My work emphasizes diversity, equity, & inclusion.

I welcome all humans to engage in therapy with me. I do not discriminate based on any individual factors. I am committed to constantly learning about differences and how to best honor and respect them.

I welcome feedback and discussions surrounding my biases (unconscious or conscious) and how to minimize its impact on others.

What really matters in therapy is how we interact with one another and whether you feel

like our styles mesh well together. We can begin to get a feel for this in our initial consultation and over our sessions together. With that said, it is only human to want to know more about the person with whom you decide to talk about your intimate life issues. Here is some information about me to help guide you on your quest to find a psychologist who may be best for you and your needs at this time in your life. I grew up in Michigan and part of my heart is there, fondly remembering snow days and the amazing Great Lakes. In high school, I began experiencing pain symptoms in my joints that eventually were diagnosed as an auto-immune disease. It completely changed my daily routines and activities—in particular, it ended my competitive swimming and high impact sports. It continues to be a journey of ups and downs, with intense pain and brief remissions, and ultimately a lesson in flexibility and managing expectations. It also helped me decide to become a doctor. Although I first thought it would be a medical doctor, I soon realized it was the relationship with each person that I found most rewarding.

I merged medical health with mental health and earned my Masters of Science (M.S.) in Health Psychology and my Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Clinical Psychology. I received these degrees from California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP) in San Diego. It is now called Alliant International University after combining with another university. I graduated in 2006, completed a post-doctoral fellowship, and earned my license in 2008. I have worked in a variety of settings, including outpatient programs for domestic violence survivors, court-ordered anger management treatment groups, and long-term care for chronic mental illness. My passion for health promotion and healthcare led me to work at a hospital-based chronic pain rehabilitation clinic, a pediatric oncology and hematology unit, and then creating an Outpatient Health Psychology Service.

For 14 years I worked at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego with Active Duty Military who were dealing with medical conditions (Parkinson’s Disease, Cancer, Lupus, Diabetes), Chronic Pain (Neuropathic, Arthritic, Vascular, and Myofacial), and physical symptoms not well explained by medicine (stress symptoms, Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). Depressive and anxious symptoms, sleep issues, and past difficult life events were addressed as well. I led groups, met individually, included partners and friends regarding the needs of a client, and consulted with and educated medical colleagues while supervising pre-doctoral interns as a Faculty Member. I earned the Faculty of the Year award in 2019 and Master Clinician title in 2020.

I decided to leave the world of managed healthcare for lots of reasons, many of which you have undoubtably dealt with yourself with much frustration and disbelief. I continue to provide psychotherapy with a mix of seriousness and humor—we must laugh at ourselves and some circumstances, or life can become too serious and negative. I’ve realized that many people act differently depending on the setting. Over time, patients, peers, and colleagues have described me as “down-to-earth” and “genuine”. They’ve seen me act essentially the same whether in the therapy office or hanging with friends—I’m not here to analyze your every word; I’m present and a consistent listening ear. The only difference, is when people seek therapy, I come with research-backed interventions to aid with life’s challenges.

I will not simply let you talk, rather the work requires curiosity and increasing self-awareness, openness to trying new (and old) ideas, and being willing to be vulnerable. While I will follow your lead, I will also challenge you to meet your goals. My training and life experiences have led me to be an understanding and compassionate psychologist. I am excited to see how our work together can transform your experiences.

Genelle Weits García, PhD

Licensed Clinical Health Psychologist