Gina Mendez, LCSW in Encinitas practices through LifeStance Health's Santa Fe Drive clinic, delivering CBT, DBT, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy across individual and family formats for children through seniors. The clinical model applies evidence-based protocols to depression, anxiety, and trauma while coordinating integrative stress-management referrals with providers including Julien Wellness Clinic for clients addressing co-occurring somatic and psychological symptoms. Specialized population focus includes first responders, military veterans, and LGBTQ+ individuals, with culturally responsive care adapted to the occupational trauma profiles and identity-specific stressors each group faces. Equine-assisted therapy adds a non-verbal, body-based modality to the treatment repertoire, drawing on the animal-human bond to build emotional regulation and relational trust outside the traditional office setting. LifeStance's multidisciplinary model enables internal referrals between therapists, psychologists, and prescribing psychiatrists, while external movement-based rehabilitation coordinates with providers including Active Wellness Physical Therapy for clients whose trauma manifests in chronic musculoskeletal tension. Complex treatment plans involve phased trauma-processing protocols combining CBT cognitive restructuring, DBT distress-tolerance skills training, and equine-facilitated experiential sessions across concurrent therapeutic tracks.