Isabel Aguirre
Registered Associate Clinical Social Worker, ASW #125230
Children, Teens, Adults & Families
I decided to pursue a career in therapy and social service after experiencing mental health challenges and a lack of support in my community. I found healing through my personal therapy journey and want to share this healing with others.
Areas of focus: I support children, teens and adults struggling with depression, anxiety, stress management, trauma, domestic violence, childhood trauma, and abuse.
Registered Associate Clinical Social Worker, ASW #125230
Supervised by Kryss Castle, LMFT #95114
Sessions are 50 minutes
Locations: Hermosa Beach, Palos Verdes, Video and Phone
Through my healing journey, I found art and yoga to be powerful tools to help me understand my experiences, relationships, and myself.
I am an art facilitator of the AWBW (A Window Between Worlds) healing arts program addressing trauma, and I use art as a healing practice in therapy sessions. I have also adopted a yoga practice that has helped me connect with my mind and body in a powerful way. I am a certified yoga instructor and use this in my practice as a therapist to support the mind-body connection of my clients. I have found the therapeutic benefits of art and yoga for myself and have woven these tools into my practice with clients.
I support clients in creative ways that can be difficult to achieve through traditional talk therapy.
My personal mental health journey helps me connect with clients on a personal level and provide genuine compassion for the struggles that come with finding mental wellness. I prioritize the therapist-client relationship, focusing on being an active listener and utilizing empathy-guided feedback.
Clients of mine feel heard and seen. I create a safe, non-judgmental space for clients to discover and share their stories. Whether you want to learn concrete regulation tools, practice meditation and mindfulness, or vent to a bias-free person, our time together in therapy is whatever you need it to be. I will be your support in the best way I can and cater our time to your unique needs.
I am trained in CBT, DBT, Act, Child-centered play therapy, the trauma-resiliency model, and social-emotional learning. I use my clinical training to inform my practice and tailor my approach based on the needs of my clients.
Through my training as a social worker, I use a person-in-environment lens and understand the importance of culture, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and the intersectionality of these identities.
Specialties:
- Certified yoga instructor
- Art Facilitator – AWBW (A Window Between Worlds) Healing Arts Program addressing trauma in adults and children
- Trained in: CBT, DBT, Acceptance and commitment therapy (Act), Child-centered play therapy, trauma-resiliency model
- Bilingual, fluent in Spanish
Experience:
- First-year practicum: Psychiatric social work intern for Harbor-UCLA adult outpatient psychiatry unit, DMH clinic working with adults with anxiety, depression, and borderline personality disorder
- Second-year practicum: school social work intern with the Lennox School District at Dolores Huerta Elementary School and Lennox Middle School
- Case manager for college students with intellectual disabilities at AbilityFirst
Educational Background:
- Masters of Social Welfare 2024 from UCLA with PPSC (pupil personnel services credential)
- Bachelor of Arts from LMU 2019 in psychology and minor in studio arts