Tiffany Schwanz
Tiffany Schwanz, MS, AMFT
Registered Associate Marriage & Family Therapist #159302
Supervised by Kent Toussaint, MA, LMFT #44685
Hello, my name is Tiffany Schwanz, and I am a registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist. I earned my MFT degree from Campbellsville University’s Los Angeles Phillips program after completing my undergraduate studies at UCLA. I began my clinical work at California Family Counseling, where I supported individuals, couples, and teens across a wide range of ages.
My path into mental health began in the arts, after years as a professional ballet dancer and later in musical theater and Pilates instruction. These experiences deepened my understanding of emotional expression, the mind–body connection, and resilience—all of which shape my systemic, compassionate approach to therapy today. The evolution of my career has not always been straightforward, but it has continually offered clarity and insight. Learning to move through setbacks has shaped my understanding of resilience, both personally and professionally. These lessons now inform my therapeutic approach, and I hope they can serve the individuals and families I work with.
My work with children and teens, including teaching ballet and providing in-home ABA support for children on the autism spectrum, has given me meaningful insight into family systems. Witnessing the strengths and challenges within these environments reinforced my commitment to helping families build healthier patterns of communication and connection. I am also certified in Geek Therapy and bring a variety of quirky interests—drawing, stained glass, keeping spiders, and bluegrass. I love when clients share their passions in session; special interests often open the door to deeper understanding, creativity, and meaningful therapeutic work. I look forward to hearing about the things you love and supporting you in creating meaningful, positive change.
Hi, my name is Tiffany Schwanz, and I am an associate marriage and family therapist here at Teen
Therapy Center. I've been working with adults of a variety of ages, but I've also been working
with children on the spectrum for about four years now. I've also taught children, uh, dance
and a little bit of musical theater here and there, and I enjoy working with both. But kids really
offer this different creativity and flexibility that you get to engage with with them. There's
a lot of change that's possible in therapy in general, but with kids, they've got their whole
life to carry that change forward. So if we can help change a process that's not quite working
for them or, you know, some negative thinking that is kinda getting dug in, if we can change that
when they're younger, the way that carries forward is so powerful. It's powerful for adults,
too, but wouldn't it be great to help them when they're little ones? Sometimes there are things
that they just don't always feel comfortable going to Mom and Dad about, um, for whatever reason. There's a lot of different reasons, and having that adult person to be there, an unbiased opinion that isn't there to say, "I want you to do this, that, or the other," but is just there to listen and hold space for them and help them to process their emotions, can be very, very helpful. Kids and teens, especially teens, are going through a lot of different emotions. They're learning how, you know, new relationships are, are working for them, socialization, and sometimes having that outside person to just help guide them through those emotions can be really, really helpful. I love taking care of all my critters. I've got two cats. I also have some spiders and some isopods. I kinda like the bugs now. That's new. Um, but I also like to do a lot of crafty things. I've been playing with some stained glass, a little bit of leather working, and I'm getting back to some, like, core, old crafts that I used to do. I used to like to draw a lot, so I'm getting back into that, and I enjoy going to see shows. Uh, I'm a musical theater girly, so, um, gonna go see some more shows more recently. If you are here on my page, on our staff directory, you have my email and my phone number. Please give me a call, and let's have a chat, and let's talk about what's going on, and let's explore whether or not we're gonna be a right fit. I would love to hear from you. I would love to talk to you about what is happening, and if I can be the person that helps facilitate that change that you're looking for.
Hi, my name is Tiffany Schwanz, and I am an associate marriage and family therapist here at Teen
Therapy Center. I've been working with adults of a variety of ages, but I've also been working
with children on the spectrum for about four years now. I've also taught children, uh, dance
and a little bit of musical theater here and there, and I enjoy working with both. But kids really
offer this different creativity and flexibility that you get to engage with with them. There's
a lot of change that's possible in therapy in general, but with kids, they've got their whole
life to carry that change forward. So if we can help change a process that's not quite working
for them or, you know, some negative thinking that is kinda getting dug in, if we can change that
when they're younger, the way that carries forward is so powerful. It's powerful for adults,
too, but wouldn't it be great to help them when they're little ones? Sometimes there are things
that they just don't always feel comfortable going to Mom and Dad about, um, for whatever reason. There's a lot of different reasons, and having that adult person to be there, an unbiased opinion that isn't there to say, "I want you to do this, that, or the other," but is just there to listen and hold space for them and help them to process their emotions, can be very, very helpful. Kids and teens, especially teens, are going through a lot of different emotions. They're learning how, you know, new relationships are, are working for them, socialization, and sometimes having that outside person to just help guide them through those emotions can be really, really helpful. I love taking care of all my critters. I've got two cats. I also have some spiders and some isopods. I kinda like the bugs now. That's new. Um, but I also like to do a lot of crafty things. I've been playing with some stained glass, a little bit of leather working, and I'm getting back to some, like, core, old crafts that I used to do. I used to like to draw a lot, so I'm getting back into that, and I enjoy going to see shows. Uh, I'm a musical theater girly, so, um, gonna go see some more shows more recently. If you are here on my page, on our staff directory, you have my email and my phone number. Please give me a call, and let's have a chat, and let's talk about what's going on, and let's explore whether or not we're gonna be a right fit. I would love to hear from you. I would love to talk to you about what is happening, and if I can be the person that helps facilitate that change that you're looking for.
More Than Extracurriculars: What Your High Achieving Teen Isn't Telling You with Tiffany Schwanz, AMFT
Your teen is excelling. So why do they seem anxious, exhausted, or never satisfied with themselves?
Ballet, travel sports, music, competitive academics: the discipline that makes a teen exceptional can also make their struggle invisible. High-achieving kids are often the last ones adults think to check on, and the most likely to be suffering quietly.
This video is about what’s happening underneath the achievement: anxiety, burnout, body image pressure, fear of failure, and the belief that they’re never quite good enough.
If your teen is deep in a demanding sport, art, or academic pursuit, therapy can give them a space that isn’t about performing, just about being supported.
People see ballet as beautiful, but dancers know how demanding it really is. Behind every performance are long rehearsals, injuries, comparisons, auditions, and the feeling that they'll never be good enough. For teens especially, it can become more than just an activity. It can shape their identity, their self-expression, their friendships, and even the way they speak to themselves. Many young dancers struggle silently with anxiety, burnout, body image concerns, fear of failure, or just feeling like they're never good enough. And because they're so disciplined and high-achieving, adults don't always notice when they're overwhelmed. Therapy can give dancers a place that's just for them, a space where they don't have to perform, a place where they can talk openly about stress, confidence, emotions, motivation, and the pressure that comes with intense training. At our center, we understand that extracurricular passions like ballet can be both deeply rewarding and emotionally exhausting. We help teens develop healthy coping skills, resilience, confidence, balance, and a stronger sense of self both inside and outside the studio, because mental health matters just as much as physical health, and strong dancers deserve support too.