Ava Elmzadeh, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist | Founder of Elmzadeh Counseling
Individual, Adolescent & Family Therapy | Virtual Therapy in California
Making Space for Stories That No Longer Fit
We all carry stories about who we are, who we're supposed to be, and what our lives should look like. Some of these stories help us feel connected and grounded, while others can leave us feeling stuck, misunderstood, or as though we're somehow falling short.
Maybe you're navigating anxiety or ADHD, questioning parts of your identity, struggling in your relationships, or finding that the expectations you've lived by no longer feel right for you. Sometimes it's difficult to know exactly what's wrong. You just know that something doesn't feel the way you'd like it to.
I believe therapy can be a place to slow down, get curious, and begin looking at these experiences differently. My hope is that you'll feel comfortable bringing all parts of yourself into our conversations, including the parts that feel uncertain, complicated, or difficult to put into words.
I don't see my role as telling you who you should be or how you should live. I'm interested in getting to know you, understanding the world you come from, and exploring together what a meaningful life looks like on your own terms.
My Approach to Therapy
My work is deeply influenced by Narrative Therapy, which invites us to look at the stories that shape our identities and the ways our experiences are influenced by relationships, culture, and the world around us.
I believe people are so much more than the problems they experience. Anxiety, self-doubt, difficult relationships, or a diagnosis can sometimes become so intertwined with our sense of self that it's hard to see beyond them. Together, we can begin to separate you from the problems you're facing, explore where certain beliefs about yourself came from, and make room for other ways of understanding your life.
While narrative therapy is at the heart of my work, I'm not committed to one approach at the expense of what might be helpful to you. I continue to learn and grow as a clinician so I can provide more options for the individuals I work with.
Sometimes therapy involves practical tools for managing anxiety, navigating ADHD, or responding differently to difficult emotions. Other times, it's about exploring relationships, finding meaning, sitting with uncertainty, or asking questions that don't have simple answers.
Above all, I value the relationship we build. I want therapy to feel like a genuine conversation where there's room for humor, honesty, curiosity, and the full complexity of being human.
The Experiences That Shape My Work
My clinical journey began working with adolescents and families in residential eating disorder treatment programs, as well as Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) settings. These experiences taught me how deeply our emotional struggles can be connected to our relationships, family dynamics, identities, and the expectations placed upon us. My favorite group I facilitated was Music Group, where it turned into a full hour of karaoke, dance and drumming. Seeing the joy on the teens faces made all of the bureaucracy of dealing with the health care system worth it.
Since 2020, I've worked in private practice, supporting people through anxiety, ADHD, identity exploration, relationship challenges, and many of life's complicated transitions.
Alongside my private practice, I work as a Family Specialist with Homeward Bound in Orange County, providing in-home, wraparound support to adolescents and families navigating complex mental health challenges and intensive levels of care. This work continues to remind me that meaningful support doesn't happen in isolation. Our relationships, communities, and environments all play important roles in how we experience challenges and find our way forward. More than anything I aim to listen to everyone I work with no matter how young or old or different they are.
I also provide clinical supervision to associate therapists through Scribble and Miracle Mile in Los Angeles, as well as within Elmzadeh Counseling. I genuinely enjoy supporting developing therapists as they find their own voices, challenge assumptions, and grow into thoughtful, compassionate clinicians.
Teaching, Culture, and Identity
I earned my graduate degree from Pepperdine University, where I now have the opportunity to return as an instructor teaching Multicultural Counseling.
Teaching is one of the parts of my work I find especially meaningful. It gives me the opportunity to explore questions about identity, culture, power, belonging, and the many ways our experiences are shaped by the world around us.
I believe we cannot fully understand someone without being curious about the context of their life. Our families, cultural backgrounds, communities, and experiences of acceptance or exclusion all influence the stories we come to tell about ourselves.
I'm especially passionate about working with people whose identities, experiences, or ways of living may not fit neatly into the expectations of their families or society. This includes LGBTQ+ and transgender individuals, people navigating cultural or intergenerational differences, and those who have spent much of their lives feeling misunderstood or pressured to be someone they're not.
My goal isn't to assume I understand your experience because of a shared identity or clinical training. It's to remain curious, listen closely, and create a space where your perspective is valued and your experiences are taken seriously.
Who I Work With
I work with adolescents and adults navigating a variety of experiences, with particular interest in:
ADHD, neurodivergence, and executive functioning challenges
Anxiety, overthinking, perfectionism, and self-criticism
LGBTQ+ identities, gender exploration, and transgender experiences
Cultural identity, multicultural experiences, and intergenerational expectations
Relationship difficulties, family conflict, and communication challenges
Identity exploration, self-esteem, and belonging
Emotional regulation and navigating difficult feelings
Life transitions, changing roles, and periods of uncertainty
Grief, loss, and questions about meaning and purpose
I also bring experience supporting adolescents and families navigating eating disorders, complex mental health challenges, and transitions between levels of care.
Getting Started
I offer virtual therapy through Elmzadeh Counseling, serving clients throughout California.
You don't need to have the right words, a clear goal, or even a complete understanding of what brought you to therapy. Sometimes we begin with a question, a feeling, or the sense that something in your life could be different.
I believe therapy works best when we can be curious together, when there's space to question what we've been taught about ourselves, and when you feel free to explore possibilities without being told what your life should look like.
You are more than a diagnosis, a difficult chapter, or the expectations others have placed upon you. Your story is still unfolding, and I'd be glad to be part of the conversation as you discover what comes next.
Ava Elmzadeh, LMFT #125639, is the founder of Elmzadeh Counseling, a clinical supervisor, and an instructor at Pepperdine University. Insurance eligibility and appointment availability are subject to verification.
