- CBT and mindfulness
- Motivational interviewing
- Life coaching skills
About Jilla
Jilla Lavian is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in California with 20 years of experience. She works with adults facing stress, anxiety, relationship strain, parenting challenges, grief, depression, and problems tied to family and identity. She also helps people carrying guilt and shame and those handling caregiver stress or cultural adjustment.
She trained at the University of Southern California and holds a dual master’s in Social Work and Jewish Communal Service. Jilla has also worked as a transformational life coach. Her background blends clinical social work with coaching skills to support practical change and personal reflection.
In sessions she uses a mix of approaches including cognitive behavioral ideas, mindfulness practices, motivational interviewing, psychodynamic listening, and solution-focused techniques. She helps clients notice common thinking patterns, test new ways of responding, and try small experiments that change daily life.
Her style is straightforward and aimed at clear steps. She helps people name what feels stuck, sort out priorities, and set concrete goals. Conversations often move between exploring past patterns and building new habits for today.
Jilla offers work for people navigating family of origin issues, attachment and abandonment wounds, codependency, commitment or communication difficulties, and the weariness of compassion fatigue. She speaks English and Persian and works with multicultural concerns and immigration-related stress.
How therapeutic approaches translate to online work
Jilla uses cognitive behavioral techniques and mindfulness in ways that fit online sessions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps people spot unhelpful thoughts and try small behavioral experiments to shift mood and habits. Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple attention and breathing practices to calm reactivity and anchor difficult feelings.Finding the right approach is part of the work together. She will talk with clients about their goals, what has or hasn't helped before, and try techniques that match those needs. That collaborative process helps decide whether to emphasize CBT, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, or psychodynamic reflection at different points.
Session formats are not specified in the biography, so confirm current online session options before booking. In general, online work can make it easier to fit therapy around work and family life, reduce travel time, and allow shorter check-ins when schedules are tight. The therapist will discuss practical choices for how to meet and what will best fit a client's routine.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
20+ years
Listed in
California
Languages
English, Persian
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does she help with?
She works with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and parenting concerns, grief, career strain, and issues linked to family history. Guilt and shame are listed among her focus areas.
How does she approach feelings of guilt and shame?
She combines cognitive behavioral ideas, mindfulness, and psychodynamic listening to help people name painful feelings and test new responses. The work mixes noticing patterns with small practical steps forward.
What is her clinical background and experience?
She has 20 years of practice as a clinical social worker and holds a dual master’s degree from the University of Southern California. She has also practiced as a transformational life coach.
What credential does she hold and where is she based?
She is a licensed clinical social worker, CA LCSW, and is based in California.
Does she offer sessions in other languages?
Sessions are offered in English and Persian.
Can people outside the U.S. work with her?
International clients are not currently accepted, so she only sees clients located in the supported region.
How are sessions paid for and what does it cost?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time. Exact fees depend on the selected plan and regional pricing.
How do I begin a first appointment?
Start by selecting the See online therapy options button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and scheduling a first session through the system.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.