You find yourself thinking that your communication with others is not taking you anywhere.

You believe you deserve the respect that you offer and want to talk honestly and openly and be heard.

You have skills that need polishing in order to be the best you can be.

You have suffered in your life and no one seems to understand.

Everyone has different reasons to seek help. My name is Norma Oshita-Arras and I would like to tell you that I can help. Whether you’re looking for support in decisions that you are planning on making, or have suffered from anxiety, stress, or depression for a long time, you can call me.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about my practice. I am a Marriage and Family Therapist Intern working in the Palm Springs and La Quinta areas. I am part of a private practice and work mostly with adults with the following issues: relationships, marital problems, pre-marital preparation, depression, anxiety, sexual abuse, general life issues, acculturation, and immigration. I am happy to integrate distinct modalities depending on the problem being addressed, but also have an understanding of today’s fast paced lifestyle and I primarily prefer to work focused on a solution. My professional history extends from working with emotionally disturbed young teens, substance use, domestic violence, and multicultural populations.

I work in conjunction with other professional agencies to provide you with the best possible options. I consistently offer the desert community with opportunities to learn through public service segments on television. Through this medium the community learns about the therapeutic process as well as new developments in the world of mental health.

About Relationships

Continuing to grow in any type of relationship is the ultimate goal of any healthy human. Feeling stuck, although common, it is not healthy if the feeling is prolonged. In couple relationships this stagnation can lead to more serious problems, including separation, divorce, and infidelity.

Often times relationship issues are rooted in maladaptive experiences we developed early in our development. Therefore, in is imperative to learn what those inadequate behaviors and thoughts are, in order to modify them and replace them with new, healthy experiences and expectations.

If you are in a relationship or want to learn more about building a healthy bond with another human being, I would like to invite you to contact me and learn about the opportunities I have developed for you. There is more than one way to grow and I offer individual help, as well as, couples, and family services.

You don't have to feel the pressured to be something you are not for someone else, you simply have to smooth the skills you already have, and I can help.

Las Relaciones Personales

Continuar el crecimiento en cualquier relación llega a ser la meta principal de cualquier persona. El sentirse atrapado/a, aunque que es común, no es saludable si el sentimiento se prolonga. En relaciones de pareja, el estancamiento puede llevar a la persona a problemas mayores, que incluyen separación, divorcio, e infidelidad.

Seguido, problemas de relaciones están enraizados en experiencias mal adaptadas en las que estuvimos expuestos durante nuestro desarrollo infantil. Por lo cual, el aprendizaje de nuevos comportamientos y la modificación de ciertos pensamientos añadidos a nuestras experiencias, pueden aumentar las relaciones y expectativas saludables.

Si te encuentras en una relación o quieres aprender más acerca de cómo construir una conexión saludable con otro ser humano, me gustaría invitarte a que te comuniques conmigo y aprendas de las oportunidades que he desarrollado para ti. Existen más de una forma de como crecer y yo ofrezco ayuda individual, igual como en pareja y servicios en grupo o familia.

Tú no te tienes que sentir presionado/a por ser alguien quien no eres tan solo para agradar a alguien más. Tan solo tenemos que pulir las habilidades que ya tienes, y yo puedo ayudar.

About Letters, Reports, and Evaluations

Considering the diversity of the population in our community, I have developed programs that advocate for the needs of my clients. Some clients seek assistance when they are experiencing legal issues, whether it is divorce, domestic violence, immigration, or other. Oftentimes through the process they may need a report, a letter, or evaluations, which depending on the individual circumstances I could assist. However, the client must maintain knowledge of the confidentiality bridge that these reports could pose. However, none of the information disclosed would go without client signed authorization.

An evaluation for immigration purposes involves a complete examination of the applicant's background and their present state of function.  This examination takes one-and-one-half to two hours to complete.

I would make note of the applicant's behavior during the interview, in addition to noting consistency or discrepancy between how the patient describes him/herself and their demeanor.  Culture and ethnicity are taken into consideration when evaluating the level of the effects of the hardship.

Once a diagnosis is formulated, and the hardship or effects of the precipitating event information has been gathered, the customized assessment, including comments relevant to the issues at hand, is reported. If further referrals are needed, the applicant will be given options for further assistance. The immigration evaluation report will be provided to the attorney or legal representative of the applicant's choice. Please call me with any questions in regards to assessment fees.

Tomando en cuenta la diversidad de la población en nuestra comunidad, he desarrollado programas que abogan por las necesidades de mis clientes. Algunos clientes buscan asistencia cuando están experimentando problemas legales; ya sean divorcios, violencia domestica, inmigración, y otros. Seguido, por naturaleza del proceso las personas necesitan un reporte, carta o evaluación del terapeuta, el cual dependiendo en la situación se le podrá ayudar. Por aviso se da a saber que ninguna información confidencial será otorgada sin la firma de consentimiento.

Una evaluación para propósitos de inmigración requiere una examinación completa del historial del cliente y su funcionamiento al tanto. Esta examinación se toma de una hora y media a dos horas para completar. En estas evaluaciones yo tomo nota del comportamiento de la persona a través de una entrevista además de notar diferencias o cambios en la forma de describirse. La cultura y etnicidad se toman en cuenta cuando se esta evaluando el nivel de danos que se estén tratado de reportar.

Si una diagnosis es formulada, y al daño sufrido o los efectos de los eventos informados ya se han juntado, una evaluación con comentarios relevante a los problemas discutidos serán reportados. Si existe la necesidad de obtener referencias para ayuda continua se le darán opciones al aplícate. La evaluación será otorgada al abogado o representante legal del aplícate. Por favor llame con cualquier pregunta referente y para información sobre los costos de estas evaluaciones.