Louise Bale Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Life can present us with some unpredictable and disruptive challenges, and if you are feeling stuck or sad or alone, a helping hand can help navigate you through tough times. I’d like to be of assistance.

You are on a journey, and as a licensed therapist, I want to help you find your way. I’ll work with you objectively to reflect on what I hear you say, ask questions to aid you in better understanding yourself, and provide some insight into patterns that may be problematic for you.

Our initial meeting will be a consultation, in which we discuss what it is you’re looking for and see if we are a compatible match for one another.  Some people are worried about being honest with a therapist, but I am here to help you - not judge you. We’ll address whatever immediate concerns you have while also looking at your past. I practice from a ‘psychodynamic orientation’ which means that I believe looking at our past can help us see where our learned behaviors come from, shed some light on why we react to certain experiences/people and aid us in better understanding ourselves.  Often gaining awareness of ourselves is enough to alleviate our anxiety and provide relief. But if you wish to change your behaviors, we can work on that too. I have experience working from a ‘cognitive behavioral’ model, which means we can set some goals and develop specific skills to help you change negative thinking and behavior patterns.  When working with parents, I utilize an ‘attachment focus,’ which can help you understand your child’s experience and reflect on the impact of your relationship with them.

In addition to working with adults and couples at a community clinic, I have worked in many schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District counseling children and adolescents.  I also provided mental health services to adolescent mothers and their children in the foster care system and have worked with youth in crisis.