I’m thrilled to announce that Peter Bippus has joined my practice and will be offering individual, couples, and group services for diverse populations. Find out more about his services below.
Peter is an associate marriage and family therapist and clinical counselor who doesn’t shy away from difficult topics. During his graduate studies at Pepperdine University, he joined a team designed to reduce recidivism rates by teaching impulse control to inmates inside a correctional facility in downtown Los Angeles. He went on to a traineeship at the LGBT Center in Orange County where he counseled individuals and loved ones coping with deeply personal issues like coming-out, HIV diagnosis, and transitioning genders. Since 2017, he has served the youth of Santa Monica and their families as a prevention and intervention specialist, engaging his clients through interactive workshops, school-based counseling services and original lesson plans intended to steer them toward a life of less destruction.
Peter noticed, no matter which population he was working with, the topic of sexuality, in one form or another, played a key part in most of the stories he was hearing, yet no one was sharing about it. He surmises that due to shame, or fear of being inappropriate, sexuality was never more than hinted at or indirectly mentioned. Feeling as though not exploring sexuality is a disservice, he sought out methods on how to incorporate the topic.
Research led him to SHAPE Center, and it was Dr. Chavez’s approach to mind-body work, and of her incorporating a shame-free, sex-positive perspective that ultimately won him over. The mind-body connection positions itself as one of the most powerful forms of awareness one could have, and by knowing one can consciously alter, and improvements can be both seen and felt. When under the guidance of trained professionals who use evidence-based practices, as Dr. Chavez does with her clients at SHAPE Center, the results can be life-changing.
Peter is excited to be part of SHAPE Center and looks forward to providing our community with well-rounded support.
