Today we’d like to introduce you to Netta Halpern.
Hi Netta, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My adult life began forty years ago, when I pursued an Industrial Engineering degree at Ben‑Gurion University in Israel. Although I enjoyed the academic challenge, I knew early on that engineering wasn’t my true calling. I went into the field to prove a point, that girls can also be engineers. ( my “problem” was that I was a good student, otherwise I would have dropped from collage). After immigrating to California with my husband, I worked at McDonnell Douglas Aerospace, later acquired by Boeing.
When I was laid off, it became clear that it was time to search for a direction that aligned with who I truly was.
Fifteen years later, with the right support, I returned to school at Cal State Fullerton to pursue my lifelong dream of becoming a therapist, and I graduate with MS in Counseling.
After graduation, I interned at the Salvation Army Substance Use Residential Treatment Center, an experience that shaped me profoundly. It was the first place where I could clearly see the impact of my work, and it awakened a deep passion for supporting individuals struggling with addiction. I went on to serve in several privately owned treatment centers, eventually managing an Intensive Outpatient (IOP) diversion program for clients battling addiction. Each role strengthened my skills and confirmed that I was exactly where I was meant to be.
What ultimately drew me to counseling was a deep desire to make a real impact on people’s lives. In my faith, there is a saying: “Helping even one person is like saving the entire world.” That belief has guided me for years. It reminded me that meaningful change doesn’t require grand gestures, it begins with one human being truly seeing, supporting, and uplifting another.
My philosophy has always been simple and powerful: God doesn’t make junk. Because of that, I believe therapists don’t “fix” people, we honor them. We treat every person with respect, knowing that everyone has a purpose, even if they haven’t discovered it yet.In a world changing faster than ever , with the impact of COVID, ongoing wars, political division that strains families and communities, and the rise of new technologies like AI, people are carrying more uncertainty, fear, and emotional weight than before. These pressures can shake a person’s sense of identity and belonging.
I feel that my work as a therapist has become even more essential in the last decade. I tried to provide a steady, grounded space where people can reconnect with their strengths, make sense of their experiences, and remember their inherent worth. I tried to help them navigate a world that often feels unstable, offering clarity, compassion, and a reminder that they are not alone. At its core, therapy is about restoring hope and helping people rediscover the purpose that has always been within them.
Today, I have a private practice and hold a dream close to my heart: opening a faith‑based IOP one day. Beyond my professional life, I am a grandmother to five wonderful grandchildren who bring endless joy, and I have been married for forty years to the love of my life, who has stood beside me through every challenge and every triumph.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Nothing about my journey was smooth. Forty years ago, engineering was still a male dominated profession. In my class, we were only two women among 150 men. I often felt judged, as if we were taking the place of male students who “belonged” there more than we did. Still, I pushed through and graduated. But because I had entered engineering mainly to prove that women could do it, it took time, and humility, to admit that it wasn’t truly my path. People who knew me were surprised I chose engineering, and whenever someone doubted me, my automatic response was, “One more person who thinks I can’t do it.”
When I finally accepted that engineering wasn’t for me, I faced a new set of challenges. Some so‑called friends mocked my heavy accent and told me, “You can’t even speak English correctly, how will clients understand you?” English is not my first language, and their comments were painful. But my professors saw something different. They recognized my passion and reminded me that therapy is about connection and the relationship you build with your clients. They were right. In every treatment center I worked in, clients would ask for “the therapist with the funny accent” and that therapist was me.
On top of all this, my husband lost his job in the middle of my schooling. We were struggling to support our three young children, and once again those same “friends” advised me to quit school and return to engineering. But my husband, who understood how deeply meaningful this path was for me, encouraged me to continue. He knew this wasn’t just a profession, it was my calling. Thankfully, I listened to him, and here I am today.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with my own private practice, and my work centers on one core mission: helping clients reach mental independence. I believe therapy should empower people, not create long term dependency. Because of that, I am not keeping them in therapy longer than they need to be. I’m a brief, results‑oriented therapist, and my clients know that when they come to me, we’re going to work with purpose, clarity, and momentum. I don’t hold on to clients for job security, my goal is to give them the tools, clarity, and confidence to move forward on their own.
I specialize in trauma treatment using EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), a highly researched method that helps the brain reprocess painful memories, so they no longer trigger the same emotional reaction. It’s powerful, efficient, and often life‑changing for people who have carried their trauma for years.
But what truly sets my practice apart is the way I blend science with humanity, and a little bit of humor. I love incorporating laughter therapy, which is backed by research showing that laughter reduces stress hormones, boosts mood, and increases emotional resilience. I’ve seen clients shift their entire outlook in a single session. Laughter opens doors that traditional talk therapy sometimes can’t.
Another part of my work that surprises people is that, with the client’s permission, I’m not afraid to invite God into the therapeutic space. I never impose it, but many clients actually ask for it. They want their healing to include their faith, and I honor that. For some, it becomes one of the most meaningful parts of our work together.
My style is solution focused, direct, warm, and infused with personality. I don’t hide behind clinical distance. I show up as a real human being, accent and all, and clients often tell me that my authenticity makes them feel safe enough to be authentic too. Many even request me as “the therapist with the funny accent,” which I take as the highest compliment. It means they feel seen, understood, and comfortable.
What I’m most proud of is the trust people place in me and the transformations I witness every day. I don’t just help clients cope, I help them reclaim their strength, rediscover their humor, and reconnect with the parts of themselves they thought were lost.
What sets me apart is simple: I believe healing should be empowering, efficient, and even joyful. And I bring every part of who I am, my training, my intuition, my resilience, and yes, my laughter, into the room to make that possible.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I’ve learned on my journey is that every person carries wisdom, and if you listen with humility, you can learn something from absolutely everyone. Clients, children, strangers, even the most difficult people, each one has taught me something valuable. I’ve also learned never to miss an opportunity to help. We are all walking through this world together, and even the smallest act of kindness can shift someone’s entire path. In my faith tradition, we say that “whoever saves one soul, it is as if they saved an entire world.” That idea has shaped the way I live and the way I practice. You never know the impact a single moment of compassion can have on someone’s life. This belief keeps me grounded, grateful, and committed to showing up fully for every person who sits across from me.
Contact Info:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nettahalpern/
- Other: nettahalpernlmft@gmail.com
