Ariela Goldwasser is a bilingual (English and Spanish-speaking) Associate Marriage and Family Therapist who works with individuals navigating trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, PTSD, life transitions, and relational challenges.

She is committed to creating a warm, compassionate, and supportive therapeutic environment where clients feel safe showing up exactly as they are. Ariela understands that beginning therapy can feel both vulnerable and courageous, and she views the therapeutic relationship as a meaningful foundation for healing, growth, and self-discovery. She strives to create a space where clients feel deeply seen, understood, and supported as they navigate life’s challenges and reconnect with themselves in more authentic and compassionate ways.

Her therapeutic approach is relational, trauma-informed, and person-centered, integrating attachment-focused and evidence-based perspectives to support each client’s unique needs and experiences. Ariela works collaboratively with clients to explore the emotional patterns, relationships, and life experiences that may be contributing to distress, while helping them develop greater insight, resilience, and self-compassion. She has a particular interest in trauma healing and EMDR-informed approaches, believing that healing happens not only through insight, but also through feeling safe, understood, and connected within the therapeutic process. Her style is warm, attuned, and authentic, with a focus on helping clients feel less alone in their experiences while gently supporting meaningful growth and change.

Ariela has experience supporting individuals and families through complex and vulnerable experiences, including crisis situations and medical settings, which has strengthened her ability to hold space with sensitivity, presence, and care. Her work has deepened her understanding of the emotional impact of trauma, uncertainty, caregiving, and relational stress, and she approaches each client with curiosity, empathy, and respect for their lived experience.

Ariela continues to deepen her clinical work through ongoing training in trauma-informed care, attachment-based approaches, and EMDR-informed interventions. Her commitment to continued learning allows her to bring both clinical knowledge and genuine compassion into her work with clients.

Based in San Diego, Ariela values connection, authenticity, and creating meaningful moments of presence in everyday life. She believes therapy can offer a space not only for healing, but also for rediscovering one’s strengths, identity, and capacity for growth.

• Ariela’s warm, relational approach creates a therapeutic space where clients feel genuinely supported, understood, and empowered as they work through difficult experiences and move toward lasting healing and emotional well-being.

• Her integrative and individualized care draws from person-centered, attachment-focused, and trauma-informed approaches, allowing her to tailor treatment to each client’s unique goals, strengths, and experiences.

• Ariela’s passion for supporting clients through trauma, life transitions, grief, and relational challenges reflects her deep belief that healing occurs through connection, self-understanding, and the experience of feeling truly seen and supported.