Athena Carrillo Lee, MA, MFT, is a Holistic Psychotherapist and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist based in Los Angeles, CA. Athena’s clinical work has focused on addressing adults with childhood trauma via body-oriented and depth psychological approaches. In her private practice she works with individuals and couples, and consults professionals integrating a holistic methodology into their private practices. Athena believes that our challenges are not merely presenting themselves to be shed, restoring us to business as usual, but rather our challenges are opportunities through which we can grow. This means entering the unknown of who and what we are, because if the answers were available by usual means we would not be facing an impasse. 

BIOGRAPHY

Athena became interested in holistic approaches to healing as a Pre-Medicine student at UCLA. While working in the hospital, she realized a clear distinction between treating and healing. Interested in the later she sought to address issues causing dis-ease, rather than merely treating their resulting physical symptoms. This insight led her to research the psychological roots of stress and inner conflicts in relationship to the body.

Athena began to carve out her own path of study, as there was little in the way of body-mind training at the time. She began by studying massage at the Institute of Psycho-Structural Balancing, where she witnessed what she knew intuitively – the interconnection of body, mind and spirit. Athena discovered how sensitive and empathically attuned she was to her patients’ feelings, held within their bodies. She sought a greater understanding of what energetic connection she and patients were experiencing. This led her to complete a three-year Master’s Degree in Body-oriented Psychotherapy at John F. Kennedy University, where she also researched the effects and treatment of childhood trauma.

The nature of empathic connection between her and her patients, led to further study in Quantum Physics, Religious Studies, Consciousness Studies, meditation, Kundalini Yoga, and Jungian Psychoanalysis (see Therapies page). It was in training as a Jungian Psychoanalyst that Athena saw that the issues, complaints, or problems in our lives call us back to ourselves. Athena believes psychotherapy must be multi-dimensional in its approach, if we are to address the multi-dimensional nature of who and what we are: physical, emotional, and energetic.

EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Clinical Member, C.G. Jung Institute of Los Angeles

Clinical Member, International Association of Analytical Psychology

Clinical Member, California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, CA Board of Behavioral Sciences, MFC 42371

M. A., Holistic Counseling Psychology, Somatic Emphasis, John F. Kennedy University

B. A., History/Pre-medicine, University of California, Los Angeles

Kundalini Yoga, Certified Instructor, Yoga West, Los Angeles

Multicultural Wellness Education Certificate, Capacitar International

Secretary, Board Member, C.G. Jung Institute of Los Angeles