Dr. Estella Lerlo, LMFT
Therapist who helps untangle relationship stories
Details
| Name | Dr. Estella Lerlo |
|---|---|
| Credentials | LMFT |
| Based in | California |
| Licensed in | California |
| Session format | Online |
| Languages | English |
| Years in practice | 14 |
About Estella
Dr. Estella Lerlo is a licensed marriage and family therapist with 14 years of experience in California. She focuses on stress, anxiety, relationship concerns, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, and self-esteem.
She aims to make the first step easier for people who are nervous about starting therapy. She creates a calm, open space where people can say what they think and feel without judgment. Sessions are straightforward and conversational.
She listens closely and helps clients name patterns that cause pain or confusion.
Background and approach
Dr. Lerlo blends Narrative approaches with attachment-focused work and practical cognitive tools. That means she helps people tell the stories they live by, notice how relationships shape those stories, and try small changes in thinking and behavior.
These methods are used to address issues like abandonment, commitment worries, and difficulty with intimacy. She also brings tools from Emotionally-Focused and Gottman-informed work to strengthen how people connect and communicate. This can help with infidelity, codependency, blended family challenges, and ongoing conflict.
For trauma and first responder stress she draws on approaches that respect the pace each person needs. People who contact her often want clear steps and a calm partnership. She helps set small, practical goals around coping, communication, and rebuilding trust.
The work is collaborative, paced to what the client can manage, and aimed at steady, usable change.
What this therapist works with
Her listing names Stress, Anxiety, Relationship issues, Trauma and abuse among the things Estella works with, alongside the areas below.
- Stress, Anxiety
- Relationship issues
- Trauma and abuse
- Intimacy-related issues
- Self esteem
- Abandonment
- Attachment issues
- Blended family issues
- Codependency
- Commitment issues
- Communication problems
- Coping with natural or human-caused disaster
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Infidelity
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Midlife crisis
- Money and financial issues
- Post-traumatic stress
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Self-love
- Women's issues
- Young adult issues
Approaches listed
- Narrative Therapy: Named in her listing among her approaches.
- Attachment-Based Therapy: Listed by Estella among the ways she works.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Listed by Estella among the ways she works.
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT): Listed by Estella among the ways she works.
- Gottman Method: Listed by Estella among the ways she works.
- Mindfulness Therapy: Listed by Estella among the ways she works.
- Motivational Interviewing: Listed by Estella among the ways she works.
- Solution-Focused Therapy: Listed by Estella among the ways she works.
- Somatic Therapy: Listed by Estella among the ways she works.
- Trauma-Focused Therapy: Listed by Estella among the ways she works.
- Training stated: This directory copies the approaches a therapist names and does not check training records. Ask Estella directly how much of the work is narrative and what a session usually looks like.
Narrative Therapy in this listing
Narrative Therapy appears in this therapist's own list of approaches. That tells you it is part of how she works. It does not tell you how much of a session it shapes, and this directory does not check or rate training.
If a narrative approach is what you are looking for, it is worth asking Estella directly how she uses it and what a session usually looks like.
Online session options
How narrative and attachment work online
Dr. Lerlo uses Narrative Therapy to help people examine the stories they tell about themselves. That work involves listening to those stories, gently challenging unhelpful themes, and trying new narratives that fit better with people's goals. Attachment-Based Therapy is used to explore how early and current relationships shape feelings and reactions, and to practice new ways of relating that reduce anxiety and hurt.Finding the right approach is part of the process. The therapist will work with each person to choose or blend approaches based on their needs, goals, and preferences. This is a collaborative conversation that may shift as progress is made.
Online therapy with video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging makes it easier to fit care into a busy life. Video is useful for face-to-face conversation and reading nonverbal cues. Phone sessions can be a good option when bandwidth is limited or a shorter check-in is needed. Live chat and text messaging allow quick notes and ongoing support between longer sessions. These options are intended to increase flexibility and make consistent work more manageable.
Common questions about this listing
What kinds of concerns does she address?
She supports people with stress, anxiety, relationship troubles, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, and self-esteem. Additional focus areas include abandonment, attachment issues, infidelity, and post-traumatic stress.
What is her general therapy style?
Her style is conversational and collaborative. She listens closely, helps people retell harmful stories, and suggests practical steps to try between sessions.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 14 years of professional work experience as a therapist in California.
What credentials and location apply?
She is a licensed marriage and family therapist, CA LMFT, based in California.
Which languages and international work are supported?
Sessions are offered in English. She is not accepting international clients at this time.
What session formats are available?
Sessions can be held by video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs.
How does payment and cost work?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability. Sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Begin by selecting the Start Therapy button, completing a short matching questionnaire, and then scheduling according to therapist availability.
Contacting this therapist
Sessions with Estella are arranged through our partner platform. It asks a few questions about what you are looking for, then shows you the therapists available to you, including Estella where she has space. Ask about fees, and whether she holds a licence or registration where you live.
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