Welcome! My name is Bessy Holdren, I am a Bilingual (Spanish/English) Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) at The Vine Counseling and Psychological Services, supervised by Dr. Christine Duong-Perez.

I am a proud Veteran, having served 10 years in the United States Air Force both stateside and overseas. While on Active Duty, I also became involved with advocating for victims/survivors of sexual abuse and domestic violence through the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline and the University of Iowa Rape Victim Advocacy Program. This passion to serve people led me to exit the military with an honorable discharge and pursue a career as a Marriage and Family Therapist. I obtained my Master of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy through Azusa Pacific University. I also have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. I completed my clinical training at Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital in San Diego, where I specialized in working with adults and older adults with mood and thought disorders.

I see clients of all ages, including children, Transitional Aged Youth (TAY), adults, older adults, and LGBTQ+ individuals in both individual and group settings. I also provide counseling to couples and families. I have spent a lot of time working in non-profit organizations throughout San Diego providing services to under-served populations, asylum seekers, and refugees. I have experience in a wide range of psychiatric disorders, to include Thought Disorders, Mood Disorders, Eating Disorders, Substance Use Disorders, and Trauma-related Disorders. I use evidence-based practices, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma Focused-CBT, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Solution Focused, Motivational Interviewing, and Mindfulness to work alongside clients in order to achieve their goals in therapy. As a bilingual therapist, I strive to communicate with my clients and their families in their preferred language in order to meet their clinical needs. I am also trained in Spiritual Formation and can integrate your faith/spirituality as part of your therapy.

I whole-heartedly believe in the client-therapist relationship, which is why it is my priority to provide you with a safe, empathetic, non-judgmental environment that fosters growth and healing. Serving you as a therapist is not simply a job for me, but rather my calling and a passion. For me, therapy is a sacred space and I am so excited that you have decided to embark on this journey. I look forward to meeting you and navigating this journey alongside you!

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you.. – Isaiah 43:2

Bessy Holdren may be contacted at (951) 231-1667 ext. 4 or by email through our contact form.