Licensed to practice in California and accepts 29 insurances. Specializes in Anxiety, Depression, Parenting and 6 more.

Gabriela Ruiz

(she/her)

LCSW, 6 years of experience

Clients say this provider is

Warm
Authentic
Open-minded
VirtualAvailable

About me

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 11 years of experience providing psychotherapy and clinical social work across medical, academic, and private practice settings. My clinical work is grounded in trauma-informed care, psychoeducation, and a commitment to evidence-based, integrative treatment that supports each client’s individual goals and strengths. My experience includes working with adults, adolescents, and families in settings such as UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital and Kaiser Permanente. These diverse environments have informed a comprehensive approach that values collaboration, holistic assessment, and continuity of care.

Get to know me

In our first session together, here's what you can expect

Currently, my practice focuses on working with adolescents, young adults and adults navigating life transitions, grief and loss, and identity development, with attention to how early experiences influence present emotional and relational patterns. Drawing on my background in child and adolescent psychoanalytic psychotherapy, I integrate developmental and psychodynamic perspectives to deepen insight and facilitate lasting change.

The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions

As a bilingual therapist (English and Spanish), I provide culturally responsive care that honors the intersection of language, culture, and identity in the therapeutic process. My treatment approach blends psychodynamic, trauma-informed, and strength-based modalities, incorporating elements of ADHD-focused interventions and psychoeducation when appropriate.

The clients I'm best positioned to serve

I am focused on working with adolescents, adults, seniors and people with disabilities and chronic illness. My ideal client is someone seeking meaningful change and a deeper understanding of themselves. They may be navigating anxiety, emotional dysregulation, relationship difficulties, life transitions, or questions of identity. I work especially well with clients who are curious, reflective, and open to exploring the underlying patterns, emotions, and experiences that shape how they relate to themselves and others.

Specialties

Top specialties

Identifies as

Serves ages

Teenagers (13 to 17)

Licensed in

Location

Virtual

My treatment methods

Psychodynamic

Psychodynamic therapy is a form of talk therapy that helps people understand how their unconscious thoughts, past experiences, and early relationships influence their current emotions and behaviors. It focuses on exploring patterns, feelings, and conflicts that may be outside of awareness, with the goal of gaining insight and developing healthier ways of relating to oneself and others. Through this deeper self-understanding, clients can work toward lasting emotional growth and change.

Dialectical Behavior (DBT)

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a type of therapy that helps people who experience emotions very intensely and may feel overwhelmed during difficult situations. DBT teaches practical skills to recognize and understand emotions, tolerate distress, manage strong feelings, and respond to situations in more effective ways rather than reacting impulsively. One of its central ideas is the balance between acceptance and change: we can acknowledge that our feelings and experiences are real and painful while also learning new ways of responding to them. DBT is not about getting rid of difficult emotions; rather, it helps people learn how to experience their emotions without being completely controlled by them.

, 50 ratings

7 ratings with written reviews

July 20, 2026

Gabriela has been great to work with so far. I've had a jumble of things going on, and she's engaged well with all of it. She is attentive and I feel that as we have more sessions, she's understanding me better, and has been able to provide increasingly thoughtful responses.

Verified client, age 35-44
Review shared after session 4 with Gabriela

June 17, 2026

Gabriela is a great therapist. She provided good insight and I look forward to meeting with her again.

Verified client, age 35-44
Review shared after session 1 with Gabriela

April 14, 2026

This is my 5th session and so far I feel very comfortable opening up to Gabriela. I feel like I have her undivided attention during our session and she remembers details I share. She also makes great observations and gives me practical feedback.

Verified client, age 35-44
Review shared after session 5 with Gabriela