Couples Therapy in Costa Mesa, CA | Marriage & Relationship Counseling
I provide emotionally focused, culturally rooted therapy in Costa Mesa, CA for first-generation Latinas and multicultural couples who feel emotionally disconnected but still deeply invested in love. My work supports individuals and partners navigating attachment wounds, generational expectations, resentment, and the quiet exhaustion of always being the strong one in the relationship. In Costa Mesa, where independence and creativity are often part of the culture, I offer a space where you do not have to perform confidence while feeling unseen underneath.
For years, I've worked with clients across Orange County, including those living near The Camp, The Lab, South Coast Plaza, and neighborhoods along Harbor Boulevard and 17th Street. Costa Mesa carries a different energy than surrounding cities. It is creative, expressive, and fast-paced, yet many first-generation professionals here are balancing ambition with cultural loyalty. You may move between corporate spaces near South Coast Metro and artistic communities downtown, holding multiple identities at once. That duality can make relational tension feel even more complex.
Individuals and couples in Costa Mesa often reach out when arguments feel circular and emotional closeness feels inconsistent. They are not looking for surface-level communication tools. They want to understand why certain conversations trigger shutdown or defensiveness. They choose this work because it honors both cultural identity and emotional depth, helping connection feel secure rather than fragile.
How it works
Step 1
A thorough intake session where we explore your relationship history, cultural backgrounds, and current struggles so we can understand the deeper patterns behind the disconnection.
Step 2
Emotionally focused sessions to help you with clarity, begin repairing trust, and rebuild emotional safety.
Step 3
Ongoing, guided sessions with personalized homework, where we break unhelpful cycles, strengthen connection, and practice healthier ways of relating so your relationship feels more like a true partnership.
Explore my therapy services and specializations
Between work, social plans, creative energy, traffic by the 55, and weekends around South Coast Plaza or The LAB, it can be easy to stay busy while the relationship quietly drifts. You may be functioning well in public but feeling disconnected behind closed doors.
A local couple therapy space can help lower the emotional noise. Clients often begin to feel more understood, less reactive, and more able to talk about hard things without turning every conversation into proof that something is wrong.
Sessions often explore communication, trust, intimacy, emotional distance, conflict, and the pressure of keeping up with a fast-moving lifestyle. The goal is to help the relationship feel more honest, safe, and sustainable, not perfect.
Individual Therapy
Between work, creative energy, social plans, traffic by the 55, and weekends around South Coast Plaza or The LAB, it can be easy to stay busy enough to avoid what hurts. You may look independent and capable, but still feel anxious, guilty, or unsure where your own voice went.
Clients often feel relief when they stop having to perform strength and start making space for what is true. A local individual therapy space can support more self-trust, clearer boundaries, and a softer relationship with the parts of you that feel overwhelmed.
Sessions tend to explore relationship patterns, self-doubt, emotional burnout, family pressure, dating, identity, and the fear of disappointing people you love. The goal is to help you feel more grounded in your life, not just busy inside it.
Anxiety Therapy
Between work, creative energy, social plans, traffic by the 55, and weekends around South Coast Plaza or The LAB, it can be easy to stay busy enough that anxiety looks like momentum. Inside, you may feel wired, distracted, self-critical, or unable to relax even when you finally have time.
Clients often feel relief when they stop treating anxiety like something they have to outwork. A local anxiety therapy space can help you feel more emotionally steady, clearer in your choices, and less trapped by constant urgency.
Sessions tend to explore overthinking, perfectionism, burnout, relationships, identity, sleep struggles, and the pressure to keep up. The goal is to help you feel more present in your life, not just busy inside it.
Premarital Counseling
Between wedding details, work, creative energy, social plans, traffic by the 55, and weekends around South Coast Plaza or The LAB, it can be easy for the relationship to get buried under planning. You may want space to talk about what married life will actually feel like after the celebration ends.
Clients often feel relief when they can be honest without worrying that a hard conversation means something is wrong. A local premarital counseling space can help you feel more aligned, more emotionally safe, and more confident in the commitment you are making.
Sessions tend to explore money, communication, conflict, intimacy, family boundaries, lifestyle expectations, roles, values, and how you both want to handle pressure. The goal is to help your marriage feel intentional, not accidental.
Grief Counseling
You may be surrounded by movement, creative energy, busy restaurants, South Coast Plaza weekends, or the pace around the 55, yet still feel like your world has slowed in a way others cannot see. Grief can make social plans feel strange and everyday conversations feel far away.
A local space for grief counseling can help you stop performing normal when something inside you is still adjusting.
Clients often begin to feel relief when their loss is not treated like a problem to solve, but an experience that deserves care.Sessions often explore how grief shows up in relationships, creativity, sleep, appetite, motivation, and the moments when you want distraction but also need to remember.
Immigration evaluations
Immigration Evaluations are available for individuals in Costa Mesa, CA seeking psychological documentation for immigration proceedings. If you are navigating asylum, hardship waivers, or related petitions, this evaluation supports your legal case with professional clarity. Searching for immigration evaluations near you should feel reassuring rather than intimidating.
I serve first-generation women of color in Costa Mesa, CA
I provide therapy services to individuals and couples in Laguna Hills and surrounding South Orange County communities, supporting first-generation Latinas, professionals of color, and multicultural families navigating attachment wounds, anxiety, grief, relational conflict, and generational expectations. My office, located at 4 Venture Suite 355, Irvine, CA 92618, is approximately a 13-minute drive from central Laguna Hills, and I also offer virtual sessions throughout California for added flexibility. I have served Orange County for several years, working with high-functioning professionals and family-oriented households who often appear stable while quietly managing emotional overwhelm.
My approach is emotionally-focused, culturally-responsive, and grounded in attachment-based therapy. In a community known for established residential neighborhoods, proximity to Laguna Hills Community Center, and strong family-oriented values, many residents prioritize long-term stability and personal responsibility. I remain committed to offering care that prioritizes emotional safety and sustainable healing rather than surface-level coping. I serve clients throughout Laguna Hills as well as nearby areas including Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo, Lake Forest, and Irvine, providing a steady and culturally-aware space for local residents seeking deeper emotional clarity and relational wellbeing.
Testimonials
Dama's approach to therapy is marked by empathy, insight, and a profound commitment to fostering positive change. I can confidently attest to her exceptional skills and unwavering dedication to the well-being of her clients.
Depression/Anxiety ~ Hyland & Associates
Dama is a colleague & a professional that truly cares about her clients & their therapeutic journey. She is highly skilled in Emotionally Focused Therapy helping individuals & couples navigate & strengthen their emotional connections within relationships.
Jan Covyeau
As a former US military officer, I can see Dama being a great therapist for active-duty members, families, and veterans. I confidently recommend clients to Dama because she cares and has clients' best interests in mind.
Angela Chwe
I'm Dama Perez, founder of Casa Therapy offering therapy in Costa Mesa, CA
I support first-generation women of color carrying emotional burdens that feel invisible. Whether you're near The LAB, Fairview Park, or Baker Street, my online sessions help you build emotional safety and reconnect with your inner world in culturally attentive ways.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use insurance for therapy?
I am currently an out-of-network provider. However, I can provide a superbill for you to submit to your insurance for possible reimbursement. Many PPO plans offer partial reimbursement checks with your provider to confirm your benefits.
Do you offer a sliding scale?
Yes! I offer two sliding scale spots for clients with financial need. If cost is a concern, please reach out. I'm happy to discuss options during your consultation.
What does the therapy process look like?
We start with an intake session to explore your relationship history, communication patterns, and goals. From there, we’ll meet regularly to uncover deeper emotional patterns, build new tools for connection, and work toward the relationship you want to create. Therapy is always tailored to your unique story and pace.
What if I need to cancel or reschedule a session?
Life happens! I ask for at least 48 hours’ notice for cancellations or reschedules. Sessions canceled with less than 48 hours’ notice may be subject to the full session fee. No-shows or missed appointments without prior notice will be charged the full session rate, as that time is reserved specifically for you.
How does virtual therapy work?
Sessions are held through a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform. You’ll receive a private link before each session. All you need is a quiet and confidential space, a reliable internet connection, and a device with a camera and microphone.
What if I don’t feel like we’re a good fit?
It’s completely normal to wonder if therapy is the right match for you. Building trust and feeling comfortable with your therapist is essential for meaningful growth. If at any point you feel unsure about our connection or approach, please let me know. We can talk openly about it and decide together whether to adjust our work or explore other options. Your comfort and progress are my top priorities, and I’m here to support you every step of the way whether that means continuing together or helping you find the best path forward.
Good Faith Estimate (No Surprises Act)
This Good Faith Estimate shows the costs of services that are reasonably expected for the expected services to address your mental health care needs. The estimate is based on the information known to us when we did the estimate.
The Good Faith Estimate does not include any unknown or unexpected costs that may arise during treatment. You could be charged more if complications or special circumstances occur. If this happens, federal law allows you to dispute (appeal) the bill.
If you are billed for more than this Good Faith Estimate, you have the right to dispute the bill.
You may contact the contact listed above if billed charges are higher than the Good Faith Estimate. You can request an update to the bill to match the Good Faith Estimate, ask to negotiate the bill, or ask if there is financial assistance available.
You may also start a dispute resolution process with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). If you choose to use the dispute resolution process, you must start the dispute process within 120 calendar days (about 4 months) of the date on the original bill.
There is a $25 fee to use the dispute process. If the agency reviewing your dispute agrees with you, you will have to pay the price on this Good Faith Estimate. If the agency disagrees with you and agrees with the health care provider or facility, you will have to pay the higher amount.
To learn more and get a form to start the process, go to: www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call CMS at 1-800-985-3059.
For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate or the dispute process, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call CMS at 1-800-985-3059 .
This Good Faith Estimate is not a contract. It does not obligate you to accept the services listed above.
