Dr. Leila Zahedi

I am a licensed clinical psychologist based in California. I specialize in evidence-based treatment for adults with PTSD/trauma, anxiety, depression, and stress-related issues. I’ve trained in community mental health clinics and in the VA system, working with diverse populations including veterans, LGBTQIA+, and sexual assault survivors. Many of the people I work with feel overwhelmed by intense emotions, stuck in unhelpful thought patterns, or burdened by past experiences that linger. I strive to create a space where clients feel supported, understood, and gently challenged as they move toward meaningful change. If you feel your symptoms limit your ability to fully participate in your life, I hope to help you access a wider range of experiences.

My approach is collaborative, compassionate, and person-centered. I emphasize exposure-based treatments and challenge my clients to approach stressful situations differently than they may have in the past. My approach helps clients learn to manage difficult emotions and thoughts rather than struggling with them endlessly, allowing for more flexible and intentional responses. I will help you to identify what matters most to you, understand patterns that may be perpetuating symptoms and distress, and take realistic, values-driven steps forward. While this work is meaningful and can be challenging, I believe there's room for humor. When appropriate, I incorporate humor to reduce shame, gain perspective, and remind us that being human can sometimes be a bit absurd.

Although I work with many types of issues, one of my specialties is trauma. My practice includes the following treatments:

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Emotion Efficacy Therapy (EET)
• Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
• Prolonged Exposure (PE)
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
• CBT for insomnia (CBT-I)
• Mindfulness-based interventions
• Compassion-focused approaches

I work with my clients to set goals for therapy and a personalized treatment plan to reach them. We will discuss what brings you to therapy at this time and what successful treatment would look like for you. Often, that involves learning how to respond differently to internal and external experiences, rather than fighting them. At the same time, when emotional pain is overwhelming, you need effective coping skills to dial down the intensity of your distress so you can keep moving toward what matters. A core goal of my work is to help clients build practical skills they can use in daily life—so therapy feels both effective and empowering. I will help you identify how and when to use coping skills mindfully and effectively.