Book a therapist or psychiatrist in Thousand Oaks, CA covered by Cigna

Healthy relationships don't happen by accident—they're built through understanding, communication, and the willingness to grow. Whether you're struggling with anxiety, feeling disconnected from your partner, navigating relationship conflict, or facing intimacy concerns, you don't have to work through it alone.

I'm a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a Master's degree from Pepperdine University, and I specialize in helping adults and couples create healthier relationships with themselves and the people they love. My approach is warm, collaborative, and nonjudgmental while also being practical and goal-oriented. I believe lasting change happens when clients feel genuinely understood while also being challenged to grow.

Together we'll identify the patterns that keep you feeling stuck, strengthen communication, develop practical coping skills, and build deeper emotional and relational connection. Whether you're working through anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, or questions surrounding intimacy, my goal is to help you leave therapy feeling more confident, connected, and equipped to create meaningful change.

I use family systems thinking to understand how relationships shape your experiences, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to address thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. I'm also interested in how attachment styles influence your choices and connections. I believe in meeting you where you are and tailoring our work to what fits you best.

I veiw the path of a human life span, as each of us interact and peerceives the environment around us in our own unique way. My goal is to help clients look at their options, evaluate choices towarda healthier outcome. My work has involved in helping clients toward building better communication between couples, family members, and individual relationships. It is my belief that counseling / psychotherapy can provide a safe place where personal challenges can be processed, and finding choices toward enhancing the quality of life and improve relationships.

I’m a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California with experience providing bilingual (English/Spanish) therapy to children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families. I earned my bachelor’s degree in Psychology from California State University, Fresno, my master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Capella University, and I’m currently pursuing a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision. My background spans nonprofit organizations, county behavioral health, private practice, and healthcare, supporting clients with anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, relationship challenges, and other mental health concerns. I believe therapy isn’t one-size-fits-all. I meet you where you are and move at a pace that feels comfortable while helping you build the tools to reach your goals.

Hey hey hey, I’m Ariel Wilson Gbenedio, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, transformational speaker, and author dedicated to helping people heal, grow, and step into their power.

I have nearly a decade of experience in the mental health field, working across a wide range of settings including crisis residential treatment, outpatient care, and program development. I’ve had the privilege of supporting individuals navigating trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, and major life transitions. My work is rooted in evidence-based practices such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and trauma-informed care—blended with a deeply human, compassionate approach.

I earned my Master’s in Social Work from the University of Southern California and have served in both clinical and leadership roles, including Clinical Director. Throughout my career, I’ve been passionate about creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, and safe enough to do the real work of healing.

My approach to therapy is collaborative, empowering, and honest. I believe healing isn’t about “fixing” you—because you are not broken. It’s about understanding your story, shifting limiting beliefs, and helping you build a life that feels aligned, fulfilling, and authentic. I specialize in working with high-achieving women, individuals struggling with self-worth, trauma recovery, and those feeling stuck in cycles that no longer serve them.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or ready for something more in your life, you don’t have to navigate it alone. My goal is to help you develop the insight, tools, and confidence to create lasting change—and to remind you of the strength that already exists within you.

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor with a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a Ph.D. in Counselor Education from the University of New Orleans. As an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, I support clients in exploring intimacy, identity, and relationships with care and openness. I strive to honor your values, culture, and lived experience so you feel respected, understood, and empowered throughout our work together.

My journey into mental health began with a deep interest in the intersection of human behavior and emotional resilience.

I enjoy working with adolescents and adults going through life transitions and experiencing trauma. My current practice includes individual treatment helping adults with anxiety and depression, self-esteem/confidence, grief, trauma and life transitions! Finding a therapist with whom you connect with is important.

Over the past 14 years, I have worked in a variety of settings, including private practice, community clinics and public school settings. These experiences have shaped my belief that therapy is not a "one-size-fits-all" process, but rather a collaborative partnership built on trust and evidence-based strategies!

I hold a Master of Social Work from California State Long Beach as well as a Bachelor of Social Work from Azusa Pacific University..

Listen.... Life happens and it's during the tough and difficult times that as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker I'm here to offer a safe space of affirmation.... and accountability

My passion is to empower those that have not found their potential. We all have our own stories and experiences which makes us perfect candidates for success when we have the right support. Whether you have lived it, experienced it or witnessed it, the effects of trauma are devastating. Quit beating yourself up. It is time to heal. With 20 years experience in addiction and over 10 working with trauma, it is time to recover from the past, survive the present, and flourish into the future. It all starts with you.