DAWN SESTA

Dawn Sesta, M.S., AMFT is a Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT 164242) practicing under the supervision of Ashley Wendt, M.A., LMFT (LMFT 128374). She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and completed her Master of Science (M.S.) in Marriage and Family Therapy at the University of Southern California.

 Dawn has experience working with adults navigating addiction, anxiety, depression, personality and attachment-related difficulties, complex trauma, early childhood adverse experiences, sex and love addiction and dysregulation, the interaction of sex and substance use, grief and complex loss, LGBTQIA+ concerns, neurodiversity and executive functioning difficulties, and issues related to identity, autonomy, and self-discovery. Dawn’s previous experience as a preschool teacher allows her to easily connect with and work with children and adolescents presenting with a range of concerns. Prior to joining PBA, Dawn received psychodynamic and relationally focused clinical training in residential treatment settings, working with diverse populations. Her clinical training has also included facilitating psychoeducational and process-oriented groups.

Dawn is particularly interested in the intersections of gender, sexuality, identity, embodiment, and relationships. She is passionate about creating space for clients to explore questions of who they are, how they have learned to understand themselves, and how cultural and relational expectations may have influenced their beliefs about themselves and the larger world. She works with her clients to root out and challenge unconscious limiting beliefs, while imagining and growing a more expansive, joyful, and intentional life.

Dawn believes meaningful growth occurs through relationship and connection. She prioritizes developing a strong and supportive therapeutic alliance as the foundation for depth-focused work. Her approach is client-centered, psychodynamic, relational, and informed by feminist and social justice perspectives. She recognizes that while each person has their own individual experience, we are also shaped by our families, relationships, environments, and broader social and cultural contexts. She therefore seeks to understand clients within the full, dynamic picture of their identities and experiences.

Dawn strives to create an accepting and non-judgmental space where clients can explore deeply who they are, who they have been, and who they want to be. She aims to help clients feel empowered to think and feel deeply, discover and question unconscious beliefs, grieve loss, and develop a greater sense of self-understanding and personal agency. She walks alongside her clients as they work toward greater authenticity, inner harmony, and meaningful connection.