Helpful therapy is practical, compassionate, and grounded in research. At Cura Mind and Wellness, patients in Riverside, CA receive individual psychotherapy that blends proven methods with real world tools. Care is led by Vivian Emuobe, MSN, BSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC, a board certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner licensed in California, with inpatient and outpatient leadership experience. Sessions are available in person in Riverside, and by secure telehealth across California for visits that do not require in office services.
Every plan is individualized, measured, and designed for your life in the Inland Empire.
Note for California, TMS is not offered at the Riverside office. If advanced in person options are clinically appropriate, we discuss alternatives and provide trusted referrals.
Who we help
- Students and trainees balancing classes, rotations, and exam stress,
- Professionals managing deadlines, commutes, and leadership demands,
- Parents and caregivers seeking steadier routines and communication,
- Individuals processing trauma, loss, identity, or major transitions,
- People who want culturally sensitive, stigma free care that respects their values.
We treat anxiety, depression, panic, PTSD, OCD, ADHD related challenges, bipolar spectrum conditions, insomnia, adjustment difficulties, and co occurring concerns. If a higher level of care is needed, we coordinate referrals promptly.
Therapies we use, matched to your goals
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, CBT
Identify thought patterns, test predictions, and practice behavior changes that reduce symptoms and improve function.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills, DBT skills
Emotion regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness taught in actionable steps.
Exposure and Response Prevention, ERP
Collaborative, graded exposure for OCD and anxiety, paired with response prevention to reduce rituals and avoidance.
Trauma informed care
Paced work that prioritizes safety, stabilization, and skills for hyperarousal and dissociation, with careful attention to boundaries and consent.
Behavioral Activation
Structured activity scheduling that rebuilds motivation and meaning during depression.
CBT for Insomnia, CBT-I
Stimulus control, consistent wake times, wind down routines, and light timing to restore sleep quality.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy elements
Values clarification, mindful defusion, and committed action to create momentum even when thoughts are sticky.
Telehealth that fits Riverside life
Therapy works best when attendance is consistent. Telehealth makes that possible across the Inland Empire.
- Riverside, Corona, Moreno Valley, San Bernardino, avoid traffic and parking,
- UC Riverside students, schedule sessions around labs and exams,
- Healthcare and logistics workers, align sessions with rotating shifts,
- Families, keep routines intact without long drives.
All virtual visits are encrypted, HIPAA compliant, and never recorded. For telehealth, you must be physically in California.
Riverside specific strategies that actually help
We design tools that survive real weeks, long drives on the 91 or 60, variable shifts, heat, and busy households.
- Commute rituals, brief breathing cycles at red lights, safe voice notes for to dos, grounding playlists,
- Presentation loop, outline, rehearse, recover, a simple three step structure for meetings and talks,
- Sleep anchors, consistent wake time, caffeine timing, and morning light to stabilize energy,
- Exam structure, short focused blocks, planned recovery, and reward scheduling that prevents burnout,
- Boundary scripts, clear phrases for email, meetings, and workload limits that protect focus and relationships.
Therapy plus medication, one integrated plan
Many patients benefit from both therapy and medication. Because psychotherapy and psychopharmacology are offered within the same practice, you avoid fragmentation and mixed messages. Examples include:
- CBT for anxiety combined with an SSRI when appropriate,
- ERP for OCD with dose adjustments to support exposure work,
- DBT skills alongside mood stabilizer optimization in bipolar depression,
- CBT-I while timing existing medications to protect sleep.
When prior medications caused side effects or limited benefit, we can coordinate gene testing to inform safer choices. Results guide decisions, they do not replace clinical judgment.
What progress looks like in everyday life
- Less dread at the start of the day,
- Fewer avoidant choices, faster recovery after spikes,
- Better focus at work or school, more completed tasks,
- Clearer communication and healthier boundaries,
- Improved sleep continuity and steadier morning energy,
- A plan that still works when the week is not perfect.
We track symptom scales, exposure steps completed, sleep windows, task initiation time, and quality of life markers such as participation and enjoyment.
A 10 to 12 week roadmap
- Weeks 1 to 2, clarify and commit: Evaluation, goals, first skills, sleep and stress anchors, written plan.
- Weeks 3 to 4, activate: Behavioral activation, CBT thought records, initial exposure items, short check ins on progress.
- Weeks 5 to 6, expand: DBT emotion regulation and distress tolerance, ERP steps move from easier to moderate, adjustments guided by data.
- Weeks 7 to 8, consolidate: Skills become habits, with troubleshooting for high risk times, travel, interviews, and exam weeks.
- Weeks 9 to 12, maintain: Relapse prevention, early warning signs, reset steps, tapered visit schedule as gains hold.
What a first course of therapy looks like
- Session 1, map and focus: We review history, stressors, sleep, medical contributors, strengths, and goals. You leave with two small practices and a written plan.
- Session 2, build skills: We introduce CBT, DBT skills, or ERP steps, and select micro actions under ten minutes to create quick wins.
- Session 3, refine: We remove friction, adjust the plan, and add one targeted challenge. If medication is part of care, early effects and safety are reviewed.
- Ongoing sessions: Weekly or biweekly meetings deepen skills, expand exposure ladders, and align routines with goals. As symptoms improve, we taper to maintenance with relapse prevention.
Privacy, documentation, and collaboration
With your written consent, we coordinate with primary care, existing therapists, schools, or workplaces. Updates are concise, diagnosis, current plan, medication list if applicable. If documentation for accommodations is appropriate, we provide clear, professional language that reflects clinical findings and California requirements. All sessions are encrypted, HIPAA compliant, and never recorded.
What we do not do
- One size fits all plans,
- Pressure to choose a specific treatment path,
- Overreliance on sedating medications without reassessment,
- Promises of instant results. We focus on steady, sustainable change.
If you are ever in immediate danger, seek emergency care right away. For non urgent issues, use the portal for brief questions and scheduling.
FAQs, Psychotherapy in Riverside, CA
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Yes. Outcomes are comparable to in person care when sessions are consistent and methods are evidence based.
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Our focus is individual therapy. When family participation supports your goals, we can include brief joint sessions or coordinate referrals.
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Typically forty five to sixty minutes. Frequency is weekly or biweekly at first, then tapers as progress holds.
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Yes. Many patients begin with therapy alone. When medication could help, we discuss options and make a shared decision.
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Yes. We use ERP for OCD and exposure based CBT for panic, with stepwise plans you can practice between visits.
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Yes. All appointments are encrypted, HIPAA compliant, and not recorded. Choose a quiet, private space and consider headphones.
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No. TMS is not offered at the Riverside office. If appropriate, we provide referrals to trusted local resources.
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Yes. Every evaluation ends with a documented plan that includes goals, session focus, practices between visits, and follow up timing.
Start therapy that fits Riverside life
With in person sessions in Riverside and telehealth across California, Cura Mind and Wellness delivers psychotherapy that is compassionate, practical, and measurable. You will leave each visit knowing what to practice, how to track progress, and when to level up.