Iliana Rivera
Iliana Rivera
(she/her)
Hi! I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), based in the Central Valley, California, working with clients statewide via telehealth. I provide compassionate, individualized care to families, couples, individuals, and children navigating life’s most challenging moments. Whether you're working through trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship conflict, or overwhelming life stressors, I offer a safe and supportive space where healing and growth can unfold.
Get to know me
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
In our first session, clients can expect a calm, supportive space where they are free to share at their own pace. We then explore what’s bringing the client to therapy and begin identifying their hopes, challenges, and any goals they may already have in mind. While the first session may involve gathering background information, I also focus on building a genuine connection and helping clients feel seen and heard. My approach is warm, collaborative, and nonjudgmental. I want clients to leave that first session feeling a sense of relief, clarity, and hope for the journey ahead.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
My path to becoming a therapist is deeply rooted in both personal and professional experiences that taught me the value of presence, resilience, and compassion. Before entering the mental health field, I served in the military—an experience that shaped my understanding of human strength, trauma, and the importance of emotional safety. During my time in service, I witnessed the quiet burdens people carry and how often those burdens go unspoken. That environment awakened in me a strong desire to create spaces where others could feel seen, supported, and understood without judgment. My life journey has included moments of uncertainty, grief, and growth, and these experiences allow me to sit with clients in their pain while holding hope for their healing. I believe that the most meaningful transformations often begin in small, intentional moments—when we feel safe enough to be honest, mindful enough to notice, and supported enough to let go. Healing doesn't happen all at once—it unfolds moment by moment. And I’m here to hold space for every one of those moments.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
My approach is integrative and tailored to each client’s unique needs. Drawing from a variety of evidence-based modalities—including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Mindfulness-Based Interventions—I aim to support meaningful change and deepen emotional resilience.
About Iliana Rivera
I identify as
Specialties
Serves ages
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Appointments
VirtualMy treatment methods
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I have extensive experience using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as a foundational treatment approach in my clinical work. CBT is a highly structured, evidence-based modality that focuses on the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. I have found it particularly effective in treating anxiety, depression, and stress-related disorders, as well as supporting clients in developing healthier coping strategies. In my practice, I use CBT to help clients identify unhelpful thought patterns, challenge cognitive distortions, and replace them with more balanced, realistic perspectives. I guide clients in developing tools such as thought records, behavioral experiments, and exposure techniques, depending on the presenting issue. CBT also serves as a practical framework for goal setting and measurable progress. I integrate it flexibly, tailoring interventions to the client’s needs and often combining it with mindfulness, attachment-based work, or emotion-focused strategies when appropriate. My goal is to help clients increase self-awareness, build emotional regulation skills, and feel empowered in managing their mental health outside of the therapy room.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
I have received training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and regularly incorporate its core principles and interventions into my clinical work. DBT is especially effective for clients experiencing intense emotional dysregulation, relationship difficulties, self-harming behaviors, and symptoms of borderline personality disorder, though I’ve found its tools valuable for a broad range of clients. In my practice, I use DBT both as a standalone framework and as a complementary approach alongside other modalities. I draw from its four key modules—mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness—to help clients build skills for managing overwhelming emotions, navigating conflict, and improving their overall functioning. I integrate DBT skills training into individual sessions, teaching clients how to observe and accept their emotions without judgment, respond more effectively in moments of crisis, and practice more balanced, intentional behavior. I also emphasize the dialectical balance between acceptance and change, helping clients develop greater self-compassion while still working toward meaningful growth. When appropriate, I encourage the use of DBT tools such as diary cards, chain analysis, and structured skill practice between sessions to reinforce learning and support real-life application.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
I have training in Internal Family Systems (IFS) and often integrate its principles into my work with clients. IFS offers a compassionate, non-pathologizing approach to therapy by helping individuals explore and heal the different “parts” of themselves that carry various emotions, beliefs, or protective roles. In my practice, I use IFS to help clients deepen self-awareness and build a more compassionate inner relationship. I guide clients in identifying and getting to know their protective parts—such as inner critics, avoiders, or caretakers—as well as the more vulnerable, wounded parts they often protect. Together, we work toward understanding the intentions behind these parts and creating space for the client’s core “Self” to lead with curiosity, calm, and confidence. IFS has been particularly effective with clients who have experienced complex trauma, attachment wounds, or internal conflict. I use techniques such as parts mapping, unblending, and direct access to facilitate inner dialogue and healing. This process helps clients reduce internal tension, resolve stuck patterns, and access a more integrated, empowered sense of self. My use of IFS is always paced with the client’s readiness and is often combined with other modalities like CBT or DBT when helpful, offering a holistic, trauma-informed approach to healing.
Motivational Interviewing
I have training in Motivational Interviewing (MI) and regularly use its client-centered, collaborative approach to support individuals who are navigating ambivalence around change. MI has been especially effective in my work with clients facing challenges such as substance use, lifestyle changes, treatment adherence, and emotional avoidance. In my practice, I use MI to create a nonjudgmental space where clients feel safe to explore their conflicting thoughts and feelings about change. I apply key MI principles—expressing empathy, developing discrepancy, rolling with resistance, and supporting self-efficacy—to help clients clarify their values and strengthen their intrinsic motivation. Rather than directing or persuading, I act as a guide, using open-ended questions, affirmations, reflective listening, and summarizing to elicit the client’s own reasons for change. This method empowers clients to move at their own pace while building confidence in their ability to take action aligned with their goals. I often integrate MI early in the therapeutic process to build rapport and readiness for deeper work, and I continue using MI tools throughout treatment when clients encounter obstacles or uncertainty about their progress.
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
I have training in Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) and use its principles regularly to support clients in identifying and building on their strengths, resources, and past successes. SFBT is a future-oriented, goal-directed approach that focuses on what is working in a client’s life rather than dwelling on problems or pathology. In my practice, I use SFBT to help clients clarify their goals, envision their preferred future, and identify small, achievable steps toward positive change. I incorporate techniques such as scaling questions, miracle questions, and exception-finding to guide clients in recognizing their own capacity for resilience and progress. This approach is particularly effective with clients who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure where to begin. It’s also well-suited for short-term work or when clients are looking for practical solutions to specific challenges. I integrate SFBT flexibly—either as a primary modality or in combination with other approaches like CBT or DBT—depending on the client’s needs and goals. Regardless of the context, SFBT allows me to hold a hopeful, empowering stance and help clients gain momentum by building on what’s already going well.