide a space to hear about what the client wants and help them get there. As an experienced therapist, I’m here to share my expertise in getting you to a relationship with more happiness, less conflict and better communication with loved ones and, most importantly, you. I’m DBT and TF-CBT trained and certified. Please visit www.piertraining.com.
I firmly believe that the client- therapist relationship is the number one intervention a clinician can provide. I am the only Spanish speaking female trainer on staff for the PIER training institute. I supervise 5 sites in California that have adopted the PIER Model as a treatment modality. I’m currently the Owner of LMapsychotherpy and co-owner of Inhale Exhale by Ma and Shammas Psychotherapy Group .

What makes be stand apart is my unique approach to mental health and the environment I try to create all my clients who come seek treatment

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I come from a working class family and as a first generation college student navigating college, healthcare systems, and school for my younger sisters and recently, a new business was a steep learning curve. No one teaches you how to start a private practice and the amount of money and time it takes to get a business off the floor and up and running. I tell everyone around me that without the support of my husband and family I would never be here today.

How’d you meet your business partner?

I co-owner of Inhale Exhale by Ma and Shammas Psychotherapy Group with my partner Sabrina Shammas. We met at kickstart-San Diego and we have shared client centered values from day one. Our mission: To promote mental health well-being and to develop and encourage others to grow at their pace and to meet everyone where they are at in life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/lizeth-v-ma-chula-vista-ca/394221
• Instagram: LMapsychotherapy_practice
• Facebook: LMapsychotherapy
• Other: Inhale exhale by Ma and Shammas Paychotherapy Group

Image Credits
Jaime Brant Photography