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Elaine Skoulas

(She/Her)

LMFT

Clients I Work With

I work with thoughtful, high-achieving adults who often appear capable and put together on the outside but feel overwhelmed, anxious, or stretched thin inside. Many of the people who reach out to me are used to pushing through stress and responsibility, yet find themselves stuck in patterns of burnout, perfectionism, people pleasing, or chronic self pressure. Some are dealing with ongoing anxiety or work stress that never fully turns off, even when they try to rest. Others notice that old relationship patterns keep repeating and cannot understand why. I also work with individuals experiencing chronic pain or persistent stress patterns in the body where the medical workup is stable but symptoms remain. Many clients are curious about the connection between trauma, stress, and the nervous system and want to understand themselves more deeply while creating meaningful, lasting change.

Approach

My approach to therapy is thoughtful, collaborative, and grounded in both insight and the body’s experience. I believe our minds and nervous systems develop patterns for good reasons, often in response to stress, relationships, or earlier life experiences. In therapy we slow down and begin to notice these patterns with curiosity rather than judgment. Sessions with me often involve exploring both what you are thinking and what you are sensing in your body. Sometimes this means understanding how past experiences continue to shape the present. Other times it means learning how to settle the nervous system so anxiety, overwhelm, or shutdown responses no longer run the show. I integrate EMDR, Somatic Experiencing, and Pain Reprocessing Therapy alongside relational and psychodynamic therapy to support deeper understanding and meaningful change.

Beliefs & Lived Experience

My work is shaped by a deep respect for how human beings adapt to survive difficult experiences. Many of the patterns people struggle with such as anxiety, people pleasing, perfectionism, or chronic stress responses once served an important purpose. I believe healing happens when those patterns can be understood with compassion rather than shame. I also believe that emotional experiences live not only in the mind but in the body. Our nervous systems carry the imprint of stress, trauma, and relationships over time, which is why I am drawn to approaches that include both psychological insight and body awareness. At the heart of my work is the belief that meaningful change is possible when people feel safe enough to be honest, curious, and fully themselves.

More About My Practice

I offer individual therapy for adults in person in West Los Angeles and online throughout California. Many of the people I work with appreciate having a space that feels steady, thoughtful, and grounded while they sort through complex stress, anxiety, trauma patterns, or life transitions. In addition to individual therapy, I am developing a small therapy group for adults living with chronic pain who are interested in exploring the connection between stress, trauma, and the nervous system in a supportive setting. If you are curious about this group, feel free to mention it when reaching out. I also welcome individuals who want a place to explore their relationship with alcohol or substances in an open, nonjudgmental way.

Ages Served

Adults
Older Adults (65+)
Young Adults (18-25)

Services Provided

Individual Therapy

In Person Availability

West Los Angeles

Specializations

Modalities

EMDR
Mindfulness
Narrative Therapy
Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT)
Person-Centered Therapy
Psychodynamic Therapy
Somatic Experiencing

Specialties

Addiction
Anxiety
Attachment
Chronic Pain and Illness
Grief
Perfectionism
Substance Use
Trauma and PTSD

State Licensed In

California