Tara A. Hernandez, MA., LMFT

My dream of entering the world of Mental Health began at an early age, High School to be exact, I felt the calling to make my dream of helping others become a reality. After graduating high school, I began my journey of completing my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from California State University, Long Beach. Upon completion of my BA, I decided to continue my education to further my passion and career by pursing a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology with an Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy at Azusa Pacific University. As a mental health professional, I have had the remarkable opportunity over the last ten years to work with diverse populations and a wide range of client’s which include infants, children, adolescents, adults, couples and families. I have also worked with at-risk youth/adolescents with high level needs and provided court ordered assessments for children age 0-18 years. Working with this array of clientele, I have been afforded the opportunity to learn multiple skills in order to provide the appropriate type of services. I continuously work at furthering my knowledge by attending workshops, trainings and completing continuing education units to ensure my client’s receive the best possible treatment. I also work with Victims of Crime, have attended workshops related to grief work and hold a certificate for Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT) and Domestic Violence. My education and work experience has also contributed to my competency as a mental health therapist. However, I also attribute the success that I have had with my client’s to my life experience as a wife, step-mother to an adult son and mother of two daughters, ages 13 and 11. I encounter daily struggles and stresses as everyone does which allows me the opportunity to connect to my client’s on a deeper level.