Jessica Oifer Stelle, MA, LMFT

Welcome. I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (License #54051) with an office near Marina del Rey in Westchester, CA and a HIPAA-compliant virtual office for tele-therapy and consultation appointments. I provide psychotherapy to individual adults dealing with anxiety, chronic pain and TMS/PPD, trauma, PTSD, and life transitions. I also provide Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) and integration for clients undergoing ketamine therapy. 

Therapeutic Approach

Everyone has a unique reason for coming to therapy. With thoughtfulness and compassion, I strive to help each of my clients heal from their own painful symptoms and feel empowered to achieve the balance, contentment and success they desire. I use a variety of therapeutic techniques, depending on my client’s individual needs and goals. This may include traditional talk therapy, mindfulness, somatic tracking, self-compassion techniques, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Attachment-Focused EMDR and other therapeutic approaches. I create a warm, nurturing and compassionate environment so that my clients feel safe, seen and heard throughout their healing journey. 

I believe that past experiences and beliefs can impact our present experiences. I also believe that healing starts with awareness, compassion and understanding. Working through this lens, I help my clients understand how their previous experiences or beliefs may be contributing to their present symptoms and possibly hindering them from achieving what they want in life. This awareness sets the stage for change and healing, both in my clients’ relationships to themselves and others.

As a trauma and mind-body therapist, I also integrate somatic techniques and the connection between the mind and the body in the healing process. The body’s nervous system has a natural way of responding to trauma, stress and other emotions. When this natural response is blocked, emotional and physical symptoms can emerge. We can heal these symptoms by expressing our emotions, healing our wounded parts and by balancing the nervous system. I find that when clients understand the role their nervous system plays in the development and treatment of symptoms, they feel empowered to find balance and reach their goals.

Training and Background

I have an M.A. in Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy from Phillips Graduate Institute (PGI). I completed my MFT training at the renowned Maple Counseling Center in Beverly Hills, CA as well as at California Counseling Center and PGI Counseling Center, both in the San Fernando Valley, CA. Prior to working as a therapist, I earned an MBA from the University of Southern California (USC) and spent 10 years working in corporate business environments. This professional experience has provided me with a unique perspective on the challenges and pressures that clients working in such environments face on a daily basis. I received my undergraduate B.A. degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). 

I have studied and trained in multiple therapeutic approaches, including psychodynamic and attachment therapy, Attachment-Focused EMDR, and the Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM), which is a somatic modality. I received my initial training in Ketamine Assisted Therapy (KAP) and Internal Family Systems (IFS) with Dr. Richard Schwartz, PhD. and the Ketamine Training Center (established by Dr. Phil Wolfson, M.D.) with continued training with Psychedelic Therapy Boston. Additionally, I have training and expertise in treating Psychophysiologic Disorders (PPD) or Mind-Body Syndrome (TMS), and have provided training for other health professionals on therapeutic methods for treating PPD. In addition to my private practice, I previously served as a Board Member for the Psychophysiologic Disorders Association (PPDA) and taught as an Adjunct Faculty Member at Phillips Graduate Institute. I provide supervision to pre-licensed MFT Associates (AMFTs), and am a member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) and the Parnell Institute.