Gina Mendez, Therapist
Gina Mendez helps children, teens, adults, and seniors build stability, insight, and resilience when mental health challenges disrupt daily life. She provides compassionate, clinically grounded therapy to individuals and families across California, supporting clients as they navigate complex emotional, behavioral, and relational concerns. Gina is known for creating a safe, collaborative environment where clients feel empowered to engage in treatment and take meaningful steps toward long-term well-being. Gina is particularly passionate about working with trauma and stress-related conditions, especially with First Responders and Military/Veterans. She understands the unique pressures faced by those in high-risk and service-oriented roles and is deeply committed to advocacy, suicide prevention, and reducing stigma around mental health care. Her work often integrates trauma-informed strategies to address PTSD, anxiety, and mood instability, while honoring each client’s strengths, values, and lived experiences. She treats children, adolescents, teens, adults, and older adults with concerns such as PTSD/trauma, anxiety, and alcohol or drug use issues, while also addressing a wide range of additional mental health conditions. Gina works with diverse populations, including First Responders, Military/Veterans, and LGBTQ+ individuals, and offers culturally responsive care tailored to each client’s needs. Her clinical approach draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), along with additional evidence-based interventions as appropriate. She provides both individual and family therapy to support healing at every stage of life. Outside of clinical practice, Gina is deeply involved in equine-assisted therapy and is the founder of a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving veterans and first responders. Her passion for advocacy, education, and community connection strongly informs her therapeutic work.
Provider Introduction
Types of Care & Ages Served
- Individual Therapy: Ages 11-75+
- Family Therapy: All Ages
Areas of Focus
Individual Therapy
Get help addressing challenges and improve well-being with a clinician's guidance.
- First responder stress
- Military & veteran
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
- Sexual trauma
- Trauma & PTSD
- Adoption & foster care
- Aging
- Alcohol use
- Anxiety
- Attachment issues
- Bipolar Disorder
- Career & relationships (mid-life)
- Career & work issues
- Caregiving
- Childhood behavioral issues
- Chronic pain-related issues
- Depression/feeling down
- Drug/substance use
- Early adulthood: Independent living or relationships
- Early adulthood: Starting college or career
- Empty nesters
- Family conflict
- General relationship issues
- Grief & loss
- Intense mood changes
- LGBTQ+
- Marital stress or divorce
- Panic attacks
- Parenthood
- Parenting
- Phobias
- Premarital counseling
- Retirement
- School behavioral issues
- Self-esteem
- Self-injury or cutting
- Sex & intimacy issues
- Social skills & communication
- Stress management
Family Therapy
Improve communication and resolve conflicts within family dynamics with a clinician's guidance.
- First responder stress
- Military & veteran
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
- Sexual trauma
- Trauma & PTSD
- Adoption & foster care
- Aging
- Alcohol use
- Anxiety
- Attachment issues
- Bipolar Disorder
- Career & relationships (mid-life)
- Caregiving
- Childhood behavioral issues
- Chronic pain-related issues
- Depression/feeling down
- Drug/substance use
- Early adulthood: Independent living or relationships
- Early adulthood: Starting college or career
- Empty nesters
- End-of-life challenges
- Family conflict
- Gambling
- General relationship issues
- Grief & loss
- Hallucinations
- Intense mood changes
- LGBTQ+
- Marital stress or divorce
- Other addictive behaviors
- Panic attacks
- Parenthood
- Parenting
- Phobias
- Pornography/sexual behaviors
- Premarital counseling
- Psychosis/issues with reality
- Retirement
- Schizophrenia/schizoaffective
- School avoidance
- School behavioral issues
- Self-esteem
- Self-injury or cutting
- Social skills & communication
- Stress from ongoing health issues
- Stress management
- Unusual thoughts or beliefs
- Video game/internet
Insurances Accepted
- Aetna
- Blue Shield of California (D)
- Carelon (Beacon)
- Centivo
- Claritev (MultiPlan PHCS)
- Elevance Health (Anthem BC) (D)
- Evernorth (Cigna)
- Health Net (MHN)
- HealthSmart
- Kaiser Permanente (NorCal)
- Kaiser Permanente (SoCal)
- Magellan (D)
- MediNcrease Health Plans (MHP)
- Northwell Direct
- Optum (UnitedHealthcare)
- Partners Direct Health
- Provider Network of America (PNOA)
- Quest Behavioral Health
- Sana Benefits
- TELUS Health (BHS)
Languages
- English
Education
-
University of Nevada Las Vegas
-
University of Nevada
New patient?
View AvailabilityFrequently Asked
Questions
Please use our online form to schedule an appointment with Gina Mendez. You can also call 858-279-1223 to have someone assist you.
Gina Mendez generally accepts new patients but there could be a waitlist.
Please call 858-279-1223 to find out Gina Mendez's schedule and availability.
LifeStance Health providers accept most commercial insurance plans that are offered in the states where we offer services, including telehealth. Please see the following list of insurances accepted by Gina Mendez:
- Aetna
- Blue Shield of California (D)
- Carelon (Beacon)
- Centivo
- Claritev (MultiPlan PHCS)
- Elevance Health (Anthem BC) (D)
- Evernorth (Cigna)
- Health Net (MHN)
- HealthSmart
- Kaiser Permanente (NorCal)
- Kaiser Permanente (SoCal)
- Magellan (D)
- MediNcrease Health Plans (MHP)
- Northwell Direct
- Optum (UnitedHealthcare)
- Partners Direct Health
- Provider Network of America (PNOA)
- Quest Behavioral Health
- Sana Benefits
- TELUS Health (BHS)
If you don't see your insurance listed, please contact us at 858-279-1223 to see how we can help.
Gina Mendez is a Therapist and cannot prescribe medication. However, most LifeStance offices have a Psychiatrist or APN on staff who can prescribe medication if needed.
Gina Mendez works at:
Yes, Gina Mendez does offer online telehealth visits.
No, Gina Mendez is not currently offering in-office visits. They are offering online telehealth appointments.