ALBA WELLNESS GROUP
Therapists Who Accept Blue Shield Promise
Compassionate, No-Cost Therapy for Medi-Cal Members in Panorama City and Lancaster, CA
What We Do
Finding a therapist who accepts your Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan coverage should not feel harder than the challenges that brought you to seek help in the first place.
For too many Medi-Cal members in Los Angeles County, the search for quality mental health care becomes its own source of stress, long provider lists that lead to disconnected numbers, waitlists that stretch for months, and the quiet, persistent message that affordable care means lesser care. At Alba Wellness Group, we reject that message entirely.
We believe that the quality of your therapy should never be determined by your income, your insurance card, or the neighborhood you live in. Alba Wellness Group provides the same compassionate, evidence-based therapy to every client who walks through our doors, whether you are a parent in Panorama City seeking support for your child, a teenager in Lancaster navigating anxiety and identity, or an adult anywhere in Los Angeles County who is ready to heal from trauma, grief, or depression. Our clinicians bring over two decades of clinical expertise to every session, and we accept Blue Shield Promise because expanding access to transformative care is central to our mission.
With two convenient offices, one in the heart of the San Fernando Valley and another in the Antelope Valley, Alba Wellness Group brings affirming, culturally responsive therapy to communities that have historically been underserved by the mental health system. You deserve a therapist who sees your full humanity, honors your story, and has the clinical skill to help you move forward. Your Blue Shield Promise plan makes that possible at no cost or low cost to you, and we are here to help you use it.
Alba Wellness Group was founded by Patricia Alba, LCSW, a licensed clinical social worker with over twenty years of experience in trauma and mood disorder treatment. With offices in Panorama City and Lancaster, California, the practice provides culturally responsive therapy for adults, children, teens, and couples, specializing in anxiety, depression, LGBTQ+ affirming care, EMDR, and Ketamine-Assisted Therapy.
How We Do It
Alba Wellness Group provides individual therapy, teen therapy, and child therapy for ages five and older to members enrolled in the Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan.
Our clinical team specializes in treating anxiety, depression, trauma, and grief, using evidence-based modalities including EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy), IFS (Internal Family Systems), and psychodynamic therapy. Every treatment plan is tailored to the individual, because no two people carry the same story, and no single approach works for everyone.
When you contact our office, our team will help verify your Blue Shield Promise coverage and explain what your Medi-Cal behavioral health benefits include so there are no surprises. We understand that navigating managed care can feel overwhelming, especially when you are already dealing with emotional pain. That is why our intake process is designed to be straightforward, warm, and human. We walk you through every step so you can focus on what matters, getting the support you need.
Once you begin therapy, your clinician will work with you to identify your goals, understand the patterns and experiences that are affecting your well-being, and build a path toward lasting change. For children and teens, we collaborate closely with parents and caregivers to ensure that the therapeutic work extends into daily life. Our therapists are trained to work with the developmental needs of young people while creating a space where they feel safe, heard, and empowered.
Whether you are visiting our Panorama City office in the San Fernando Valley or our Lancaster location in the Antelope Valley, you will find a team that is genuinely invested in your healing. Alba Wellness Group was founded on the principle that everyone deserves to belong, and that belief shapes every interaction, from your first phone call to every session that follows.
✔ Founded by Patricia Alba, LCSW, with over 20 years of clinical experience in trauma and mood disorder treatment
✔ Specialized training in EMDR, DBT, IFS, Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy, and psychodynamic treatments
✔ Two established office locations serving the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley
✔ Culturally responsive and LGBTQ+ affirming practice
✔ Clinician-centered care model, ensuring therapists are supported to deliver the highest quality treatment
Confirm Your and Start Healing
Benefits of Therapy at Alba Wellness Group
KEY BENEFITS
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One of the most persistent barriers to mental health care in Los Angeles County is the assumption that Medi-Cal coverage limits your options to rushed sessions, overloaded clinics, or providers who cannot offer specialized treatment. At Alba Wellness Group, we have built our practice to prove that assumption wrong. When you use your Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan benefits with us, you receive the same level of clinical care, attention, and expertise that any client would receive regardless of their insurance type.
Our founder, Patricia Alba, LCSW, brings over twenty years of experience treating trauma and mood disorders and has built a team that shares her commitment to clinical excellence for every client. This means that your Medi-Cal benefits connect you with therapists who are trained in advanced modalities like EMDR and IFS, approaches that are highly effective for trauma, anxiety, and depression but are often difficult to access through public insurance. We do not offer a watered-down version of therapy for Medi-Cal members. We offer therapy, full stop, delivered with skill, compassion, and the belief that your healing matters as much as anyone's.
For families in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley, this means that quality mental health care is not something you have to drive across the county to find or pay out of pocket to receive. It is available right in your community, covered by the plan you already have. The result is that you can focus entirely on your growth and recovery without worrying about cost, and you can trust that you are in the hands of clinicians who have the training and experience to help you make real, lasting progress.
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Children and teenagers experience the world differently than adults, and they deserve therapists who understand that difference. At Alba Wellness Group, our child therapy services begin at age five, and our teen therapy program is designed specifically for the developmental, emotional, and social challenges that adolescents face. Whether your child is struggling with anxiety at school, your teenager is navigating depression and identity questions, or your family is processing grief or a major life transition, our clinicians have the specialized training to help.
In communities across the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley, families often face compounding stressors, economic pressure, community violence, immigration-related anxiety, and limited access to youth-focused mental health services. These realities shape how children and teens experience emotional distress, and our therapists approach each young client with cultural humility and a deep understanding of the environments they live in. We do not apply a one-size-fits-all model. We listen, we learn, and we adapt our approach so that your child feels genuinely understood in every session.
Parents and caregivers are essential partners in this process. We work collaboratively with families to share insights, develop strategies for the home environment, and ensure that the progress made in therapy carries into your child's daily life. Because we accept Blue Shield Promise, families who might otherwise be unable to afford specialized youth therapy can access it at no cost or low cost. Your child's mental health should never have to wait because of financial barriers, and at Alba Wellness Group, it does not have to.
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Trauma does not always announce itself. It can show up as anxiety that will not quiet, anger that feels disproportionate, relationships that keep following the same painful pattern, or a persistent sense that something is not right even when everything looks fine on the surface. At Alba Wellness Group, we specialize in helping clients identify, understand, and heal from trauma, whether it stems from a single event or a lifetime of accumulated experiences.
Patricia Alba, LCSW, founded this practice with a deep conviction that sometimes we must look backward to move forward. Her clinical approach integrates EMDR, a therapy specifically designed to help the brain process and resolve traumatic memories, alongside IFS, DBT, and psychodynamic therapy. This range of evidence-based tools means that your therapist can meet you where you are and adapt treatment as your needs evolve. For clients in Panorama City and Lancaster who may have had previous therapy experiences that felt surface-level or ineffective, this depth of clinical training makes a meaningful difference.
Trauma-informed care also means that every aspect of your experience at Alba Wellness Group, from the way our office feels when you walk in to the way your therapist communicates with you, is designed to prioritize your safety, autonomy, and dignity. We understand that seeking help after trauma requires courage, and we honor that courage by providing a therapeutic environment where you are never pressured, never judged, and always respected. With your Blue Shield Promise coverage, this specialized level of care is accessible to you at no cost or low cost, removing one more barrier between you and the healing you deserve.
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Access to mental health care should not require a two-hour commute. Alba Wellness Group operates two offices specifically positioned to serve communities in Los Angeles County that have historically faced significant gaps in behavioral health services. Our Panorama City office at 14500 Roscoe Blvd., Suite 400, serves the San Fernando Valley, including North Hills, Sylmar, Van Nuys, and surrounding neighborhoods. Our Lancaster office at 1601 West Avenue J, Suite 103, serves the Antelope Valley, including Palmdale and the wider high desert region.
For Blue Shield Promise members, having a local therapist who actually accepts your insurance and is actively taking new clients can feel like finding a needle in a haystack. Large provider directories often list offices that are no longer accepting Medi-Cal managed care plans or that have waitlists extending months into the future. Alba Wellness Group is different. We are rooted in the communities we serve, our doors are open, and our team is committed to connecting you with care as quickly as possible.
Being local also means that our clinicians understand the specific stressors and strengths of the communities around us. We know what families in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley are dealing with on a daily basis, and that context informs the way we approach therapy. You are not just a name on a caseload, you are a neighbor, and we treat you with the familiarity, respect, and investment that comes with genuine community connection.
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Understanding what your Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan covers for mental health services can be confusing, and that confusion stops too many people from ever picking up the phone. At Alba Wellness Group, we do not leave you to figure it out alone. When you contact our office, our team will walk you through the process of verifying your coverage, explain what behavioral health services are included in your plan, and answer your questions about copays, session limits, referrals, and anything else that feels unclear.
Medi-Cal managed care plans like Blue Shield Promise are designed to provide comprehensive mental health coverage, including individual therapy, family-involved sessions, and treatment for conditions like anxiety, depression, trauma, and grief. However, many members do not realize the full scope of what is available to them simply because no one has taken the time to explain it. Our administrative team is experienced in working with Medi-Cal plans and is here to ensure that you can access every benefit you are entitled to without unnecessary bureaucratic frustration.
This commitment to accessibility extends to every part of your experience with us. We know that for many Medi-Cal members, past interactions with healthcare systems have felt impersonal, rushed, or dismissive. We are intentional about creating a different experience, one where you feel respected from your very first call, where your questions are welcomed, and where the administrative side of care is handled with the same warmth and professionalism as the clinical side. Your insurance is your right, and we help you use it.
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Alba Wellness Group was founded on a simple but powerful idea: everyone deserves to belong. That founding principle is not just a tagline; it shapes who we hire, how we train our clinicians, and the way we engage with every person who walks through our doors. We serve a diverse range of clients across age, ethnicity, language, gender identity, sexual orientation, and life experience, and we are committed to ensuring that every individual and family feels seen, valued, and affirmed in therapy.
In communities as diverse as the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley, culturally responsive care is not optional; it is essential. A therapist who does not understand or respect your cultural background, family dynamics, or lived experience cannot effectively support your healing. Our clinicians approach each client with cultural humility, meaning we do not assume we know your story before you tell it. We listen, we learn, and we adjust our therapeutic approach to honor the context that makes you who you are.
This commitment is especially important for Medi-Cal members, who are disproportionately from communities that have been marginalized by traditional mental health systems. At Alba Wellness Group, we actively work to dismantle those barriers, not just financial barriers, but the emotional and cultural barriers that can make therapy feel like a space where you do not belong. Here, you belong. Your identity is not a footnote in your treatment plan, it is a central part of your healing, and we hold it with care.
Our Services
Anxiety and Depression Therapy
Persistent anxiety and depression can affect every part of your life, your sleep, your relationships, your ability to work or go to school, and your sense of hope. Our therapists use evidence-based approaches including DBT and psychodynamic therapy to help you understand the root causes of your symptoms, develop practical coping strategies, and rebuild a life that feels meaningful and manageable. Available for adults, teens, and children at both our Panorama City and Lancaster offices.
EMDR and Trauma Therapy
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a highly effective therapy for processing traumatic memories and reducing their emotional charge. Combined with our broader trauma-informed clinical approach, EMDR helps clients move past experiences that have kept them stuck, whether from childhood, relationships, violence, loss, or other painful events. Our clinicians have specialized training and years of experience delivering trauma-focused care to diverse populations across Los Angeles County.
Teen Therapy
Adolescence brings unique challenges, identity formation, peer pressure, academic stress, family conflict, and increasing exposure to social media and societal pressures. Our teen therapy services create a confidential, nonjudgmental space where teenagers can explore what they are feeling, build emotional skills, and develop a stronger sense of self. We specialize in supporting teens through anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, and identity exploration.
Child Therapy (Ages 5-12)
Children express emotional distress differently than adults, often through behavior, play, and physical symptoms rather than words. Our child therapists are trained to meet young clients at their developmental level, using age-appropriate techniques to help them process difficult emotions, build resilience, and develop healthy coping skills. We work collaboratively with parents and caregivers to ensure lasting impact beyond the therapy room.
Grief and Loss Counseling
Grief does not follow a timeline, and there is no single right way to mourn. Whether you have lost a loved one, a relationship, a sense of safety, or a version of yourself, our therapists provide compassionate space to process your loss without pressure or judgment. We help clients honor their grief while building the resilience and connections needed to move forward at their own pace.
Our Process
Step 1
Contact Our Office to Get Started
Reach out to Alba Wellness Group by phone at (818) 741-2906 or by email at info@albawellnessgroup.com. Let us know that you are a Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan member and that you are interested in therapy. Our team will answer your initial questions, learn a bit about what you are looking for, and guide you to the next step. This first conversation is designed to be easy, pressure-free, and welcoming, we know that making this call can be the hardest part, and we honor the courage it takes. Expect this initial contact to take about ten to fifteen minutes.
Step 2
Verify Your Blue Shield Promise Coverage
Our administrative team will verify your Blue Shield Promise Medi-Cal benefits and confirm what therapy services are covered under your plan. We handle the insurance details so you do not have to spend hours on hold with your health plan. We will let you know about any copay requirements, covered session types, and anything else you need to understand before your first appointment. This process typically takes one to three business days, and we will keep you informed throughout.
Step 3
Schedule Your First Appointment
Once your coverage is confirmed, we will schedule your initial therapy session at the office location most convenient for you, either Panorama City in the San Fernando Valley or Lancaster in the Antelope Valley. We will match you with a therapist whose expertise aligns with your needs and goals. We do our best to offer appointment times that work with your schedule, including considerations for work, school, and family responsibilities.
Step 4
Begin Your Healing Journey
At your first session, your therapist will take time to get to know you, understand your goals, and begin developing a personalized treatment plan. There is no pressure to share more than you are ready to share. This is your space, and your therapist will move at your pace. Over time, you will work together to address the challenges that brought you in, whether that is anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, or something else entirely, and build toward the life you want.
Our Approach
At the heart of Alba Wellness Group is a clinical philosophy rooted in the belief that healing happens in relationship: the relationship between therapist and client, between individuals and their communities, and between a person and their own story.
Our founder, Patricia Alba, LCSW, built this practice on the understanding that lasting change requires more than symptom management. It requires a safe space where people can explore the deeper patterns, experiences, and beliefs that shape their lives, and where they can be met with genuine compassion and clinical expertise at every turn.
Our therapeutic approach integrates multiple evidence-based modalities because no single method works for every person. We draw from EMDR to help the brain process and resolve traumatic memories. We use DBT to build practical skills for managing intense emotions and improving relationships. We incorporate IFS to help clients understand and heal the different parts of themselves that may be in conflict. And we use psychodynamic therapy to explore how past experiences continue to influence present-day thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This flexibility allows your therapist to adapt treatment to your evolving needs rather than fitting you into a rigid framework.
For the communities we serve in the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley, this integrative approach is especially valuable. Many of our clients carry complex histories that include intergenerational trauma, systemic stressors, and limited prior access to quality mental health care. A surface-level therapeutic approach would not do justice to the depth of their experiences. Our clinicians are trained to hold complexity with skill and compassion, meeting each client exactly where they are and honoring the courage it takes to begin or continue the work of healing.
We are not a high-volume clinic that prioritizes throughput over connection. We are a community-centered practice that invests deeply in every person we serve. Whether you are five or seventy-five, whether this is your first time in therapy or your tenth, we bring the same level of dedication, clinical rigor, and warmth to your care. That is the Alba difference, and it is available to every Blue Shield Promise member who walks through our doors.
Patricia Alba, LSCW
Owner, Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Frequently Asked Questions
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Yes. Alba Wellness Group accepts the Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan, which is a Medi-Cal managed care plan in Los Angeles County. We provide individual therapy, teen therapy, and child therapy (ages five and older) to members enrolled in this plan. Contact our office at (818) 741-2906 to verify your specific coverage and schedule an appointment at our Panorama City or Lancaster location.
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Most Medi-Cal members pay little to no cost for covered behavioral health services, including therapy. When you contact our office, we will verify your Blue Shield Promise benefits and let you know if there are any copay requirements before your first session. Our goal is to remove financial barriers so you can focus entirely on your mental health and healing.
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We offer individual therapy for adults, teen therapy, and child therapy for ages five through twelve. Our clinical specialties include anxiety, depression, EMDR and trauma therapy, and grief and loss counseling. Our therapists use evidence-based approaches including EMDR, DBT, IFS, and psychodynamic therapy, and we tailor every treatment plan to the individual client's needs and goals.
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Call us at (818) 741-2906 or email info@albawellnessgroup.com. Let us know you are a Blue Shield Promise member and tell us a little about what you are looking for. Our team will verify your coverage, match you with an appropriate therapist, and schedule your first session at either our Panorama City or Lancaster office. The process is straightforward, and we are here to guide you through every step.
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We have two offices in Los Angeles County. Our San Fernando Valley office is located at 14500 Roscoe Blvd., Suite 400, Panorama City, CA 91402, serving surrounding communities including North Hills, Sylmar, and Van Nuys. Our Antelope Valley office is at 1601 West Avenue J, Suite 103, Lancaster, CA 93534, serving Lancaster, Palmdale, and the greater high desert area. Call us to determine which location is most convenient for you.
Your Healing Starts Here
Contact Alba Wellness Group to confirm your Blue Shield Promise coverage and book your first session.
