Vanessa

Dr Vanessa Velez

Psychiatrist

“I’m a board-certified psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and artist who specializes in helping young adults, college students and adult professionals struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma, ecological and spiritual distress find inner peace.”

About Me

I support young adults, college students, and professionals navigating depression, anxiety, and trauma. As a psychiatrist and artist, I offer a unique lens for exploring ecological and spiritual distress. My aim is to help you find inner peace. We create a calm, collaborative space where complex feelings can be understood. We can gently unpack challenges, fostering resilience and a deeper connection to your own well-being.

Approach

I orient sessions toward gentle curiosity, blending focused skill-building with creative reflection so intense feelings become more manageable. From my Culver City office I offer English and Spanish appointments and flexible virtual sessions, keeping our space calm and reliably paced. In-session we practice present-moment grounding, try small real-world experiments between meetings, and talk openly about symptom relief when needed, tracking shifts together and adjusting rhythm to what feels right. This way of working tends to fit people coping with burnout, climate grief, or unsettled questions of meaning.
Contact Vanessa

Ask a quick question or arrange a time to meet.

Basic Information

In-person & Online

Services

Services Offered:

  • Climate Grief Support

    Distress, anxiety, or mourning related to environmental destruction and climate change, sometimes called eco-anxiety or ecological grief.

  • Mindfulness

    The practice of paying deliberate attention to the present moment without judgement, used to reduce stress and increase awareness of automatic reactions.

    Learn more about Mindfulness
  • Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)

    A therapy combining mindfulness meditation with cognitive behavioural techniques, designed particularly to prevent relapse in depression.

    Learn more about Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
  • Psychiatry

    A branch of medicine specialising in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions, including the prescribing of medication.

    Learn more about Psychiatry
  • Psychopharmacology

    The science and clinical use of medications that affect mood, thinking, and behaviour. A specialist helps determine the right medication and dosage.

    Learn more about Psychopharmacology
  • Stress Management

    Techniques and strategies for managing the body and mind's response to excessive demands, including relaxation, cognitive restructuring, and lifestyle changes.

    Learn more about Stress Management
  • Online Therapy

    Therapy sessions conducted over video call, phone, or secure messaging, using the same professional methods delivered remotely.

    Learn more about Online Therapy
  • Personal Development

    The ongoing process of self-awareness, self-improvement, and reaching one's potential, pursued not because something is wrong but to live more fully.

Works With:

  • Adults

Area of Expertise

Scope of Practice:

  • Anxiety

    Persistent worry, nervousness, or fear that is disproportionate to the situation and interferes with daily functioning.

    Learn more about Anxiety
  • Body Image

    How a person perceives, thinks, and feels about their physical appearance. When persistently negative, it can drive distress, avoidance, and disordered eating.

    Learn more about Body Image
  • Mood Disorder

    A category of mental health conditions, including depression and bipolar disorder, in which a person's emotional state is significantly and persistently disrupted.

    Learn more about Mood Disorder
  • Self-Esteem

    A person's overall sense of their own worth and value. When chronically low, it can drive self-doubt, avoidance, and difficulty in relationships.

    Learn more about Self-Esteem
  • Stress / Burnout

    The body and mind's response to prolonged or excessive demands. When sustained, it can lead to emotional exhaustion, detachment, and reduced functioning (burnout).

    Learn more about Stress / Burnout
  • Spiritual or Faith-Based Counseling

    Counselling that integrates spiritual or religious beliefs into the therapeutic process for people who want faith to be part of their healing.

  • Trauma

    The lasting psychological impact of deeply distressing events, such as violence, abuse, accidents, or disasters, that overwhelm a person's ability to cope.

    Learn more about Trauma
  • Young Adult Issues

    The unique psychological challenges of emerging adulthood (18–25), including identity formation, independence, relationship navigation, and finding direction.

    Learn more about Young Adult Issues

Professional Title:

  • Psychiatrist

    A medical doctor specialising in mental health who can diagnose conditions, provide therapy, and prescribe medication.

Credentials

Registrations

California Medical Board

Qualifications

Cornell University

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine

Hackensack Meridian Health Ocean University Medical Center

Service Areas

Soul Psychiatry

In-person & Online

Culver City, California

United States