Dr. Wendy Doucette | Psychotherapy & Somatic EFT/Tapping, Santa Monica, CA

PHOTO BY: Danielle Goldstein

coming home to yourself

where healing actually happens — in the body, not just in the mind

You've done the work. You've talked it through, understood where it comes from, maybe even explained it better than your therapist could. And yet some part of it is still there. Still in your body. Still running the old program.

That's not a failure of insight. It's a sign that insight alone was never going to be enough.

Your body isn't something to manage or override. It's the most intelligent tool you have, and it's exquisitely designed to heal. I'm not your typical talk therapist. I integrate clinical hypnosis, somatic EFT, and nervous-system-aware therapy to reach what talking alone can't.

Nothing about you is broken, and nothing needs fixing.

You are the author of your story. Let's write the next chapter, starting with your body, not just your mind.

how I work

Insight is a start. Lasting change happens somewhere deeper.

I trained for years as a talk therapist, and I still use those skills every day. These are the other tools I bring in, because old patterns don't live in the thinking mind. They live in the unconscious mind and the body.

Clinical Hypnosis

Hypnosis is a natural state we move in and out of every day. Some of my clients describe it as a feeling of inner absorption, deep relaxation or focused awareness. Hypnosis can help to calm the nervous system, relieve physical and emotional pain, and elicit deep feelings of peace. I believe that all hypnosis is self-hypnosis, meaning that, with your enlightened permission, I will teach you how to access that state on your own. In hypnotherapy sessions, we will collaborate to create personalized treatment goals and intentions. You have full control throughout. In fact, hypnosis can help you to have more control over your mind and body.

Somatic EFT / Tapping

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), also known as Tapping, is an evidence based somatic practice that sends safety signals directly to the brain. By tapping on different meridian points, we teach the body to relax. Think of it like acupuncture without the needles. Tapping can turn off the stress response, which allows the emotional charge to release. With tapping, we can time travel to the past or the future and soothe ourselves there. It’s also a powerful tool you can use anytime, anywhere.

Nervous System Regulation

Your body has its own intelligence, and it needs to feel safe in order to heal. I help you learn to compassionately notice your nervous system's responses, so you're reconnecting with a body that can find its way back to calm on its own. You don't just talk about the anxiety or the old wound. You feel it in your body so you can release and let it go.

How it all works together

These tools build on each other. Talking helps us understand your patterns. Hypnosis changes the belief underneath them. Tapping releases the emotion attached to it. Nervous system work helps the change settle into your body, not just your head. And what we know about neuroplasticity makes all of it feel less mysterious and more possible.

my story

Why I work this way

I grew up in New York City, which will always be home, but I felt pulled to California in 2000. I earned my Master's in Social Work from NYU in 1998 and my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Ryokan College in 2006. I've worked in hospitals, in hospice, and at a recovery center in Malibu, and I've had a private practice since 2003, with some time away to raise my two sons.

Sitting with people at the end of their lives, in the middle of addiction, and in the rawest parts of grief, you learn quickly that understanding a problem and being free of it are two different things. I watched brilliant, self-aware people stay stuck, not because they didn't understand themselves, but because insight never made it out of their heads and into their bodies.

That's what sent me toward clinical hypnosis and, more recently, somatic EFT. I am a National Board Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist and a Certified Somatic EFT Practitioner on top of my clinical background. These powerful modalities allow me to work with the unconscious mind and the body directly, instead of talking around them.

After three decades of this work, here is what I know: people don't need me to hand them answers. They need help clearing what is in the way, so they can hear the answers they already have inside.

That's the work now. Coming home to yourself.

working together

You don't need to fit a category to belong here

Often people ask who I work with, expecting an age range or a diagnosis. Here's the honest answer: I work with people who are ready for something different from what they've already tried.

Maybe you've done years of talk therapy and can explain your patterns perfectly, and you're still living inside them. Maybe anxiety or panic shows up in your body before your mind catches up. Maybe something from long ago hasn't budged, no matter how well you understand it. Or life just doesn't feel the way you expected, and you can't say why.

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with people at many different stages of life, from young adults finding their footing to people navigating trauma, recovery, relationships, parenthood, and major life transitions.

I’m especially drawn to working with women in midlife, when so much can seem to be shifting at once. Perimenopause is a serious transition that’s so often minimized to hot flashes. It can last for years, and many women stop feeling at home in their changing bodies and just deal with it. Your kids may be hitting puberty at the same time. The career that once felt right may no longer fit. A relationship you thought would look one way may be telling a different story. Sometimes the life you’ve built no longer feels quite like your own. If any of this feels familiar, you’re not alone. And you don’t have to just deal with it.

client stories

Their words

"Dr. Wendy is deeply compassionate and has a genuine ability to hold a steady, caring space in the presence of suffering. She explained EFT tapping in a way that was clear, simple, and easy to understand. I never felt confused or overwhelmed by the process. What I especially appreciate is that EFT gave me an effective tool I could integrate into my life and use on my own whenever I needed it. In fact, I used it just today to help me work through and integrate forgiveness of myself. I'm very grateful for Dr. Wendy's compassion, guidance, and the practical tools she has shared with me."

— T.H.

"Working with Dr. Wendy has been one of the great heart-opening experiences of my life. She's kind, witty, really darn smart, and has a genuine warmth that makes healing feel very available. The work is real and goes deep. And, it also feels less like work and more like play, that we are creating something new and amazing together. I never feel judged and I always feel seen and respected. Highly recommend!!"

— J.C.

"Wendy is fantastic! She makes you feel right at home with friendly and calm energy. In just a few sessions she taught me invaluable mental tools to manage and resolve my PTSD flashbacks... I highly recommend her, especially for people who are struggling to cope with panic and anxiety."

— C.M.

"I was referred to Wendy during a large life transition and was shaping my new identity... She also taught me multiple techniques to use when I am feeling anxious, that I still practice today."

— J.N.

"Wendy helped me work through some deep-seeded issues which has helped me lead a more positive and hopeful life."

— C.B.

"Seeing Wendy after my son was born was so helpful! Having someone there to listen and support me during a very vulnerable transition was invaluable."

— M.N.