Meet Gabby (she/they)

Hey, nice to meet you; I'm so glad you're here! I am an Associate Clinical Social Worker (ASW 116857) based in Los Angeles, CA and offering psychotherapy via telehealth throughout California. I see clients through Bay Area Harm Reduction, where I am supervised by Kate Franza, LCSW (LCSW 72139). I am a nonbinary lesbian with lived experience in many of the areas I support clients with, which informs the way I practice.

I began my journey on the path to becoming a psychotherapist at the University of California, Berkeley, where I was a student researcher studying the psychology of stigma and prejudice. I grew frustrated with the need to prove through research the validity of people's lived experience with racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and other forms of structural oppression. We already know these things are real; people are experiencing these forms of oppression every day. Following graduating with my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, I turned toward a more direct practice focus.

I began working as a Counselor and group facilitator at Center for Discovery in PHP/IOP eating disorder treatment, where I facilitated DBT Skills and Expressive Arts groups. Here I learned I loved working at the intersection of eating disorders and LGBTQ+ identity. Around the same time, I began my Master's of Social Work (MSW) at the UCLA. As part of my graduate education, I provided therapy and case management to adults and children at Union Station Homeless Services and Glendale Unified School District. This reaffirmed my love of therapy and built my competency in providing trauma-informed care that challenges oppressive social structures. Following graduation with my MSW, I went on to provide therapy to adolescents and adults in intensive outpatient with the Child and Family Guidance Center, and in private practice, which is where I'm at presently. In these roles, my focus is on direct psychotherapy, including individual, couples, family, and groups, and I have worked with various presenting concerns from PTSD, dissociation / trauma, eating disorders, psychosis, anxiety, depression, and sexual and gender identity development. I understand my role as a supportive guide in combatting the impacts that oppressive systems and negative past experiences have on my client's lives and helping them return to themselves.

In my free time I like to hike, kayak, snowboard, create chalk art, and spend time with my family, friends, and pets.

My Approach

I aim to balance warmth and gentle challenging in sessions, and view the strength of relationships, particularly the therapeutic relationship, as a crucial pathway toward healing. I am an IFS Trained psychotherapist, and I use an integrative approach to therapy, pulling primarily from IFS, DBT, and somatic experiencing, among other modalities. I provide a collaborative, supportive, and trauma-informed space in therapy that considers how both personal experiences and systemic issues impact wellbeing. I view the clients I have the privilege of working with as experts with invaluable knowledge gained through lived experiences. As such, I seek to honor this knowledge while also asking tough questions and facilitating the creation of new insight and skills to support clients though challenges. I have a particular interest in working with folks navigating eating disorders, sexual identity, gender dysphoria, and trauma. If you’d like to learn more about working with me, please reach out for a consultation! I can’t wait to learn more about you.