Cailey Avila

I’m a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who believes therapy should feel supportive, collaborative, and genuinely human. I earned my master’s degree from Pepperdine University and have worked in a variety of settings, including residential treatment, substance use treatment, and outpatient mental health care. My experience has given me the opportunity to work with individuals navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, substance use, major life transitions, relationship challenges, and other complex mental health concerns.

I work with adults, adolescents, couples, and families, and I tailor therapy to the needs of each person rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach. My style is warm, direct, compassionate, and practical. I want clients to feel comfortable being themselves while also feeling appropriately challenged and supported as we work toward meaningful change.

I especially enjoy helping clients better understand the patterns behind their emotions and behaviors, develop healthier ways of coping, strengthen relationships, and build a life that feels more manageable and fulfilling. My goal is to create a space where you feel heard and understood while also leaving therapy with tools and insight you can actually use outside of our sessions.

My approach to therapy is collaborative, trauma-informed, and tailored to each client’s individual needs. I don’t believe therapy should feel one-size-fits-all, so I work with clients to understand what is driving their current patterns, identify what is keeping them stuck, and develop tools that feel realistic and useful in everyday life.

I incorporate EMDR when appropriate to help clients process trauma, distressing experiences, and deeply held beliefs that may continue to influence how they feel, think, and respond in the present. I also draw from evidence-based and insight-oriented approaches to help clients strengthen coping skills, improve emotional regulation, build healthier relationships, and create lasting change.

My style is warm, conversational, and direct. I believe clients benefit from feeling supported and understood, while also being gently challenged when patterns are no longer serving them. Therapy with me is not just about talking through what happened—it is about understanding why it still affects you and helping you move forward differently.

In our first session, we’ll spend time getting to know you, what brings you to therapy, and what you would like to be different in your life. I’ll ask about your current concerns, relevant history, relationships, coping strategies, and any previous experience with therapy, while also giving you space to share at a pace that feels comfortable.

We’ll begin identifying your goals for treatment and discussing what approaches may be most helpful for you. If EMDR or other trauma-focused work may be appropriate, we’ll talk about what that process looks like, but there is no expectation that we begin intensive trauma processing right away.

Most importantly, the first session is also an opportunity for you to get a sense of me and decide whether we feel like a good fit. My goal is for you to leave with a clearer understanding of what we may work on together and what the next steps in therapy could look like.