Alexis DeFendis

Alexis DeFendis is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who believes healing happens through genuine connection, curiosity, and feeling deeply understood. Before entering the counseling profession, she spent years in biotech and neuroscience research. She eventually realized that what fulfilled her most wasn't analyzing data, but understanding people and their experience in the world. Becoming a therapist became more than a career change; it became part of her own journey of healing and discovering her purpose. This gives her a unique perspective as a clinician who understands what it feels like to question one's identity and direction. Alexis holds a B.A. from the University of Southern California and an M.A. in Clinical Psychology, with a concentration in Marriage and Family Therapy, from Pepperdine University.

Alexis works with children, adults, and couples facing anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship concerns, life transitions, stress, and burnout. Her approach is warm, collaborative, and grounded in evidence-based practices, including CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and systems-based interventions. She is strengths-based and client-centered, believing therapy isn't about "fixing" who you are, but about helping you understand yourself more deeply to build an authentic and fulfilling life.