Helping you navigate life’s challenges
with compassion and experience
Working together we can help you make a lasting positive change, whether you're dealing with a difficult current situation or trying to break the patterns that get in your way.
Sessions in person in the Los Feliz neighborhood of L.A. or online throughout California and Florida.
Se habla español.
Specialties
Therapy for Insomnia
Regularly having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early can be exhausting both physically and emotionally.
I am certified by Stanford University in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), a structured, short-term, first-line treatment that can greatly improve sleep and alleviate insomnia without medication.
Therapy for Anxiety
Do you find yourself frequently worrying about things you can’t control, obsessing over the small things, or having trouble in your work or relationships due to stress?
Therapy can really help give you relief and give you the tools to better handle life’s pressures.
Therapy for Creative Issues
I spent years in the entertainment industry as a writer and am familiar with the emotional
pressures of that field.
Procrastination, impostor syndrome, or simply trying to navigate the
uncertainty of working in an ever more unstable field are among the issues I’ve helped writers
and other creative professionals with for many years.
Couples Therapy
I work with couples who are dating, engaged, or married. Working collaboratively with you and your partner, I try to help you both strengthen your understanding of one another, have better communication, and have a deeper connection.
I also introduce strategies and exercises you and your partner can practice together when outside the therapy session to better foster your relationship.
Don’t hesitate to reach out and schedule a free consultation today. You don’t have to do it alone.
About Me
About Me
Background:
Born to immigrants from Argentina, I grew up in New York in a bilingual household and received my undergraduate degree in liberal arts from Amherst College. After college, I moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career as a TV writer, and eventually had success working on network sitcoms.
As a writer I had always been interested in characters and their stories, but the idea of working with real people, hearing their stories, and helping them achieve real change spoke to me even more. So, I pivoted to becoming a therapist and received my Masters in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University Los Angeles.
Before opening a private practice, I saw clients at Family Service of Santa Monica, a non-profit clinic, for several years. There I provided psychotherapy to a wide range of clients including individual adults, children, teens, families, and couples. This work also allowed me to serve the community as a bilingual Spanish-speaking therapist.
In addition, I trained and was certified in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) at Stanford University.
My approach to Therapy:
Therapy with me is a place where you can be yourself. Bring your messy thoughts, your doubts and worries, and together we can start to find your way forward.
As every individual and couple is different, I use a unique combination of therapeutic approaches that best fit your needs. These include psychodynamic therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and family systems, as well as other approaches.
I try to create a safe, supportive, and non-judgmental environment in which we can work together to help you get relief and achieve your goals.
While I work with individuals from all walks of life, my own background in television writing left me deeply familiar with the entertainment industry's specific emotional pressures. When providing therapy for creative professionals, I help clients navigate these unique stressors and break down the emotional obstacles holding back their work.
Regardless of your background, I believe that by working together collaboratively and with empathy, self-compassion, and even some humor, we can help you make the positive changes you’re looking for.
Therapy with me is a place where you can be yourself. Bring your messy thoughts, your doubts, and your worries, and together we can start to find your way forward.
I create a safe, supportive, and non-judgmental environment where we work collaboratively with empathy, self-compassion, and even some humor.
How We Work Together
Every client is unique, so I tailor a combination of therapeutic approaches to fit your specific needs, including psychodynamic therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and family systems.
Specialized Support for Creative Professionals
While I work with individuals and couples from all walks of life, my background in television writing gives me a deep, firsthand understanding of the entertainment industry's unique pressures. I help creatives navigate industry stressors and break down the emotional obstacles holding back their work.
For Every Client
Regardless of your background, I believe that by working together collaboratively and with empathy, self-compassion, and even some humor, we can help you make the positive changes you’re looking for.
Hi, I’m Alan.
Before I became a therapist, I spent years working as a TV writer in Los Angeles — and I know firsthand how much pressure and uncertainty creative professionals face.
I’ve always loved stories and what they reveal about human nature, but what drew me to therapy was the chance to help real people work through their own stories and make meaningful change.
My approach is warm, collaborative, and tailored to you. Depending on your needs, I draw from psychodynamic therapy, CBT, and family systems work to help you gain insight, build tools, and create lasting change.
And if you work in the entertainment industry, I bring a deep understanding of the emotional toll that can take — whether it’s navigating rejection, managing performance pressure, or simply trying to stay creative in the face of burnout.
Therapy with me is a place where you can be yourself — messy thoughts, doubts, fears and all — and start to find your way forward.
You’re exhausted from overthinking.
Maybe you can’t remember the last time you fell asleep easily — your mind just won’t shut off.
You find yourself replaying conversations, second-guessing decisions, and worrying about what others think.
Sometimes the anxiety feels so heavy, it’s hard to focus at work or enjoy time with people you care about.
Maybe you’re in the creative field and feeling stuck, uncertain if your work is good enough or if there’s even a future in what you’re doing.
You’re tired of the self-doubt, the pressure, the fear that you’ll be found out or replaced.
You want to stop worrying so much about the future — and just live in the present again.
You can cultivate peace of mind
You can build a life that feels more grounded and less consumed by worry.
You can learn to manage the stress that’s been weighing you down and stop letting it steal your energy and peace.
You can remember your strengths, feel more in control, and take steps toward a life that feels like yours again.
Even if the road ahead is uncertain, you don’t have to face it the way you have been — stuck in your head and worn thin.
A calmer, more grounded future is possible. Let’s take the first step together. Book your free consultation today.
Getting Started
If you want to learn more or want to schedule a complimentary 15-minute consultation, you can call me at 323-943-2526 or fill out the information below:
General Questions
What can I expect in the first session?
The first session is a chance for you to share what brought you to therapy in a warm, supportive space, and for me to get to know you. If it’s your first time ever in therapy, do know that there’s no way to do it wrong, and you are free to share only as much as feels comfortable.
Do you accept insurance?
I am an in-network provider with Aetna of California. If you have another insurance plan, it may offer out-of-network benefits and I can provide a superbill (a detailed invoice) to help you receive any reimbursement your plan may offer.
Insurance coverage can be confusing, so please let me know if you have any questions.
How much does a session cost?
Without using insurance, my fee is $190 per session for individuals and $225 per session for couples. I accept payment via Venmo, PayPal, credit card, or check.
Where in Los Angeles is your office located?
For those seeking in-person sessions, my office is located in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles at 2150 Hillhurst Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027, on the same block as Little Dom's and Starbucks, just a short drive from Silver Lake and Echo Park.
Do you offer online or phone sessions?
In addition to in-person sessions for those based locally, I offer telehealth sessions over Zoom or via a phone call for anyone located in California or Florida.
Some clients like a hybrid approach, coming into the office some weeks, but other weeks preferring telehealth sessions from the convenience of their home.
What are your office hours?
My hours are:
Mondays through Thursdays: 9am to 8pm PT (12pm to 11pm ET)
Fridays: 9am to 6pm PT (12pm to 9pm ET)
How long is a typical session?
A typical individual or couples therapy session is 50 minutes long.
How do I schedule an appointment?
To schedule a free 15-minute consultation or book your first appointment, you can email me at [email protected] or call (323) 943-3526.
What happens during a free initial consultation?
A free initial consultation is a 15-minute call where we discuss your current situation and I answer any questions you have about starting therapy. If you forget to ask a question until after the call, that’s no problem, and you can just email me with any other questions you may have.
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) and how does it work?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is a structured, evidence-based strategy that retrains your sleep drive and circadian rhythm without relying on sleep medication.
CBT-I treats chronic sleep issues by identifying and restructuring the thoughts and behaviors that cause sleep anxiety. It uses proven techniques like optimizing your time in bed, stimulus control, and cognitive restructuring to rebuild your body's natural sleep drive.
It is usually short-term and typically lasts just 4 to 8 sessions, helping you get back to sleeping peacefully without a prolonged commitment.
How long have you been in practice?
I began seeing therapy clients initially at Family Service of Santa Monica in 2010. I then concurrently began working in a group private practice in Silver Lake in 2011, before leaving both to launch my own solo private practice in 2015.
What is therapy like with you?
I try to make clients feel heard and supported, so that they can be their authentic selves and share how they’re feeling and process their difficult moments (either ongoing ones or ones from the past) and break habits that might be getting in their way.
I don’t tell clients what to do when it comes to big decisions. Instead, we work collaboratively so you can decide what feels best for you. While I do share guidance and point out recurring negative patterns, I always leave ample room for you to disagree. I also help clients build self-compassion, since too many of us are our own harshest critics.
When working with couples, I do my best to help each partner understand the other's point of view and improve communication, without ever taking a side.
For a little more on how I approach things, it may be helpful for you to read this article I wrote for “The Hollywood Reporter” in 2023, during the Writers Guild of America strike of that year.
What are your strengths as a therapist?
I believe I am deeply empathetic and non-judgmental, with a genuine curiosity for different people’s experiences and perspectives.
I also bring an analytic perspective to what my clients share, identifying larger patterns in their behavior (both beneficial and detrimental) that clients might miss, because they are sometimes too close to their experience.
I then work with clients to break negative patterns in a way that is a true fit for them as an individual or couple.
How long will I be in therapy?
There’s no set amount of time for therapy, as the duration depends entirely on your personal goals.
Some clients find relief after working through a specific situation or having made the positive change in their life they were seeking and end sessions, while others choose to continue long-term to support their ongoing emotional health. The timeline is always your decision.
Should you decide to end sessions but later want to work on a new issue, the door is always open.
What do you enjoy about being a therapist?
I really enjoy getting to know people and hearing their stories and their struggles. Everyone's path is unique, and it's a privilege to get to know someone authentically.
I also find it deeply rewarding to see clients gain clarity, get relief, and make real, lasting changes in their lives. Knowing I can play a supportive role in helping someone feel lighter and more empowered is why I do this work.
Licensed Provider
LMFT California License #85650
THT LMFT Florida Provider # TPMF1841
Online and in-person therapy for adults, teens, and couples
Licensed Provider
LMFT California License #85650
THT LMFT Florida Provider #TPMF1841
©2026 by Alan Dybner