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

Hi Matt, we’d love to hear what makes you happy.
What really makes me happy in my work life is having a career where the learning never ends. Sometimes it can feel like every day there’s a new area of learning that I need to dig into. It can feel overwhelming at times, but I love having a career where there’s always more growth and knowledge to be had. It never gets boring and it keeps my work life fulfilling.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
It’s been a long road to getting to my current position. I’ve had multiple careers along the way, and my background in music and other creative fields has deeply informed my approach to mental health work. Connecting with clients through their creative interests and pursuits, while also staying connected to my own community in the arts, helps me maintain both clinical and social grounding. That background is reflected not only in the way I work with clients, but also in the design of my website. I wanted something that felt authentic to me, and it’s a bonus that it stands out from many other therapist websites.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
As someone who is out and about in the city, this is a big one for me, but also a little daunting! Since I live in the Los Feliz area, we’d likely spend most of the time on the east side, but maybe one beach day (definitely with a stop at Chez Jay after the sun goes down). But the rest of the time, I’m guessing I’d take them to places I go regularly: Of course we’d have to go through the American Cinematheque calendar to see what films are showing at the Los Feliz 3 and the Egyptian. Maybe one trip downtown for museums and French dips at Philippe The Original. A walk up to Barnsdall & the Hollyhock House. Lunch at Bridgetown Roti, tacos at El Zarape, breakfast sandwiches at Bub & Grandma’s. Drinks and snacks at Found Oyster. Soft serve at Bestie’s. Drinks at Vandelle and Capri Club. If they want to go big then we’d have to go to Musso & Frank. Tons more but that’s a good start.
Sadly I usually have a lot of work to do so I’d take them to one of my favorite work spots, most likely Sightglass Coffee.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Well of course I’d need to shout out all of my clients who put in the hard work. Perhaps the most satisfying part of my job is watching my clients graduate and when we both get to see the results of the work we’ve done together!
I’d also love to shout out the International OCD Foundation. There’s so much misinformation out there about OCD. Having a solid provider of reliable and accurate information is essential for helping OCD sufferers and their loved ones get the help they need.

Website: https://ocd-etc.com

Instagram: @ocdetc

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-roberts-lmft-7448051a0

Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/matt-roberts-los-angeles-ca/941666

Image Credits
Photo by Allie Learn
Drawing by Spencer Hicks

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