Meet Our Counselors & Staff

Support Where You Need It Most: All Sessions Offered via Telehealth

Helping you Heal, Restore Balance to your life and find Joy by using your Faith and Values

Are you worried about asking a stranger for help? Well don’t be. It’s no mistake that you’re here today. We know sometimes it can be scary, but that’s why we're here. To offer you support and help when you need it most. Being in crisis can be overwhelming, whether it's your marriage, your kids, you job, your relationships. You can feel lost and alone, with no one who understands how your faith impacts your life. But you're not. We share your values, your faith and desire to see how your spiritual life applies to your situation. We are here to listen to you, without judging you, or your situation. To offer care, concern and empathy for you and your relationships. We are not here to “fix” you or tell you what you need to do. We are simply here to help you figure things out and, if appropriate, offer advice, or an alternative opinion. We are all active in our communities, our churches and faith! Let us help you to successfully travel through this current storm. We believe your life can get better with faith and support. We are not affiliated with any particular religious group or denomination. We are not here to preach or convert anyone. You don’t have to be a Christian to receive services and you don’t have to become a Christian to benefit from services offered. You’re here because you want counseling that combines your spiritual values and therapy to bring comfort, healing, and restoration to your life so Let's TALK!! Call today:

(760) 490-0109 for your free 10 minute, confidential consultation. Or email us Info@HdChristiancounseling.com

Dr. Nyshia Johnson, PSYD, LCSW, CAMF

My goal is to provide you with comfort, hope and healing in times of confusion and pain. I am committed to helping you, your relationship, your marriage and your family, in your time of need by bringing you to a place of peace and understanding. I have over 14 years experience and I specialize in improving relationships, anxiety disorders, mood disorders, PTSD/Trauma and depression. I am a Clinical Psychologist, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Anger Management Facilitator, Symbis Assessment Premarital Counseling Facilitator and Parenting Instructor. I understand medication management and have worked for years with both psychiatrists and physicians. I can assist you with understanding your emotions, communicating with others and learning positive coping skills that can help you either avoid, decrease or eliminate the need for psychotropic medication (depending on your diagnosis). I have the expertise to support you and the ability to teach you the skills you need to grow to the person you desire to be. I am also a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors and am able to fully integrate your Christian faith into your mental health treatment.

Education: Doctor of Psychology (Clinical), California Southern University: June 2021 Master of Social Work, California State Long Beach: May 2006
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, UC Riverside: December 2000

Licensure
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, California: LCS 27853

Dr. Jeffrey Leach, PhD, Pastor, Counseling Minister

My passion is bringing the healing and restoration of God into your life, your family and your situation. I do this by offering a comforting & reassuring environment, as well as, embracing you as a whole person. I am able to identify spiritual needs of my clients and help them discover the source(s) of their hurt, pain and confusion. I gently work with you to address these issues, as well as provide practical tools, so that you can begin the road to healing and enjoying your life. Even those wounds that have damaged your faith, your connection to God, we can heal and bring you to a place of peace in your relationship with Him. My sensible, scriptural approach to avoiding and managing such problems and pitfalls delivers practical, usable tools in to the hands of the Christian community.

I provide Pastoral and Spiritual counseling to Christian individuals, families, couples and children with my one desire being to help you through this season of difficulty that you are in. My services at HDCFC are not affiliated with any church to provide you with the utmost privacy and support. I have decades of experience as a Christian school teacher and administrator, pastor, Christian counselor and CEO of a Christian food bank, which gives me a unique perspective on the variety and complexity of the challenges facing today's Christian. My work in ministry has brought comfort and encouragement to the body of Christ. I have traveled to 16 countries and across the United States conducting seminars on Inner Healing, Deliverance, Healing from Pre-Birth Trauma and Spiritual Burn Out. Operating in the apostolic and prophetic through the power of Jesus Christ. All that I do is based on scripture and biblical truth.

JENNIFER POCHUE, ACSW

As an Associate Clinical Social Worker, it is my utmost commitment to help you and your loved ones identify, unpack, and find hope with mental health challenges. I am here to listen without judgement and provide a therapeutic and compassionate environment that enables and empowers you to live life better. As part of my training, I worked as an EAP Intervention Specialist, supporting first responders and others in their time of crisis. In addition, I am knowledgeable in internet-type and technology based mental health conditions that affect not only users, but their family members and loved ones. I also have over 10 years’ worth of study and practice in the technology space. Some of my specialty areas include social media addictions and related compulsions, poor self-esteem, sleep-disorders, and stress-disorders. I can assist you in alleviating stress, mood, and sleep disorders, while identifying coping strategies and developing positive health and relationship outcomes.

Education: Master of Social Work, Fordham University: May 2022
Bachelor of Arts, Sociology, UCLA: June 2009

Licensure
Associate Clinical Social Worker, California: ACSW 109977

Lashara Jenkins, ACSW

As an Associate Clinical Social Worker, my objective is to create a safe and protected space for you to be your authentic self. A protected atmosphere where I can support the process of you examining your world in order to make changes that process wellness of spirit body and soul. It is my desire to assist you in loving yourself, those around you and fulfilling your life’s purpose. I have been trained to utilize a holistic, strengths based approach that integrates motivational interviewing, mindfulness, cognitive behavioral and solution focused modalities, to create a client centered approach to therapy. I have experience working with teens and adults in crisis intervention across all stages of life, as well as, refined experience working with clients within the Service member, Veteran and Family (SMVF) community. I specialize in addressing issues ranging from adapting and coping, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, relationship, and growth challenges.

Education: Master of Social Work, Brandman University: August 2021 Bachelor of Arts, Social Science, Brandman University: August 2015

Licensure: Associate Clinical Social Worker, California: ACSW 104960

FAQ: What is a Licensed Therapist, an Associate, and a Trainee?

Licensed therapists have completed their graduate or professional degrees, their required number of supervised clinical hours, and have successfully completed the required exams by the California State Boards that govern their profession.

Associates have completed their graduate or professional degrees, and they are completing the clinical training hours required by the licensing board. All of their clinical work is supervised by licensed therapists, who have been licensed for at least two years.

Trainees have completed at least one year of their graduate or professional program, and are completing the required number of clinical hours needed to complete their degree. All of their clinical work is supervised by licensed therapists, who have been licensed for at least two years.