Cindy Hedlin Therapy is based in Santa Cruz, California, offering online and in-person therapy for children, teens, parents, and families throughout California — as well as adult individuals who are ready to heal wounds and rediscover gifts from their own childhood.

Cindy Hedlin, a therapist of Mexican and Japanese heritage, smiles toward the camera, wearing a light-pink sweater. Her brown hair is wavy and flows over her shoulders. She is standing outdoors, with several green trees behind her.

Hi! My name is Cindy Hedlin (she/her), and I’m a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) based in Santa Cruz, California.

My passion is empowering children, teenagers, families, and adult individuals using my training as a play therapist and mental health therapist. For over 10 years, I have been using the therapeutic power of Play Therapy to help children and their families overcome challenges such as:

  • Anxiety and phobias, depression, or ADHD

  • Parental divorce or separation

  • Sensory differences

  • Adjusting to challenging situations

  • Trauma

  • Reducing disruptive behaviors

  • Building healthy social skills

  • Emotional regulation

  • Learning disabilities

  • Helping children and parents be the best versions of themselves

I genuinely believe in the power of play and love working with individuals and families in a warm, collaborative, and strengths-based way to improve relationships and help you feel more connected and at peace.

Is your child struggling at home or in school? Is your child experiencing anxiety and depression or adjusting to a big life transition, like a parental divorce or separation?

Are you having a hard time understanding what you or your child are going through emotionally?

Do you need support to help your child — or yourself — thrive?

This image shows a close-up of a feminine person sitting cross-legged near a widow ledge. They wrap their arms around their crossed legs, in a self embrace.

Sometimes these kinds of struggles may be a temporary worry related to the natural growing pains that are part of every child's development. They can also be related to a specific event in the child or teenager’s life – such as divorce – or the beginning of a deeper issue. I understand the emotional stress a family experiences when a child is struggling.

Anxiety, depression, and life transitions can feel isolating for adults as well as children, but together we will create a safe, nonjudgmental space for you to feel comfortable working on your unique goals, needs, and challenges. My process is collaborative, with you at the center, so you will never feel alone on this journey.

If you’re a parent who is concerned about your child or teen’s mental health, social skills, or development – or you’re an adult who wants to heal your own inner child – I'm here to help with online and in-person therapy that is integrative, collaborative, and individualized for your unique needs. Explore some ways I can help:

A young, Black child plays with several brightly-colored wooden models, laid out on the table in front of her. She smiles brightly past the camera, holding a figurine in each hand.

I provide play therapy to children aged 3 and older, generally for weekly 45-50 minute sessions. I work closely with parents, as you are the key to your child’s wellbeing. Parents see me as an ally and collaborator in the treatment of their children. Working with me, you will feel supported and understood.

A feminine-presenting teens sits on a couch, wearing over-the-ear headphones, with a cord attached to a laptop next to them on the couch. They look at the screen intently.

Are you a parent interested in therapy for your teen or tween? Adolescence in and of itself can be a difficult time, but today’s teens face unique challenges. Being a teen today can mean pressure and expectations from school, social media, friends, or sometimes family. If you feel your teen needs a safe haven while they venture into uncharted waters, therapy may be a good start.

A diverse group of young children in brightly-colored clothes run, jump, play, and laugh together, framed by a white wall behind them.

Social and emotional skill groups are offered to children who face challenges socializing. Appropriate participants include children with high-functioning Autism, social anxiety, or anyone who is experiencing difficulties relating with their peers. Highly sensitive children and any sensory processing or sensory integration challenges would benefit from this group.

A diverse group of adults sit on a wooden patio around a central table where papers and a laptop sit. The adults appear to be in conversation with each other, some talking, some smiling and laughing.

Do you have a highly anxious or sensitive child? I will be offering a group for parents who want to support their anxious child and avoid accommodating behaviors that make anxiety worse. Join other parents and caregivers to share concerns and strategies, and feel supported in parenting a child with anxiety.

A mother and daughter lay on their stomachs in bed, each of their legs crossed at the ankle in the air behind them. The mother scrolls on a laptop, looking over her shoulder at her daughter, who smiles back.

I believe that parents are the true experts on their children. In addition to supporting your child, I’m here to support you, too. Through our consultations, I’ll help you cultivate your strengths, skills, and inner child to continue your child’s growth and healing at home.

A young woman of color sits at a table with a laptop open in front of her. She smiles down at a notebook next to the laptop, which she is writing in.

Through insight, art, and play, I’m here to support you as you navigate your way towards the life you want. My goal is for you to feel confident, more accepting of yourself, and empowered to address the challenges that may come your way, so you can live a life that brings you joy!

Reach out today to get started on your family’s journey with a free, no-obligation consultation.

I’m here to help.