Meet Missy Nemeth | Adolescent & Adult Psychotherapist and Coach

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

Hi Missy, what’s the most important thing you’ve done for your children?
The most important thing I’ve done as a parent is to turn inward and do my own work. This involves noticing my triggers, emotional patterns, and wounds I still carry — and meeting them with compassion. By tending to my own nervous system, I can be the steady ground my children need, without letting my unhealed parts spill over into their world.

Their lives, feelings and experiences are theirs alone and not an extension of me. It’s about holding space with an open heart, so they know that they are seen, heard and loved exactly as they are.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been curious about myself, others, and how humans connect to one another. That early self-awareness, paired with severe childhood anxiety, led me to therapy at age 13. Thanks to my mother’s resourcefulness (therapy was not mainstream in the 70’s and 80’s, and she certainly couldn’t Google ‘therapists near me’), I went to a therapist named Paulette who shaped my initial view of therapy in a profoundly positive way. Her guidance carried me through my teen years and left a lasting impression of the importance of tending to one’s mental health.

At the University of Notre Dame, I studied government, political science and public service, which in hindsight reflected my interest in systems, processes, and people. My early experiences took me to Washington, D.C., where I completed a master’s in public policy at Georgetown University and worked for nearly a decade in government and public service. While working in this field, I was also learning how to listen, understand, and navigate complex human dynamics.

In 2001, I moved to London with my husband and continued working in public affairs until the birth of my first child, followed quickly by three more. I’ve read that being a mother is having your heart forever living outside of your body, and I find that to be the utmost truth — motherhood cracked open a whole new realm of emotion and challenges that I couldn’t have anticipated. Thankfully, through school drop-offs, playground chats, and shared vulnerabilities and stories, I discovered the quiet power of women supporting each other. It was here that my interest in mental health resurfaced—not as a crisis response, but as essential self-care and community care. When I speak about mental heath, I mean the full spectrum. Just as we all have physical health, we all have mental health. Tending to it is not a sign of illness or weakness—it’s a sign of awareness, responsibility, and care. Mental health is about honoring our emotional and psychological needs with the same respect we give to our physical well-being.

When my children were little, I studied with the Martha Beck Institute as a life coach and began working with mothers facing overwhelm, identity shifts, and special needs parenting. This journey led me to obtain a post graduate degree in adolescent counselling and adult integrative psychotherapy and counselling. In 2021, I expanded my coaching practice into a therapy-based practice, supporting adults and adolescents across the UK and Europe. The shift from in-person to online work during COVID brought both challenges and opportunities. Many people, especially teens, felt more comfortable opening up on the other side of a screen. Others missed the separate space of the weekly therapy room. For the therapist, online therapy can make it more difficult to read a client’s body language or nonverbal cues, and so attuning to the client becomes even more critical.

After two decades in London, my family moved to Los Angeles. I continued working virtually with therapy clients and began to offer coaching locally. Walk-and-talk sessions, especially by the ocean, have become a meaningful part of my practice—movement and nature creating space for deeper healing. This space opened the door for spirituality in my life and my work. When clients are open to weaving in the spiritual, it can deepen the work and support fuller embodiment, guidance, and growth. I am privileged to walk alongside people as they navigate their lives. My work is rooted in the belief that we all carry the wisdom we need within us—and sometimes we just need a safe space, a steady presence, and expansive questions to access it.

As I continue to grow personally and professionally in the phase of midlife —I’m inspired to expand my work to support women through peri menopause and menopause. Long overlooked, peri menopause and menopause is finally being recognized for what it is: a profound biological, physical, emotional, and psychological shift. I’m passionate about guiding women into the second half of life with clarity, confidence, renewal, and the freedom to shed what no longer serves them. This season offers us an exciting and powerful opportunity — I look forward to walking through it with my female contemporaries — barefoot in the sand!

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.
This itinerary is a bit different from what I would have created before the January 7th fires. If I were recommending places in 2024, I would begin right in my home neighborhood of the Pacific Palisades.

We would start with a walk to the Bluffs, overlooking the Pacific Coast Highway and the Pacific Ocean. From there, we’d stroll the neighborhood streets, admiring the variety of architectural styles and lush landscaping, the sidewalks full of life—dogs of all varieties out for their walkies, young children heading to and from school, teenagers grabbing Chipotle or a snack from the Garden Café after class.

For lunch, we’d go to Angelini in the heart of the Palisades Village. The indoor-outdoor seating area was the perfect spot to take in the Palisades charm, while enjoying a glass of vermentino, one of their fresh homemade pasta dishes, or my favorite– the salt-encrusted branzino. After lunch we’d definitely pop across to Paliskates, the oldest and most beloved store in the Palisades, first opening its doors in 1999. Tragically, it was the only shop in the village that didn’t survive the fires. The store was the cultural hub for surfers, skaters and families — a bulwark for the community, long before the village itself grew up around it. I’d make sure my guests took home a Paliskates hoodie, which can now be purchased at their online shop, https://www.palisaktes.net.

I would have also recommended a hike to the top of Temescal Canyon just off Sunset, where you’d be rewarded with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean and the sprawling city of Los Angeles. I”m grateful to have hiked Temescal with my family on Christmas Day, just a week before the fires devastated the Palisades, rendering it utterly uninhabitable and unrecognizable. I wish anyone who has yet to visit LA had been able to experience the beauty of the Palisades, and I am truly grateful to have lived there.

I would still suggest making the drive along the coast from the Palisades through Malibu. Although the fires have scarred parts of the landscape, there’s still so much beauty and a quiet sense of natural resilience visible in the land itself.

Stop at Malibu Cross Creek, tucked between the Santa Monica Mountains and Malibu Lagoon State Beach. It’s a great place to shop, people-watch, and grab a healthy treat—I especially love SunLife Organics for their smoothies and juices. From there, walk across to the beach and watch the surfers in a more intimate setting.

Of course, there’s Nobu Malibu. Reservations must be made a month in advance, but it’s worth it. The restaurant sits on a narrow stretch of beach and offers a quintessential LA dining experience, especially in the evening, with the waves almost brushing up against the deck.

Visit Venice Beach, for the sheer spectacle.. The boardwalk is a vibrant showcase of human expression—you’ll see everything from cyclists and skateboarders to roller skaters, tattoo artists, psychics, and street musicians. It’s a place where creativity and eccentricity are on full display.

Just a few blocks inland, take a walk down Abbot Kinney, and enjoy its eclectic mix of boutiques, shops and restaurants. You could stop for lunch at Gjelina, or my favorite — Paloma — for a cozy and laid-back, hippie-spirited vibe that feels quintessentially Venice.
 
For Beverly Hills, I would go early and grab a coffee at Alfreds and hit Rodeo Drive before the crowds arrive. Then experience part of the residential area, driving through the Tree-Named Streets before heading to West Hollywood.

After checking out the vintage shops along Melrose, I love lunch or dinner at Great White, West Hollywood. It’s one of my favorite spots in the city. — the guacamole is bursting with flavor, the pizzas and salads are equally standout, and the watermelon marguerita with tahin is a mustn’t miss.

Whether you hike or drive up, the views from the Griffith Observatory are spectacular—offering a sweeping panorama of Los Angeles and a classic view of the Hollywood sign. I love the Greek Theatre for its outdoor concerts beneath the stars.

I would end the trip in my new neighborhood of Manhattan Beach. Just south of the city, the beach communities of Manhattan and Hermosa are a cross between a European village and the West Village of Manhattan, but along a white wide sandy beach. People walk or cycle everywhere, and the vibe is warm, laid back and welcoming.

Fishing with Dynamite—I’ve never had better seafood — by far, my favourite restaurant. There are so many varied shops that I love, but what I wouldn’t miss is Pages Bookstore — my favourite place to peruse the latest titles; there’s always an interesting conversation to be had with staff or fellow readers.

And for the grand finale, it’s Manhattan Beach Creamery for me. With its throwback candy and tchotch-kes from the 80’s; twenty-eight flavors of homemade ice cream; and even the chocolate-dipped bananas, it’s a treat for both the eyes and the tastebuds. Make sure you don’t skip the ice cream cookie sandwiches — the oreo cookie with mint chip ice cream — you can thank me later!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
This shout-out is to the incredible community of women across Europe and the United States — whether we’ve met in person or virtually, as close friends, acquaintances or colleagues. Connecting, learning and sharing our stories — to bear witness to the many facets of each others’ lives — has been one of the greatest gifts of my life and career.

Through these relationships, we gather wisdom, strength, and purpose — empowering one another to grow with grace and conviction — uplifting not only ourselves, but our communities.

Website: https://missynemeth.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/missynemeth/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/missy-nemeth-96a4ba235