Dr. Estella Lerlo, LMFT
California · 14 years in practice
Dr. Estella Lerlo is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) practicing in California.
License and registration
- LMFT, California
- 147318 · expires June 2026
- NPI
- 1760774988 · national provider identifier
- Years in practice
- 14
- Languages
- English
Details are as listed on the therapist's public professional profile. You can check the license with the issuing state board, and the NPI with the national registry.
About Estella
Dr. Estella Lerlo is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) practicing in California. She brings 14 years of clinical experience and a calm, direct approach to sessions.
She meets people where they are and helps them take practical steps forward. Her work focuses on stress, anxiety, relationship struggles, trauma and abuse, intimacy issues, and self-esteem. She also helps people facing abandonment, attachment concerns, blended family challenges, codependency, and commitment doubts.
Background and approach
Other areas she addresses include communication problems, forgiveness, infidelity, isolation and life purpose questions. In the therapy room she aims to create an open, nonjudgmental space where thoughts and feelings can be named and examined. Conversations are straightforward and paced to match each person’s needs.
She listens for patterns that keep people stuck and helps them try new ways of relating and coping. Dr. Lerlo uses a mix of approaches that include Emotionally-Focused Therapy, attachment-based ideas, cognitive behavioral techniques, the Gottman Method, and mindfulness.
These methods provide different tools for handling strong emotions, improving communication, and changing unhelpful habits. She encourages realistic, manageable goals and practical steps between sessions. Signing up for therapy can feel hard, and she recognizes the courage it takes to start.
Her aim is to help clients feel steadier and more connected to what matters to them.
Focus areas and approaches
Everything Estella lists on their public professional profile, in their own terms.
- 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 Estella names
- Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Gottman Method
- Mindfulness Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Narrative Therapy
- Solution-Focused Therapy
- Somatic Therapy
- Trauma-Focused Therapy
Naming an approach is not evidence of training in it. This directory copies what each therapist lists and does not check training records.
Online support
Emotion-focused and attachment work online
Emotionally-Focused Therapy helps people name and understand strong emotions and how those feelings shape their relationships. It can be useful for improving emotional response and building closer connections. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at early and current attachment patterns to explain why people react strongly in relationships and helps create new, healthier ways of relating.Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences, and what feels doable, then use techniques from EFT, attachment ideas, or cognitive-behavioral tools as a team decision. This collaborative process aims to match methods to the person’s needs rather than applying one fixed method.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. Video lets the therapist and client work face to face when scheduling and bandwidth allow. Phone sessions can be easier when video is not practical. Live chat and messaging offer shorter check-ins or ongoing support between sessions. These options make therapy more flexible for people with busy days, caregiving duties, or travel.
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Questions people ask
What kinds of concerns does Dr. Lerlo address?
She helps with stress, anxiety, relationship struggles, trauma and abuse, intimacy issues, and self-esteem. Additional focus areas include attachment, codependency, infidelity, and post-traumatic stress.
What is her general therapy style?
Her style is open and practical. She creates a nonjudgmental space, listens for patterns, and offers concrete steps clients can try between sessions.
How much clinical experience does she have?
She has 14 years of professional experience working with people on relationship and emotional concerns.
What credentials and location apply to her practice?
She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, LMFT, licensed in California and practices there.
Which languages are supported and can she see international clients?
Sessions are offered in English. She does not accept international clients at this time.
What session formats does she offer?
She works through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to fit different schedules and needs.
How are costs and billing handled?
Cost varies with location and therapist availability; sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with her?
Click the Start Therapy button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule sessions according to therapist availability.
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