Therapist profile
Elissa Padilla, LMFT
LMFT in California - Family and parenting concerns
Continue with ElissaAbout
- Stress and anxiety
- Parenting support
- CBT and solution-focused
About Elissa
Elissa Padilla is a California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with three years of clinical experience. She focuses on concerns such as stress, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorders, addictions, grief, and parenting challenges. She also addresses family-related issues and ADHD in adults. Sessions are held in English and she does not work with international clients.
Elissa adapts her approach to what each person brings to the room. She often draws on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people spot and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns. She also uses Solution-Focused techniques to set clear, short-term goals and Psychodynamic ideas to look at how past experiences influence present patterns.
In practice she aims for straightforward conversations about what’s happening at home. She helps people talk through relationship strain, parenting stress, or the emotional fallout of trauma and loss. She also works with mood concerns, addiction-related struggles, and the stress caregivers carry.
Sessions typically focus on practical steps you can try between meetings and on recognizing patterns that keep problems repeating. Elissa encourages small, concrete changes that fit into daily life. She combines short-term problem solving with attention to the feelings and past experiences that keep problems stuck.
To begin, people complete a short matching questionnaire and schedule a first session. Cost varies by location and uses a subscription that can be canceled at any time. Confirm current session options before booking.
How sessions work
How Elissa uses therapeutic approaches online
Elissa commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help people identify thought patterns and habits that contribute to stress, anxiety, or low mood. CBT focuses on practical exercises and steps you can try between sessions to reduce distress.She also uses Solution-Focused Therapy to set small, achievable goals and track progress. This approach is direct and action-oriented, which can help when you need concrete changes for parenting routines or daily stressors.
Finding the right approach is part of the work together. The therapist will discuss your situation, goals, and preferences and then recommend which methods to use. That decision is collaborative and can change as your needs change.
Confirm the specific online session options before booking since formats are not listed in the biography. Online appointments can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy day, require less travel time, and allow for shorter check-ins when schedules demand. Some formats use less bandwidth or do not require video, which can help if you need a quieter or quicker session. Licensed professionals can adapt their methods for the online setting so the focus stays on practical skills and understanding patterns that affect life at home.
Areas of focus
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
3+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of family or parenting issues are addressed?
She works with parenting challenges, family-related stress, caregiving strain, and concerns that affect household relationships.
What is her general approach during sessions?
Sessions focus on practical steps and talk-based work. She blends CBT, solution-focused techniques, and psychodynamic ideas to address current problems and underlying patterns.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She holds three years of experience as a clinician working in behavioral health roles and direct client care.
What are her credentials and location?
She is a California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) practicing with clients in California.
Does she work in languages other than English or with international clients?
Sessions are offered in English. She is not accepting international clients at this time.
What session formats are available?
Please confirm current session options before booking, as the biography does not list specific formats.
How much do sessions cost?
Cost varies with location. Sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I get started?
Choose the See online therapy options button, complete the short matching questionnaire, and schedule your first session.
Details come from information the therapist supplied to BetterHelp. A license can be checked with the state board.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If anyone is in danger, use the crisis numbers.