Meet Sydney
Specializing in teens & adults, eating disorders, & the LGBTQ+ community
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #165438
Sydney@balanceandbloomtherapy.com
Virtual therapy for residents of California.
Fees:
$150 per 50 min Individual Session
$175 per 50 min Couple or Family Session
Specializing in:
Eating Disorders including Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, Avoidant and Restrictive Intake Disorder, and Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder
Alcohol and Substance Use
Anxiety and Depression
Trauma Related Disorders and challenges, including PTSD and C-PTSD
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Body Image, Health at Every Size, and Intuitive Eating
LGBTQIA+, Identity exploration, and Gender and Sexuality exploration
Personality disorders and relational dynamics
Couples therapy and relationship concerns
Modalities
Psychodynamic
Attachment Based
Inner child/parts work
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
Person-Centered Therapy
What working with me looks like..
At my core, I believe therapy is a deeply human experience. We are all shaped by our own histories, relationships, and struggles, and each of us brings a unique story into the room. My approach is human-centered and collaborative, meaning we work together to explore what matters most to you and create space for your growth, healing, and self-discovery.
As an Eating Disorder Specialist in California, I don’t sit above the process, I sit in it with you. I have spent countless years in my own therapy and, at different times in my life, navigated the world of treatment centers and higher levels of care. Because of this, I understand firsthand the courage it takes to seek support and the vulnerability of showing up honestly. I bring my lived experience into the therapy room—not as the focus, but as a foundation that allows me to hold deep compassion, curiosity, and respect for your journey.
Working with me means being met with warmth, authenticity, and a safe space where all parts of you are welcome. Together, we’ll honor your resilience, untangle patterns that may no longer serve you, and create pathways that align with your values and your most authentic self.
My journey to becoming a therapist…
I have had the privilege of working with many teens, individuals, couples, families, and groups in both residential and outpatient settings. My work has centered on supporting adolescents and adults as they navigate life’s challenges, helping clients connect with their values, recognize patterns that may no longer serve them, and create space to process the complexities of being human.
My education, volunteer experiences, and clinical training have deepened my passion for mental health, advocacy, and ensuring access to affirming and meaningful treatment. I earned my Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Pepperdine University in Calabasas, California, and I continue to approach this work with curiosity, compassion, and respect for each person’s unique journey.
Populations I work with:
Individual Therapy
I offer virtual individual therapy to clients across California, ages 10 and up. My work often focuses on supporting those navigating feeding and eating disorders, body image concerns, and the journey toward building self-compassion. I am passionate about working with LGBTQIA+ individuals who are exploring their identities and deepening their connection with their authentic selves. I also support clients processing trauma and re-establishing a sense of safety, so they can be more present in their lives and aligned with their values. I am EMDR Trained and use this modality when my clients have experienced trauma or have stuck negative core beliefs about themselves or the world around them.
Couples Therapy
I provide virtual couples therapy throughout California. My approach begins with an intake session with the couple, followed by individual sessions with each partner to better understand the complexities of bringing together two identities and life experiences. From there, we work collaboratively to create a relationship that prioritizes mutual well-being, explores intimacy, and strengthens communication. I especially enjoy working with LGBTQIA+ couples, honoring the unique experiences and dynamics that shape queer relationships.
Family Therapy
I offer virtual family therapy in California for families navigating the challenges of eating disorder recovery. My work helps families explore their dynamics, develop healthier ways of communicating, and process the impact that an eating disorder has on both individual members and the family unit as a whole. Together, we create space for understanding, repair, and more supportive connections during the recovery process.
Read Blogs Written by Sydney
Late-Diagnosed ADHD: When You’ve Spent Your Whole Life Thinking You’re the Problem
Exploring potential ADHD symptoms and wanting a therapist who really understands it, first hand.
Redefining what “Healthy” Means to You (from an Eating Disorder Therapist)
Sydney walks through how to redefine healthy to you and the steps that are most crucial in eating disorder recovery. If you’re looking for a therapist that just gets it, reach out for a free intro call and we can get your journey started!
Outside of the therapy office, you can find me:
Outside of my work as a therapist, you can usually find me spending time with my partner and friends, singing and dancing at concerts, or recharging in nature. I love engaging in mindful movement practices, traveling to new places, and spoiling my sweet kitten children rotten. These passions not only bring me joy but also help me stay grounded and present so I can show up fully for my clients.
Come follow along on Instagram!
@Sydney.balanceandbloom
FAQ’s with Sydney Hafer, LMFT
Cost & Insurance
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Therapy sessions are typically 50-minutes long and cost $150 for individuals and $175 for couples and families.
Sometimes, 50-minutes doesn’t seem like enough time to process the more complex or sensitive experiences, so I also offer 90-minute to 120-minute sessions.
90-minute Individual : $220
90-minute Couple/Family: $260
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A large percentage of insurance plans do not cover couples counseling in the mental health section. If you are looking to use your insurance to cover couples counseling, I highly recommend reaching out to them to determine what you have coverage for. And if you do have mental health coverage, find out what type of diagnosis will be covered. For couples counseling, insurance might require one person to be the "identified patient” and all counseling focused on that one diagnosis. In our couples counseling, we look at the bigger picture of how the couple’s bond and communication started to break down, how each person’s reactions impacted the relationship, and what it will take for healing in the relationship. By only focusing on one person, it can actually hurt the relationship more. This is why I don’t take insurance for couples counseling and highly recommend focusing on getting to the deep-rooted issues, not putting a bandaid on it.
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I don't accept insurance, but our office can provide a superbill. It is a receipt with the coding and diagnosis your insurance needs, and you can submit for possible reimbursement. Some plans reimburse a portion of out-of-network therapy, and some don't, so it's worth calling your insurance to ask before we start. Some insurance plans don’t cover mental health services, so make sure you understand your coverage.
Check your benefits here: Mentaya
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Yes. I have a few low-fee slots, so if cost is the main barrier, it's worth calling our office to ask what's currently available. My lower fee slots may or may not be full. So give our clinical administrator a call at 760-407-6664. My current rate on the website reflects my licensure as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, which took over 3,000 clinical hours to earn.
Availability & Counseling Experience
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I see clients online only who live in the state of California.
Our platform is very user friendly and our online videos calls are confidential and HIPPA compliant. So feel free to get comfy in your own space, grab some coffee or tea, and make sure your wifi is on!
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I am mostly available on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the mornings and afternoons. I work with various clients and I try to open up my schedule to make it easy for everyone. The mix of day and evening appointments works best to meet my working professional clients and family-focused clients.
Feel free to to call our clinical admin to see what I have available, or go to this link to directly view my calendar.
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Sessions are 50 minutes; however, we can always book longer times if needed. I have 1.5-hour sessions and 2-hour sessions for addressing the more painful or difficult topics. Meeting weekly is common in the beginning stages of therapy, but we can talk through what frequency makes sense for your goals, finances, and schedule. Once there is stability and positive changes happening, we might extend the counseling sessions further out, such as every other week or once a month. It really depends on the goals, finances, and where you are in the process. My goal as a therapist is to make therapy fit your schedule and your goals.
Check your benefits here: Mentaya
Who I Work With
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I work with all!
I love working with teens and adults individually who are wanting to navigate anxiety, depression, trauma, eating disorders, and their identity.
I also work with couples who are struggling in their relationship and want a roadmap of new interactions, communication tools, and conflict management to create deeper intimacy. I especially love working with LGBTQ+ couples.
I work with families where the parents want to support their teen but feel disconnected and unsure how to proceed when their teen is struggling with their mental health, sexuality or identity, or an eating disorder. We work together to find new ways to relate to eahother so the family feels like a more cohesive unit then dettached.
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I am mostly available on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the mornings and afternoons. I work with various clients and I try to open up my schedule to make it easy for everyone. The mix of day and evening appointments works best to meet my working professional clients and family-focused clients.
Feel free to to call our clinical admin to see what I have available, or go to this link to directly view my calendar.
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Yes! At Balance and Bloom Therapy, we are a proudly queer owned, inclusive practice. My approach centers on attachment and connection. I have a lot of training and experience working with the queer LGBTQIA+ community and love it. I also work with couples in open relationships and ethical non-monogamy.
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I specialize in working with teens and young adults who realize that they have some unhealthy habits surrounding their feeding/intake, body image, exercise, etc.
I also love working with adults who had a messy childhood and feel anxious, burntout, perfectionism, people pleasing, ADHD, and have relationship issues.
I am a queer therapist who loves working with queer individuals wanting to live as their most authentic self!
My Approach
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I am trained in EMDR, Cognitive Processing Therapy, CBT, DBT, and attachment based modalities.
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Before we meet, you'll fill out an intake questionnaire (couples each complete their own). This will allow me to learn more about you and prepare for our first session. In the initial counseling session, I'll briefly walk you through confidentiality and how sessions work. Then, more importantly, we will dive into the issues that brought you to counseling. For the majority of the first session, I am asking a lot of questions to understand the background and how you (and your partner) handle conflict, reach for emotional closeness, and how you got to where you are. At the end of the first session, we will talk about goals for therapy, discuss “homework” (what to focus on between sessions), and then schedule the next session. Typically for couples, I will schedule an individual assessment after the initial session. This will allow us some time to discuss your experience in the relationship, your attachment and I can learn more about you and how you emotionally regulate and communicate during difficult times.
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I am a down to earth therapist that really values us all being human. I don’t have many “rules” when it comes to therapy. I want you to show up comfortably, and we talk about what you’re struggling with and find new ways to navigate them that more clearly align with your values. I am depth oriented and have a direct but compassionate style.
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Both. I listen to the stories you share with me, along with paying attention to key words, phrases, and patterns. I ask very specific questions to guide the conversation and get to the root of the issue. I am very active in the session, pointing out negative patterns and unhealthy reactions, and providing strategies and resources to help you make the changes quickly and effectively. I am not a therapist who just simply listens and acts as a sounding board. I get in the trenches with you and explore ways out.
Starting Counseling Virtually in California: What to Expect
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You can book directly through my online scheduling page, or call our office and our clinical admin, Jordan, can help set it up. I typically can get you in for therapy within that week.
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Typically, you can schedule an appointment with me within the week. If you need a same-day appointment, call our office at 760-407-6664 to see if I have a same-day appointment available. Sometimes, you can get in the same day.
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Yes! I offer free 15 minute intro calls to see if we would be a good fit. You can ask me any and all questions you have, I can tell you about my style and we can talk about availability and rates before booking a first appointment.
If we are not a good fit, I will give you some referrals of other therapists who I think may be a better fit.
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Yes. I am legally bound by confidentiality, so much that if I see you in public, I can’t come up and say hello. I try to protect confidentiality as best I can and will wait for you to say hello first. Your medical records are kept in a HIPAA-compliant system called Simple Practice, and telehealth sessions run on secure, encrypted platforms. What you share stays between us, with a few legal exceptions (like risk of harm or suspected abuse). One note for couples: since the relationship is the client, I can't sit on a secret disclosed individually that negatively affects the relationship. I'll support you in bringing it into a session together. If a partner discloses a secret and does not want to share it, we will put counseling on pause to avoid causing harm or unethical clinical practice. If you have a question about this, give our clinical administrator a call, and she can talk to you more about this.