Annie Wallner, MS, MSW

Who am I?

A born-and-bred Californian, I draw from my unique life experiences to provide trauma-based crisis counseling. Life is unpredictable and often unfair, so I work to empower my clients to overcome their adversities. My holistic approach allows for growth and change outside of traditional therapy by determining how diet, exercise, environment, and community can contribute to overall health and wellness. But most importantly, I want patients to feel heard, understood, and emboldened to do something different for themselves.

While I am currently working towards my LCSW, I already possess over 24 years of experience with direct patient care. I hold a Master’s Degree in both Clinical Psychology and Social Work and am a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP), having worked with a variety of populations. Including individuals, families, and couples diagnosed with serious mental illness, living through a crisis situation, or dealing with substance abuse. My talent for providing crisis counseling uses a trauma-informed approach to foster an environment of safety, compassion, and no judgment. All while creating an understanding of behaviors for coping through adversity! 

My office does have a friendly helper: the loving and loyal Shelby! A 5-year-old German Shepard, Shelby is certified through the American Society of Canine Trainers International as a Therapy Dog. She is loud, proud, and announces her arrival before even entering the building! Clients of mine will be greeted by her as they come in and she will walk them to the door to say good-bye. Shelby adores treats and will gladly accept attention and affection through lots of petting.

I love working with:

Individuals, couples, and anyone with the courage to seek therapy for:

• Specific trauma
• Stress
• Overwhelming worry
• Difficulty focusing
• Loneliness
• Feelings of inadequacy

Some of my favorite approaches:

I believe that the therapist must be a good fit for the client. Therefore, I use eclectic techniques to ensure that treatment is built around each individual. I am working toward both DBT and CBT-I certification, but my current specialties include: 

• Strength-Based therapy 
• Short-Term therapy
• Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT)
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) 
• Mindfulness 
• Trauma-informed practices 
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)