Rising Stars: Meet Jeremy Robinson of Studio City

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeremy Robinson.

Hi Jeremy, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I am a licensed psychotherapist in New York and California, but I was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley. So, it feels meaningful to now have my in-person office in Studio City. My professional path has been less about abrupt reinvention and more about gradual evolution.

I spent many years in business development and consulting before becoming a psychotherapist. What always interested me most, though, was the human side of the work. I was drawn to understanding motivation, communication, decision-making, and the psychology behind how people engage with the world around them. Looking back, I was studying human behavior long before I formally returned to school.

Eventually, I decided to make a career shift and went back to school as an adult, earning a Bachelor of Science in Human Services and a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology. During my training, I completed internships working with adults at The Maple Counseling Center and with adolescents through Teen Line.

Today, my work blends many of those experiences together. In addition to my private practice, I’ve written on topics related to self-esteem and emotional intelligence, and taught psychology at the undergraduate level. Throughout these moments, I remained deeply interested in how people understand themselves, connect with others, and navigate change. At the core of all of it is a genuine interest in people and the complexity of being human.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One of the biggest challenges was resisting the urge to define myself too narrowly through my profession. I think a lot of people begin to fuse their identity with what they do for work, and that can become problematic. If your entire sense of self is tied to your career, then losing the job, changing directions, or becoming dissatisfied with it can start to feel like losing yourself.

When I transitioned from business development into psychotherapy, I tried to not view it as becoming a completely different person. In many ways, the core interests were always the same. I was still drawn to understanding people, communication, motivation, and behavior. What changed was the function. I simply found a path that felt more personally meaningful and more aligned with how I wanted to contribute.

I also think one of the ongoing challenges in mental health work is helping people reconnect with themselves in a culture that constantly pushes external validation, performance, and productivity. Many people become disconnected from their own internal voice without even realizing it. Part of the work is helping people slow down enough to hear themselves more clearly again.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My work primarily centers around helping people better understand themselves, their emotional patterns, and the ways they relate to the world around them. My clinical foundation is rooted in Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), but my overall approach is highly conversational, practical, and individualized to the person sitting in front of me.

I tend to approach people through both an emotional and behavioral lens. I’ve always been interested in communication, motivation, decision-making, and the stories people unconsciously create about themselves and their lives.

A concept I discuss frequently is the importance of not over-identifying with labels, roles, or temporary emotional states. I work to identify internalized messages, distorted self-talk, and hyperbole because I believe language shapes perception, and perception shapes experience.

In addition to my private practice, I’ve written two books related to self-esteem and emotional intelligence.

What I’m probably most proud of is creating work that feels both thoughtful and accessible. I never wanted therapy to feel performative, overly clinical, or disconnected from real life. I want people to feel understood, challenged when necessary, and able to engage in honest conversations without feeling judged or reduced to a diagnosis.

I think what sets me apart most is that I genuinely enjoy the complexity of people. I’m not interested in forcing individuals into rigid categories or pretending there is a one-size-fits-all answer for being human. Many people come into therapy already viewing themselves as somehow “broken” or in need of fixing. My goal is usually to help people develop greater self-awareness, emotional flexibility, and a healthier relationship with themselves over time so they can navigate life in a more meaningful and fulfilling way.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
I think one of the most important things is learning not to confuse familiarity with fulfillment. Many people stay on a particular path simply because they’ve invested time into it or because they’ve become highly competent at it. There is nothing wrong with commitment or stability, but I also think it’s important to periodically ask yourself whether the life you are building still feels aligned with who you are becoming.

One realization that deeply impacted me was understanding that just because you are good at something does not necessarily mean you have to do it forever. People evolve. Interests evolve. Priorities evolve. Allowing yourself the freedom to grow without viewing change as failure can be incredibly important.

I also think there is value in being curious about people and about yourself. Some of the most meaningful lessons I’ve learned professionally and personally came from listening more carefully, becoming more aware of my own assumptions, and recognizing that human beings are often far more complex than the labels we assign to ourselves and others.

Finally, I would encourage people not to become overly defined by external roles or titles. Careers matter, but they are still functions we perform, not the totality of who we are. The healthier your relationship is with yourself outside of achievement or productivity, the more grounded you tend to remain when life inevitably changes.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jeremyrobinsonmft.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyrobinsonmft/