Estela Sanchez-Ballard
Hola! I am a licensed clinical social worker based in California. I earned my graduate degree in social welfare from UC Berkeley and I have been a therapist for over thirteen years.
My passion is supporting clients in becoming excited about their lives, learning and doing more of what makes them happy, as well as developing and honoring their self-determination.
My passion is supporting clients in becoming excited about their lives, learning and doing more of what makes them happy, as well as developing and honoring their self-determination.
First session
During the first session, I will conduct introductions, review generalities of therapy and go into goals for treatment. I find it valuable to explore past experiences with treatment in order to better understand where we may be starting from. I also will review current coping skills and support systems as I believe it is important to also review personal strengths.
Strengths
My greatest strengths are that I am empathic, compassionate, and non-judgmental. I provide a warm and welcoming environment in my practice to help clients feel seen and heard.
Ideal clients
I enjoy working with adults who struggle with feeling in control of their lives and decisions. They may have had difficult or traumatic pasts where their voice and opinions were not heard or respected and their boundaries violated. These experiences resulted in challenges in self-actualization, expressing and advocating for needs and trusting their instincts. Ideally, therapy goals would include navigating difficult past experiences, understanding how these have shaped the present, while working toward a more fulfilling future.
Treatment methods
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
I use ACT as a way to support clients in understanding their mental health struggles, working through them and not feeling as if they are broken or something is wrong with them.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
CBT is used to help clients determine thinking patterns that may be keeping them stuck in life. It can be helpful identifying reoccurring thoughts that impact moods and behaviors.
Culturally Sensitive Therapy
I strive toward practicing cultural sensitivity and humility by acknowledging that clients are the experts of their lives and experiences, and as a clinician I learn from my clients.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
I utilize elements from DBT when discussing the management of intense emotional distress such as though grounding and mindfulness techniques.
Eclectic
I believe therapy is not a one size fits all and I take from different methods that I believe work best with each individual client.
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
Top specialties
Other specialties
Serves
Licensed in
- CaliforniaLicense 68510