Pasadena or Online
Dr. Sonja Munson
Licensed Psychologist | Anxiety, Depression & Women’s Issues | she/her
For twenty years, Dr. Sonja Munson has helped people in Pasadena understand how their past relationships shape the present, and find a steadier way of being with themselves and others.
A short introduction
About Dr. Munson
Dr. Sonja Munson is a licensed psychologist (PSY21068) at Coastal Therapy Group’s Pasadena office. She has practiced in Pasadena for over twenty years, and out of this same office since 2012. She works with adults, teens, and couples, most often around anxiety, depression, self-doubt, women’s issues, and the relationship struggles that tend to sit underneath all of them.
Her approach is attachment-based, relational, and psychodynamic: she pays close attention to how early relationships set the patterns we carry into our adult lives, and uses the therapy relationship itself as a place to notice and change them. She earned her doctorate in clinical psychology at Fuller Graduate School of Psychology, an APA-accredited program here in Pasadena, and sees clients in person at our Pasadena office and online throughout California.
In her own words
Getting to know yourself is shared work
People come to therapy for countless reasons. Some are suffering. Some are stuck in the same painful patterns with the people they love, or with themselves. Some simply have things they need to work out. Whatever brings you, I hope you find relief.
It is hard to trust someone new with the parts of your life that hurt. You might wonder whether you will be judged, or taken seriously, or understood. I consider it a privilege to do that careful, vulnerable work alongside people, helping them listen to themselves more closely and know themselves more deeply.
How she works
Where the past meets the present
So much of how we handle closeness, conflict, and our own worth was learned in our earliest relationships. Some of those lessons we know about; many we do not. Dr. Munson works with both, helping clients see how old patterns keep showing up in their relationships, their work, and the way they speak to themselves.
The therapy relationship is central to that work. It is a place to explore what is hard with compassion rather than judgment, and to practice relating differently while still honoring who you are. Alongside the work in session she often recommends meditation, which many clients find helps with the everyday unease that comes with anxiety and stress.
Who she works with
The people she sees most
Women who have spent years shaped around other people’s needs and are now asking who they are, in relation to themselves and to the people they love.
Adolescents working out how to know themselves with confidence and say what they actually think, at home, at school, and with friends.
Men and women who keep running into the same relationship struggles, often rooted in earlier relationships, including the ones with their parents.
Ways to work together
Formats to fit what you need
Sessions are in person in Pasadena or online anywhere in California, with limited evening hours available.
Weekly sessions for adults, in person in Pasadena or online anywhere in California.
About individual therapy →Ongoing work with partners on the patterns underneath the conflict, and what each of you brought into the relationship.
About couples therapy →A private space for teens to sort out who they are and what they think, with parents kept in the loop where it helps.
About teen therapy →Secure video sessions for weeks when the drive is too much, or for clients outside the Pasadena area. Mix in-person and online as needed.
About online therapy →Credentials as a Psychologist
- Licensed Psychologist, California PSY21068
- Doctorate of Clinical Psychology (PhD), Fuller Graduate School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy (APA Accredited)
- Twenty years in private practice in Pasadena
- Clinical supervisor to doctoral trainees
Areas of Specialized Experience
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Women’s Issues
- Self-Doubt & Self-Esteem
- Relationship Issues
- Couples & Marital Concerns
- Life Transitions & Divorce
- Grief & Loss
- Pregnancy & Postpartum
- Teens
- Stress & Coping
Before you reach out
Questions clients tend to ask first
What is your approach to therapy?
I work from an attachment-based, relational, psychodynamic approach. In plain terms, we look at how your earlier relationships, and the patterns you learned in them, are still shaping how you feel and how you relate to people now. Some of that is conscious and some of it is not. Our relationship in the room becomes a place to notice those patterns, without judgment, so they can start to change.
Is it just talking, or will I get tools too?
Mostly it is a conversation, and a deep one. That said, I often suggest meditation as a support between sessions, especially for anxiety and the stress that settles in the body. Insight and practical support work best together.
What if we are not a good fit?
Fit matters more than almost anything else in therapy, and we will not really know until we talk. If it turns out I am not the right person for you, you will not be back at square one. Coastal Therapy Group has a team of doctoral-level clinicians, and our care coordinator will help you find someone who is a better match.
Do you work with teens?
Yes. I enjoy working with adolescents who are trying to figure out who they are and find their own voice. Teens get their own private space with me, and we talk together about how and when to include parents.
Should I wait until things get worse?
Please do not. If you are thinking about therapy, that openness is worth acting on. Reaching out is often the hardest step, and a free 15-minute call is a low-pressure way to take it.
What do sessions cost?
Individual sessions with me are $300 for 45 minutes, and couples sessions are $350 for 55 minutes. We are a private-pay practice and provide superbills you can submit for possible out-of-network reimbursement. Full details are on our Cost + Info page.
Where do sessions take place?
In person at our Pasadena office, Suite 214 at 30 N. Raymond Ave, and online anywhere in California. Limited evening appointments are available.
What is the first step?
Schedule a free 15-minute consultation by calling or texting (626) 244-7151, or through our Get Started page. We will talk through what is bringing you in and whether we are a good fit, and from there book a first full session.