Meet Cheryl Groskopf | Holistic & Somatic Psychotherapist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cheryl Groskopf and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cheryl, putting aside the decision to work for yourself, what other decisions were critical to your success?
Honestly, the biggest decision that changed everything for me was deciding to stop trying to be everything to everyone and instead focus on what I’m truly passionate about—anxiety, trauma, and attachment—and integrating it with somatic and holistic therapies. Early on, everyone was telling me to keep things broad, to be ready for any client who walked through the door. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized: it’s not about saying no to someone who needs help. It’s about saying yes to making sure they work with the therapist who’s the best fit for them.

Not every therapist is going to be the perfect match for every client—and that’s totally okay. What matters is being really good at what I do and offering depth, not just surface-level help. So I had to sit down and get real with myself. Who do I love working with? Who do I connect with the most? And that’s when it clicked: I work best with the people who are used to holding it all together—people pleasers, perfectionists, overachievers. You know, the ones who look like they’re “fine” on the outside but are quietly falling apart inside.

These are the people who pour all their energy into taking care of others, meeting impossible standards, and holding up this idea of being “perfect.” But eventually, they disconnect from themselves, and that’s when the cracks start to show. And this is where somatic therapy comes in. Our bodies don’t just carry us through life—they hold onto everything: trauma, stress, anxiety. So many of my clients come to me saying, “I don’t understand why I feel this way,” and when we start working somatically, it becomes clear— their bodies have been carrying the weight of their emotional pain for years.

I also brought holistic therapy into my practice because I don’t see my clients as just a collection of symptoms or diagnoses. They’re whole people, and it’s all connected—your relationships, how you eat, how you move, how you process emotions. You can’t just treat the mind and ignore everything else. If someone’s experiencing chronic anxiety, for example, we don’t just look at the anxiety itself. We also look at their lifestyle—whether it’s the perfectionist who’s burning themselves out with work or the people pleaser who hasn’t had a minute to themselves in what feels like years. It’s not just about “fixing” the anxiety, but more about understanding how their whole life plays a role in what they’re feeling.

I’ll be honest, working this way felt really scary in the beginning. Somatic and holistic approaches aren’t as mainstream as traditional methods, and it can take time to educate clients on why focusing on the body is just as important as focusing on the mind. But once it clicks for them, it’s incredible to witness. They go from feeling stuck in their heads to understanding where their emotions are actually living in their body—and that’s when real healing can happen.

Choosing to specialize in these specific areas and to integrate mind-body approaches has been the most important decision I’ve made in my practice. Every day, I get to see people who’ve spent their entire lives putting everyone else first finally start to show up for themselves. That’s the kind of change that sticks. Instead of just managing symptoms, I love helping people create lives where they can breathe, feel connected, and actually live in alignment with who they are. That’s why I do what I do—and why I absolutely love it!

What should our readers know about your business?
My business, Evolution to Healing Psychotherapy, is really the culmination of everything I’m passionate about—helping people get unstuck from patterns that are holding them back and guiding them toward real, meaningful change.

What sets me apart is my belief that every symptom or pattern—whether it’s anxiety, people-pleasing, perfectionism, or even self-sabotage—serves a purpose. As a dual licensed LMFT/LPCC, I don’t see these things as flaws. They’re actually survival strategies that your mind & body developed to protect you at some point in your life. From a biological and evolutionary standpoint, we are WIRED for survival. These patterns didn’t come out of nowhere—they were shaped by our early experiences and helped us navigate tough situations. The issue is, they may not be serving you anymore.

What I do is help people understand the WHY behind these behaviors. When you see that your anxiety isn’t just something to “get rid of” (and it’s not actually possible to “get rid of”), but instead as something that’s been trying to keep you safe, it changes the whole way you approach your healing. We don’t just shove the symptoms away—we explore them, work with them, and figure out what they need in order to relax. Instead of fighting against yourself, I help my clients find ways to help these patterns evolve and work FOR them, NOT against them.

I’m really proud of taking the leap to start my own woman-led business! I had to unpack a lot of beliefs and narratives I grew up with around what I was capable of. I’m the first person in my family to do this, and that brought up all kinds of narratives around success, worthiness, and what it means to “make it.” I had to explore some pretty ingrained stories—like the idea that running a successful business was something other people did, not me. You know those beliefs we don’t even realize we carry? The ones that tell us we’re not cut out for something big like this?

But I realized a lot of those ideas I had about my own ability to succeed weren’t mine to begin with—they were picked up along the way from family, society, whatever. Once I realized this, it opened up a lot of space for me to believe in my own potential. I didn’t compromise on my vision, and that’s what makes this so meaningful for me. I’m building something that I love, that’s aligned with who I am, and that allows me to do work that actually matters to me.

Building this practice was not easy. It required letting go of my own people-pleasing tendencies. It’s funny because therapists often get caught up in wanting to help everyone, but that’s not sustainable. I had to learn to set boundaries with myself and with my business. I had to trust that the clients who needed my specific approach would find me. And they did! But it took patience and a lot of checking in with my own perfectionist part that wanted everything to be flawless from day one. At the end of the day, I want people to know that my business and my story is as raw, real, and authentic as they are.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Day 1: Japantown Sawtelle
We would start by exploring Sawtelle Japantown, which is near my office in West Los Angeles. We would get ramen at Tsujita LA – which is unquestionably one of the best places to get ramen in the area- and then go to B Sweet Dessert Bar for dessert. After that, we might take a stroll, visit Giant Robot to look at some quirky souvenirs, and possibly even fit in a little karaoke sesh at Dot Space LA.

Day 2: Abbott Kinney & Venice Beach
There’s a reason Venice is so famous, and seeing the energy at the beach is always exciting for me. Before heading up to Santa Monica, I always like doing a pit stop at Abbot Kinney Blvd. There’s plenty of cool little shops and street art, and we’d stop by Blue Bottle for a much needed coffee break. Maybe even pop in to Gjelina for dinner.

Day 3: Pasadena
On Day 3, we’d drive out to Pasadena for something a little different. We’d start the day exploring the gorgeous Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. It’s HUGE, so we’d spend the morning checking out the gardens and the art exhibits. After, we’d take a little stroll along Colorado Blvd and grab coffee at Urth Caffe. If we still have the time (and energy), I’d try to hit up the Norton Simon Museum before ending the day with dinner at The Raymond 1886.

Day 4: Malibu Hike & Lunch
We can’t skip a day in Malibu! We’d start with a hike at Solstice Canyon (the ocean views are awesome). Then have lunch at Malibu Farm on the pier. It has this super relaxed, farm-to-table vibe with absolutely amazing ocean views.

Day 5: Echo Park & Silver Lake
We’d head over to Echo Park and rent a pedal boat. Honestly, those swan boats look cute, but don’t be fooled—they’re a real workout! For dinner, we’d head to Red Lion Tavern in Silver Lake. This place holds a special place in my heart—it’s where my husband and I had our first date! There’s something so special about going to a spot that’s been around for decades.

Day 6: Griffith Park & Griffith Observatory
No visit to LA is complete without Griffith Park. We’d hike up to Griffith Observatory and snap some photos of the city (and obviously the Hollywood sign). Dinner would be at Musso & Frank Grill, an old-school Hollywood staple that was even in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Day 7: Relaxing at Home
Our last day would be spent lounging around the house after all that running around! Taking some time to unwind and simply hang out can sometimes be the best part of traveling. We could start the day with a little morning coffee, perhaps a little walk to help us relax, and just spend time catching up. It’s important to take a day off and chill. It’s a perfect chance to reset before returning to the real world – and honestly, it’s part of what makes LA so great: knowing when to slow down!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I definitely have to give a huge shoutout to three amazing friends of mine, who are not only brilliant healers but also run their own women-led businesses.

Kayla Robbins is based in Pasadena and has been such a big support, both as a friend and collaborator. She’s amazing at helping people explore their identities and relationships in this really safe and nurturing way. We’ve had so many deep conversations about what it means to truly help people heal, and her insights have helped me grow not just as a therapist but as a person. I honestly don’t know where I’d be without her wisdom and friendship.

Julia Willinger, here in LA, constantly inspires me. She is a licensed therapist and coach who specializes in Internal Family Systems (IFS), depth psychology, and relational therapy. Plus, she runs these amazing Atrium Creative Retreats and workshops where she blends mindfulness with creativity. Whenever I need guidance or collaboration, Julia ALWAYS blows me away.

And then there’s Sam Bianchini, a holistic healer, yoga teacher AND actor in LA who’s just incredible. She blends yoga, community, and spiritual healing in this way that feels both grounding and transformative. Her workshops have a way of unlocking deep emotional and physical healing. Plus, she does retreats all over the world! These women are all amazing at what they do. It’s so empowering to be surrounded by women who are out there making real change and owning their own practices. I love each of you to pieces!

Website: https://www.evolutiontohealing.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherylgroskopflmft

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Cheryl-Groskopf-LMFT-LPCC-Evolution-to-Healing-Psychotherapy/61552394821040/

Other: I am taking an active break from social media (for my own mental health!). But I have been featured as an expert in Time, Cosmopolitan, Verywell Mind, Well + Good, Newsweek, Business Insider, Architectural Digest, etc.