Elana Luban
I'm a telehealth therapist who's passionate about providing individualized treatment to fit my clients' specific goals and take a compassionate, non-preachy approach. I'm flexible and eclectic in my therapeutic approaches, combining cognitive (such as CBT) and somatic (such as EMDR and somatic experiencing) approaches depending on what you, and the moment, requires. Whether your goal is to better regulate your nervous system, heal old wounds, improve your relationships, kick a habit, or be more authentic, I'm excited to support you! Also, I didn't use any AI to write any part of my bio; it's all straight from the heart. I'm certified in hypnotherapy via the American Association of Clinical Hypnosis, Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), all of which I offer via telehealth. I believe that central to our struggles are trauma and unmet needs, some past, some current, which have led us to compulsive/addictive behaviors and unhealthy attachments.
I've been told by supervisors and clients that my greatest strengths are my sincerity, passion for what I do, and willingness to go the extra mile.
First session
I tend to do way more listening than talking in an initial session. I want to hear all about your goals, history, and what has worked or hasn't worked in therapy in the past.
Strengths
I've been told by supervisors and clients that my greatest strengths are my sincerity, passion for what I do, and willingness to go the extra mile. If you're my client, I'm rooting for you 100% and here to support you in your life goals to the best of my ability. This is more than just a 9-5 to me.
Ideal clients
I work with all populations except those experiencing active psychosis or acute suicidal ideation. Whatever your background, mindset, approach to therapy, and goals may be -- welcome! This is your time to use however you like and I'll follow your lead. That said, I've noticed that I match particularly well with clients who identify as neurodivergent, queer, or both. I'm excited to get to know your story!
Origin story
When I was sixteen, my grandmother was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Just a few months later, my older brother had his first psychotic episode and was soon diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type. My grandmother likely couldn't have predicted or avoided the tumor, but my brother's disorder was largely exacerbated by trauma and stress; in the months and years following his diagnosis, I hyperfixated on psychology and neurobiology, specifically focusing on protective factors that can keep an individual from developing psychosis. I learned that reality is subjective, and learned the importance of validating individuals' subjective experiences even when they don't align with my perception of reality. Many roads lead back to Buddhist/Daoist psychology, and my journey is no exception. After years of grappling with the notion of suffering -- during which I left an Orthodox Jewish cult and was a staunch atheist, hedonist, and nihilist through most of my twenties -- a friend of mine mentioned in passing that "craving is the root of suffering" (I don't think they realized the impact this had on me) and it finally clicked for me that acceptance of the present moment is all we have. Acceptance of painful physical sensations, painful mental states, painful emotions -- feeling the pain fully, and allowing it to flow through, because everything changes and so will the pain, no matter how terrible. My greatest passion and privilege is supporting others who are, like me, imperfect humans trying their best to exist in this strange, uncertain, and sometimes very frightening world.
Treatment methods
Hypnotherapy
I'm certified in hypnotherapy (via the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, widely regarded as one of the best clinical hypnosis training programs), which I use to treat addiction, trauma/PTSD, anxiety, OCD and phobias, depression, chronic pain, low self-esteem, disordered eating, body dysmorphia, and insomnia.
EMDR
If you are looking to heal trauma or face fewer triggers in your daily life, I will use EMDR to help you reprocess challenging events so that they no longer activate your fight/flight/freeze/fawn response.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
If you are looking to quiet down anxious parts, pacify addicted parts, or re-integrate traumatized parts, I will support you by helping you notice when you are operating from your core/essential self and expanding that ability. "IFS is a transformative tool that conceives of every human being as a system of protective and wounded inner parts led by a core Self... Just like members of a family, inner parts are forced from their valuable states into extreme roles within us. Self is in everyone. It can’t be damaged. It knows how to heal" -IFS Institute.
Gender-affirming therapy
Roughly 50% of my caseload is trans and/or gender non-conforming. It's one of my greatest joys to combine gender-affirming care with person-centered, humanistic therapy to put your goals first and support you in embodying your most authentic self.
Somatic
Our brains and bodies are not separate, and I believe that our cognitive experience cannot be detached from our emotional and somatic experience. Unlike top-down therapies (like CBT) that use thoughts to change feelings, somatic experiencing (SE) works "bottom-up," starting with bodily sensations to affect emotions and thoughts. I'm here to help you learn to recognize, allow, investigate/feel, and nurture your somatic experiences so you can move through them rather than resist them, and in doing so, better regulate your nervous system.
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
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Serves
Doesn't specialize in
Licensed in
- CaliforniaLicense 125558