About Me
Hi, I’m Dr. Christina Marie Ortiz.
I’m a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in California.
You’re welcome to call me Dr. Christina, Christina, or Dr. Ortiz, whichever feels most natural to you.
Identity and Perspective
I hold many intersecting identities, including being a Latina woman with fourth-generation Mexican ancestry. I also grew up navigating my heritage without speaking Spanish, an experience that shaped my understanding of belonging, identity, and cultural complexity. Because of this, I understand how layered identity can feel. Family expectations can run deep. Cultural narratives can shape how we experience success, failure, emotion, vulnerability, and even therapy itself.
I don’t assume I know your experience. I stay curious. I listen carefully. And I respect that your story is your own.
In addition to my clinical training, I bring lived understanding of balancing high standards, focus, and internal pressure. This perspective informs my work with clients who are navigating attention differences, perfectionism, or the constant expectation to perform.
My Training and Background
I earned my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Rutgers University’s Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology.
Over the years, I’ve worked in hospitals, universities, correctional facilities, substance use treatment centers, and community mental health clinics. Those environments taught me how to stay steady in complexity and how to meet people with both structure and compassion.
In addition to therapy, I provide clinical training on suicide prevention and intervention to schools, hospitals, media organizations, and mental health professionals. My work includes supporting suicide attempt survivors and those grieving the loss of a loved one to suicide, contributing to broader conversations about prevention and recovery.
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Many of my clients are thoughtful, capable people who hold themselves to high standards.
Some are navigating anxiety, depression, insomnia, anger, trauma, or substance use. Others are managing perfectionism, attention differences, or the quiet internal pressure to always perform.
I understand firsthand how exhausting it can feel to constantly push yourself while also trying to hold everything together.
Therapy becomes a space where you don’t have to perform. You don’t have to impress. You don’t have to explain why you “should be fine.”
You just get to be human.
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Clients often describe me as warm, grounded, and direct, with a well-timed sense of humor.
I care deeply, and I also believe in structure. We talk about what’s real. We identify patterns. We build practical tools. We process what needs healing. And we move forward with intention.
Mental health care is deeply personal. For many, it is also an act of self-respect and, at times, resistance against stigma, silence, or expectations that no longer serve you.
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I offer therapy via secure telehealth across California. Our intake starts by listening — to what you want to change, what feels stuck, and what matters most to you. Together we’ll build a plan that honors your values and goals, not just symptom reduction.
Finding the right therapist matters. If after our conversation it seems I’m not the best fit, I’ll help you find someone who is.
If this feels right to you, I invite you to schedule a brief consultation so we can explore next steps.
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One of the most important things to know about me is that I believe in living the work I invite my clients into. Growth is not theoretical to me. I’m committed to my own self-reflection, accountability, and expansion. I don’t ask anyone to do work I’m not willing to do myself.
Outside of therapy, I’m very much in motion.
You’ll often find me training for a race, tracking my pace on my Garmin, or running along the coast. Movement helps me think clearly and stay grounded. I’m also deeply involved in dragon boating. I coach, I paddle, and I care a lot about teamwork, rhythm, and collective effort. There’s something powerful about a group of people pulling in sync toward a shared goal.
Living near the beach in Southern California feels like medicine to me. Ocean air, long walks, watching the light shift at sunset. Those small rituals matter.
I love good food, especially Mexican and Japanese cuisine. I can get very excited about a thoughtfully made bowl of ramen or a perfect tamale. I’m also the kind of person who enjoys organizing projects, planning travel, and mapping out goals. Structure feels calming to me.
I’m someone who values depth in relationships, meaningful conversation, and showing up consistently for the people I care about.
At the end of the day, I’m human first. I know what it feels like to hold high standards, to push yourself, and to navigate complexity. That lived experience shapes how I sit with you.