My Approach to Working Together

My practice is rooted in the belief that what you seek exists within you and is waiting to be accessed and explored when you are ready. If you feel called to work together, I can partner with you to navigate feelings of stress, anxiety, sadness, stagnation, burnout, or hyper awareness of your environment, with the hope that you can live more freely in your being. Together we can tend to your internal landscape and bring unity to facets of yourself that may feel lost or in need of care, so that your inner world can begin to harmonize with the overall state of being that you hope to experience. If you wish to restore and develop a greater sense of calm, increased safety, and connection with yourself, your community, and the natural world around you, it would be an honor to support you on this path! I also have a heart-centered interest in working with folks who are embarking on significant life transitions (career and beyond), experiencing burnout, struggling with self esteem or imposter syndrome, and embracing the complexities of biracial identity. I invite you to reach out if this speaks to you in any way, and I really appreciate you taking a moment to cross paths with me today! 

An Encapsulation of Who I Am

Hi! My name is Ariel (she/her), and I love supporting people with navigating the full breadth of life—the complexities, beauty, challenges, and nuances—so you can live more of your life the way you want to while experiencing a deeper sense of ease, connection, and alignment with your whole being. My style of engagement is warm, gentle, and collaborative, with a supportive essence. Folks who feel anxious, stuck, or identify as shy or introverted, tend to feel comfortable with me. I work from a holistic perspective that seeks to nurture the mind, body, & spirit—and perhaps your broader collective—to facilitate healing, balance, and growth. I welcome folks who are seeking support with a wide range of experiences—and for individuals who may be looking for a therapist with shared aspects of identity or something different from their own background, I am biracial, the daughter of parents who are immigrants, and also identify as Asian American (I highlight this piece as it usually comes as a surprise). As a fellow human on Earth, I am enamored by moss, dragonflies, and great blue herons; and in my downtime I enjoy walks & hikes with nature, engaging with healing arts practices, and sharing food with my favorite people.

Therapeutic Lens

The modalities that guide my work are rooted in your strengths, and recognize familial, environmental, and societal influences.


  • An integral part of my work is Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SP), a somatic approach that draws upon the wisdom of the body to update patterned responses to your environment, so they can feel more aligned with what is happening in the present rather than the past. SP can support you with managing the effects of trauma so you can feel safer in your body, and experience greater ease, while beginning to rewire limiting beliefs that may be holding you back from living your life the way you want to.

  • I also have training in Ecotherapy, which is centered in reestablishing a reciprocal relationship with nature—including yourself, community, and the more than human world. I can support you with developing a deeper relationship with nature, which can spark wonder, strength, joy, and a remembrance of a special unity that is always present if we are open to listen. Together we can water what needs tending to and compost what may have previously served you to nourish what is ready to grow now.

  • In my work in community mental health, I facilitated mindfulness groups to support clients with increasing awareness of the here and now without judgement. Mindfulness is also a core aspect of SP.

  • I additionally utilize aspects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to shift patterns of thoughts, behaviors, and emotions, which can help with developing more autonomy over cycles of anxious or depressed states.

Highlighted Trainings

    • Level I: Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute with Darlene Cohn PhD

    • Level II: (in progress): Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute with Kekuni Minton PhD

    • Earthbody Institute with Kara London, LMFT & Ryan Van Lenning

    • Personal Transformation Institute (PTI) with Susanne Goldstein LPC, NCC

    • C.G. Jung Institute of Los Angeles with Leyla Bell, PhD, LMFT, ATR-BC, RSMT/E


    • California Society for Clinical Social Work with Jill Baumgarten, LCSW

    • UCLA Public Mental Health Partnership with Kina Wolfenstein, LCSW  

    • Hakomi Institute with Deah Baird, N.D., L.P.C.

    • UCLA Division of Population Behavioral Health with Lauren Marlotte, PsyD. 

Education & Experience

  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the state of CA #121293

  • Master of Social Work

    • California State University, Los Angeles

  • Bachelor of Arts, Social Work

    • California State University, Los Angeles

For over five years I worked at a community mental health agency. I started as a clinician and provided therapy, behavioral health services, and groups, to folks who were navigating their mental health, housing instability, and other systems involvement. I later transitioned into supervisory roles where I directly assisted team members on a daily basis, and ended in a senior leadership role that focused on supporting supervisors, the development of processes, and improving program outcomes.