Welcome.
Hi, my name is Ariella Leaffer.
I provide psychotherapy to adults, children/ teens, and couples
I became a therapist after a career in technology. I understand some of the stressors of working in fast-paced environments while also trying to balance a personal life. I feel lucky and honored to work as a therapist. I am fascinated by the human experience and am passionate about helping people move toward a more joyful and intentional life.
I received my master’s degree at the Wright Institute and have received extensive psychoanalytic training and training in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT). My approach to therapy helps people think about things that are out of their awareness or too hard to bear on their own.
We all struggle. Therapy can help.
Many people start therapy when they are struggling with feelings of loneliness, frustration, anxiety, or disconnection from their partner.
Therapy can be a space to explore difficult thoughts and emotions, past experiences, as well as dreams and fantasies.
Some people come because they are disconnected from their partner or stuck in destructive cycles of conflict or distance.
It can also be a space to try out new ways of relating to gain insight and stop feeling stuck.
My work is informed by the belief that relationships, including the relationship with the right therapist, are healing. I believe that the process of therapy can lead to lasting change and more meaningful connections.
My Approach
I am a therapist based in Oakland, California. My specialties include couple and marital therapy, and individual psychotherapy with adults. My approach is warm, collaborative, and direct. I have a psychodynamic background and draw from trauma-informed modalities informed by research including IFS and other somatic interventions, EFT and mindfulness.
Reach Out to Explore Working Together
“The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction, not a destination.”
-Carl Rogers