Shelly Elia-Shaul, AMFT (she/her)
BIO:
I’m Shelly, she/her, a registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (CA#138057) working under the supervision of Kelli Penner and Ludine Pierre.
I am an analytical therapist who will work with you to understand early experiences that lead to patterns of feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected. My clinical approach is relational, insight-driven, and behaviorally-minded. I try to find an integration of those three, while also tailoring treatment to meet clients where they are in their healing journey.
Guiding Principles:
In my clinical work, I guide my clients toward a deeper awareness of their present-moment experience — helping them rebuild trust in themselves and others. My training with equine therapy taught me about the natural attunement of horses and how their sensitivity to the environment teaches us to slow down, and become more mindful of our internal world. My goal is to help you reconnect with your inner wisdom and uncover your resilience, even in the midst of hardship.
My background with history, philosophy, and experience with social activism and community organizing inform my work. I have seen the impact of systemic injustices in myself and others and, through my own experience with therapy, I have learned to centralize the relationship between mental health and systemic oppression. This has led me to learning how clinical work can shift the experiences and opportunities of individuals’ and groups’. I believe that healing requires attending to the interrelation of both internal and social circumstances behind any rapture that has unfolded.
I take an integrative approach to therapy, drawing from psychodynamic and relational frameworks to explore how early experiences and relationships shape your inner world. At the same time, I incorporate behavioral strategies, somatic interventions, and DBT techniques to support regulation and healing in the here and now. My goal is to help you understand how trauma and chronic stress impact your nervous system — and to offer tools that support both insight and embodied change.
My Style of Therapy:
Analytical
I help my clients see relationships/connections between various aspects of their thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and life experiences. This can lead to insight and clarity, which is often the first step toward growth and change. I believe in creating an understanding of how different elements of life are intertwined and how individuals can approach challenges in new, healthier ways.
Welcoming & Collaborative
I am transparent regarding the structure of therapy and the interventions I am using. I believe that clients should be informed about their treatment and included in decisions concerning their mental health as much as possible..
Thoughtful
I am aware that each individual comes in at different stages in the healing process and the support they need can differ accordingly. In our assessment process, I will make sure to explore with you where you are and what is possible to achieve in the future.
Supportive
I help my clients utilize and translate insight into tangible change of behaviors and patterns that hold them back from achieving their life goals.
I’m Particularly Good at Working With:
Intense emotions, chronic overwhelm, and the lingering effects of recurrent traumatic experiences
Experiences of marginalization, racial trauma, and systemic inequities
Families and children navigating anxiety, ADHD, and other forms of neurodivergence
Couples who find themselves stuck in painful, repeating cycles (i.e. communication breakdowns, trust issues, emotional disconnection, etc.)
I Hold Space For:
Stress, Complex Trauma, Identity-Based Pain, Emotional Intensity, and Neurodivergence
Services I Offer:
Individual Therapy
Couples Therapy
Family Therapy
Therapy Groups (Coping with Anxiety: A DBT Skills Group)
CREDENTIALS:
B.A in History and Multidisciplinary Studies
M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy
Location:
In office: Highland Park, Los Angeles
Virtually: California Residents