Problem-solving therapy · Los Angeles
When the problem is partly the world, not just you.
PST is brief, structured, and especially good for late-life challenges where the trouble is partly external — caregiving, illness, finances, role change. We work the practical knot and the emotional knot together.
What problem-solving therapy is
Six to ten sessions. Structured. Real.
Problem-solving therapy — PST for short — is a brief, structured talk therapy. It usually runs six to ten sessions. The shape is straightforward: we pick a real problem you're facing, look at it carefully together, generate options, weigh them, try one, and see what happened. Then we pick the next problem, or we go deeper into the same one.
What makes it work isn't the framework — frameworks are everywhere — but the room around the framework. PST takes the emotional weight seriously. Caregiving for a spouse with dementia isn't just a logistics problem. A new cancer diagnosis isn't just a treatment-planning problem. The grief, the fear, the role-shift — they're in the room too. We work both.
PST has particularly strong research support in older adults, especially for late-life depression that's connected to real-world stressors. It's one of the evidence-based therapies the field consistently recommends for this age group.
What a session looks like
A working hour with a clear shape.
Look at the week
The first ten minutes. We check in on whatever you tried last session, what worked, what didn't, and how it sat with you emotionally. No judgment about partial follow-through — that's data, not failure.
Define and explore
About forty minutes. We pick a specific problem — small enough to actually act on — define it carefully, name the feelings tangled in it, and brainstorm options. We weigh them together. You choose the one to try.
Plan and book
The last ten minutes. We make the plan concrete — when, where, who's involved. We anticipate what could derail it. Book the next session. Done.
What it can help with
Where PST fits especially well.
Life transitions
Retirement, an empty house, a new caregiving role, a move you didn't plan to make. PST helps you act, while honoring what's hard.
Chronic illness adjustment
Living with a diagnosis brings a thousand small problems. PST is a way through them — practical and emotional in the same hour.
Late-life depression
When the depression is tangled with real-world losses or stressors, PST has particularly strong evidence in this age group.
"I came in feeling stuck. Three sessions later I had a plan I could actually do. Six sessions later I was sleeping. The therapy didn't fix my husband's diagnosis. It changed the shape of how I lived alongside it."
Common questions
About problem-solving therapy.
What is problem-solving therapy?
PST is a brief, structured talk therapy — usually six to ten sessions. It pairs a practical problem-solving framework (define the problem, generate options, weigh them, pick one, try it, look at what happened) with the emotional knot that often comes with the problem itself.
Who is PST for?
It's especially well-suited to older adults dealing with situations where the problem is at least partly external — caregiving for a spouse, a new diagnosis, a financial squeeze, retirement, a role change, a family crisis. The world handed you something real, and the feelings about it are tangled with the practical.
How is it different from CBT?
CBT focuses more on the thought patterns that get stuck. PST focuses more on the situation in front of you and the steps for working through it — while still making space for the emotional weight. Many clients benefit from a blend; we choose with you.
Does it work for late-life depression?
Yes — PST has strong research support for late-life depression, especially when the depression is connected to real-life stressors. It's one of the recommended evidence-based treatments for older adults.
Is it covered by Medicare?
Yes. Medicare Part B and most Medicare Advantage plans cover outpatient psychotherapy with licensed clinicians. We'll verify your benefits before your first session — call (626) 354-6440.
If you're carrying a real problem and a real feeling.
PST is one of the better tools we have for the kind of trouble that doesn't fit neatly into "thoughts" or "feelings" — the kind where the world has handed you something heavy.