Steve Friedlander, LMFT, SEP
Somatic Therapist
Santa Monica and Miracle Mile, California & Online
Trauma, anxiety, depression, health issues
Somatic Experiencing, EMDR, IFS, Narrative, Transpersonal & Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy
Certified Addiction Treatment Counselor with 15 years working in addiction & sobriety
Couples & Families
My specialities
I specialize in somatic therapies that help individuals & couples better regulate their nervous systems, resolve conflict & strengthen emotional bonds.
I work with a range of issues including:
Anxiety
Depression & Grief
Chronic Pain & Health Anxiety
Couples, Codependency & Conflict
PTSD & Complex Trauma
Life & Career Transitions
Creative Block
Families & teens
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy
Therapy with me
As a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, my focus is on the body and the nervous system in order to facilitate systemic healing. My greatest passion is to serve as a guide in the process of transformation and the realization of our greatest potential.
My background
During my studies at the University of British Columbia, Steve began a path of exploration into Eastern and Western mysticism and a host of psychotherapeutic modalities. On his travels to over 25 countries, Steve was afforded the opportunity of spending time with countless guides, teachers and way-showers.
“My aim is to dignify, empower, and liberate those I work with.”
Training
[and take a photo of your books to put on the right side]
Registered Associate Professional Clinical Counselor #18657
Supervised by: Steven Bradshaw, LMFT #136584
Treatment approach
Psychotherapy is a great tool to help you understand yourself at a deeper level, find purpose in your life, and address obstacles that are hindering you from reaching your goals. The result is a more integrated self, enabling you to achieve more satisfying ways to live and foster healthy and fulfilling relationships with people in your life.
In addition to my relational approach, I teach practices that support your nervous system to move toward regulation, or homeostatic balance. These practices teach you how to be with challenging sensations without bracing to allow energy to shift and release, rather than accumulating in your body. Over time, your window of tolerance expands so that your nervous system naturally spends more time in parasympathetic, or “rest and digest,” even as you move through the world .
In the process, I help you to unburden the original traumas that live on as hypersensitivity to threat. To do this, we need to meet and befriend the protective parts that over or under react to present situations. With more understanding and acceptance, these parts calm down and start to work together as a team, helping you to become more responsive and vital.
I help you build a personalized tool-kit to manage your symptoms going forward. When you stop fearing your symptoms they lose power over you and they begin to fade. Clients often report forgetting about symptoms as their life comes back into the foreground.
Services and fees
I offer in-person and online sessions for:
Individuals $300 (50-minute session)
Couples $300 (50-minute session)
Adolescents & Teens $300 (50-minute session)
Feel free to ask if sliding scale is available.