She/Her

MSW, University of St. Thomas
BA, Psychology Argosy University

My name is Elina and I am a Clinical Social Work Intern. I am a first generation Armenian immigrant and I value cultural differences and diversity. Everyone has a story and hearing my client’s stories with an open mind is my passion and priority. Starting a therapeutic journey can be difficult but is an important step in taking charge of your life to make positive changes. My goal is to build a good therapeutic alliance and have a good understanding of my clients to ensure their therapy process is rewarding, smooth, and successful. Together my client and I will work on goal setting and my therapy approach will be tailored to best fit my client’s needs. I enjoy working with teens, adults, couples, and families in a wide range of ages.

My clinical interests include a variety of interventions based on individuals needs. I am interested in combinations of CBT, DBT, EFT, Trauma Informed Care, Talk Therapy, Strength based therapy, and more. My approach is culturally sensitive and uses a variety of theories. I believe each person is in charge of their own life and my approach centers around the goals and unique needs of each client. I lean towards cognitive behavioral, person-centered and narrative therapy styles the most in the beginning. I do this because it puts you at the front of your therapy and allows me to really listen and get to know you so that I can best access your needs and ensure your needs are being met.

You will feel heard, validated, and understood. I am an active listener, non-judgmental and am patient and compassionate. Together, we come up with the best goals to work on and I do my best to ensure those goals are met throughout therapy. I ask questions to help you self-discover the answers because I believe each person is in charge of their own life. I may also offer some feedback and suggestions based on the situation but tend to simply listen and allow the client to come up with their own. I value diversity, culture, and individualism and have a culturally sensitive approach. I am compassionate, non-judgmental, and caring and believe that the differences we all have is what makes this world beautiful. I like to really get to know the people I work with by asking questions to get to know your history, background, and concerns. Those I work with will speak freely and feel heard by me and I will do my best to make sure you feel comfortable and safe.

I enjoy the outdoors and spending time with my family and friends.