About Me
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist
BBS Registration #157124
Email: elliemdoherty@gmail.com
Phone: 323-372-6855
Training:
Trauma-Focused Therapy
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
EMDR Training
Gottman Training for Couples Therapy, Level 1
Airport Marina Counseling Service (psychodynamic training)
Education:
MA, Clinical Psychology, Antioch University, Los Angeles, CA
BA, Economics, CUNY-Hunter College, New York, NY
Training and Background
Hi, my name is Ellie and I’m a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist. I specialize in working with trauma, anxiety, attachment, relationship issues and life transitions. I work with individuals (teens and adults), couples and families.
I relate to many of my clients and the experiences they bring into therapy. I know what its like to navigate difficult family dynamics, major life and career transitions, dating and complicated relationship dynamics and what its like when you lack the proper emotional guidance and support that you need. I have also found tremendous growth, happiness and fulfillment through my own life changes, while building and maintaining important relationships and finding a deep sense of self, confidence fulfillment along the way.
Prior to becoming a therapist, I worked in media and finance. I understand what it’s like to achieve in fast-paced, high-pressure environments and yet still feel like you’re not in the right place. After nearly a decade living in New York City and climbing corporate ladders, I moved back to Los Angeles and I pivoted to a career in psychology to help others find identity, stability and peace within themselves.
Before starting my private practice, my training focused on trauma, family dynamics and nervous system regulation. I find that so many of our emotional problems stem from a dysregulated and activated system (sometimes felt as intense anxiety, emotional panic, or even numbness). I worked with veterans through the VA struggling with PTSD and addiction. I’ve seen the complex ways trauma and emotional pain impact relationships, families and our ability to live a happy and safe life. I also have been in 12-Step spaces for about a decade and incorporate those teachings into my work, as well.
My Background
My clients describe me as warm, curious and insightful while also being direct, challenging and non-judgmental with my feedback and reflections, even if they may differ from your current understanding or narrative.
As a therapist, my primary goal is to help you build a sense of insight and understanding into your patterns, your history, choices and behavior. We work together to help you find a sense of empowerment and agency in your story and the future you want to build for yourself. I will provide you with direct feedback, my own observations and reflections and provide you with tools (both practical and emotional) to approach your current problems with a more authentic sense of self, choice and confidence.
Also, this is my mini dachshund, Walter. He is very friendly.
My Approach
Many of my clients come from traumatic and dysfunctional homes, where coping mechanisms were vital to survive an unpredictable and often chaotic home environment. You learn to people please, keep yourself small, avoid painful confrontations, and conditioned to accept poor or even abusive mistreatment. It’s scary to look at this stuff alone. We are often afraid to get real, even though we know how badly we need help and change. I’m here to get into with you, hear all the stories and details of how we got here, where to dig deeper, where to start taking action, and what parts of you need to be seen, safely, so they can grow and heal.
I am not a blank slate therapist. Sessions with me will never feel boring. I will meet you where you’re at, while also containing our therapeutic environment and make sure we are moving forward. I am very open with my clients, you can share journal entrees and thoughts via email, photos, voicenotes or whatever you need. I offer intensives for individuals, families and couples going through crisis. I am a deep and thoughtful listener, and my goal is to make sure you feel seen, connected and like there is at least one person who is slowly beginning to see and discover the real you.
I am trained psychodynamically with a deep personal interest in psychoanalysis and depth psychology. My training includes influences from IFS (Internal Family Systems), EMDR, RLT (Terry Real’s relational life therapy), Gottman, DBT and Somatic Experience. I have also been personally involved in 12-Step groups (including ACoA and Al-Anon) for the last decade.
I bring my personal, professional and academic experience into my work. I love to provide my clients with helpful readings, books, podcasts, research and even movies to help you explore yourself and the inner parts of the psyche. There is no homework required, but I do find that clients who are willing to dive deeper into themselves tend to begin discovering more parts of themselves earlier on in the therapeutic process.
Outside of therapy, I enjoy spending time with my fiancé, Zach and mini dachshund, Walter. I love painting, drawing, hiking, yoga, playing tennis, reading, watching movies and spending quality time with family and friends. I have also been apart of 12-Step spaces for over a decade.