Luena Maillard, ASW
Associate Social Worker, License #118796 | She/Her
Primary Focus
- Adolescents
- Children
- College Students
- Anxiety
- Depression
- LBGTQIA+
- Control Mastery Theory
I have always savored conversations about subjects that are difficult to discuss. In searching for the spaces in which those conversations occur, I’ve worked as a classroom sex educator for high schools in southeastern Michigan and as a sexual health and wellness columnist for a student paper.
It has always been clear to me that life—full and raw and real—happens in the gaps where we feel safe enough to be vulnerable with another. My search for such a sacred space concluded in the therapy room, where I know first-hand how impactful the role of a compassionate therapist can be for a family system and child.
As a child, therapy gave me a language of compassion and a way to understand my experience. This is highly meaningful work for me, and the time I have spent—and continue to spend—on the other side of the therapeutic relationship informs how I show up in the room as a therapist.
When I’m not in the therapy room, you can find me tinkering on my latest crochet sweater, learning swing dancing in the Mission, or hiking in Joaquin Miller Park. I’m an avid reader, often juggling multiple books at once, and I delight in spoiling my two beloved cats with nerdy names, Bismuth and Neuron.
What to expect in therapy with me:
As a therapist, my job is to build a relationship with you while integrating my academic knowledge and skills. I am highly relational, curious, and collaborative in the therapy room.
Together, we will identify your goals and the changes you wish to see in your life. I aim to support you in living a life in line with your values as you navigate social and personal challenges. After years of experience working in the field of mental health with children and their families, I see therapy as a process in which you hold the expertise of your experience.
My background in mobile mental health crisis work has also equipped me with the skills to handle challenging situations with calm and care. If you decide to try psychotherapy with me, I can offer my passion, skills, and education as I walk alongside you in your journey.
If you think you might want to work with me, please reach out! Let’s have a 20 minute call to see if it’s a good fit.
Credentials
- Experiences
- Clinician at Pacific Clinics in their FSPC program
- Practicum Clinician at Children’s Health Council
- Practicum Case Manager at Star Vista’s Women’s Enrichment Center
- Volunteer Work With Foster Youth in Pomona, CA
- As a Sex Columnist for College Paper
- As a Peer Health Educator for Planned Parenthood.
- Education
- MSW - Mental Health & Trauma, University of Denver
- BA - Cognitive Science, Scripps College
What I help with:
- Anxiety
- Communication Issues
- Conflict Resolution
- Depression
- Feeling Stuck
- Trauma
- ADHD
- Autism
- Behavioral Issues
- Body Positivity
- Career Counseling
- Divorce
- Education and Learning Disabilities
- Grief
- Parenting
- Racial Identity
- Relationship Issues
- Self Esteem
- Self-Harming
- Sex-Positive, Kink Allied
- Stress
- Substance Use
- Suicidal Ideation
Who I help
- Adults
- Adolescents
- Children
- College Students
- Immigrants
- Individuals
- LGBTQIA+
- Teens
- Young Adults
Modalities
- Acceptance and Commitment (ACT)
- Attachment-based
- Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
- Control Mastery Theory (CMT)
- Eclectic
- Existential
- Exposure Response Prevention (ERP)
- Family Systems
- Humanistic
- Integrative
- Motivational Interviewing
- Multicultural
- Narrative
- Person-Centered
- Play Therapy
- Relational
- Strength-Based
- Trauma Focused
Book Recommendations:
Neurodivergence
- Neurotribes by Steve Silberman – Explores the history and understanding of autism.
- The Explosive Child by Ross W. Greene – Offers strategies for parenting children with challenging behaviors through collaboration and understanding.
- Driven to Distraction by Edward M. Hallowell and John J. Ratey – A guide to understanding Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and its impact.
Development
- The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson – Provides insights on how to nurture a child’s developing brain with practical strategies for parenting.
- No-Drama Discipline by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson – Focuses on effective discipline techniques rooted in developmental stages that promote emotional intelligence in children.
- Brainstorm by Daniel J. Siegel – Investigates the teenage brain and offers advice on how to support adolescents through their developmental changes.
Parenting and Communication
- Respectful Parents, Respectful Kids by Sura Hart and Victoria Kindle Hodson – Offers communication techniques to cultivate mutual respect between parents and children.
- Nonviolent Communication by Marshall B. Rosenberg – Introduction to a communication method focused on compassion and understanding to resolve conflicts.
- Say What You Mean by Oren Jay Sofer – Teaches mindful communication strategies rooted in nonviolent communication that enhance connection and clarity in conversations.
- Parenting from the Heart by Inbal Kashtan – A presentation of nonviolent communication ideas and their use in parenting.
Trauma
- My Grandmother’s Hands by Resmaa Menakem – Explores the impact of racial trauma and how how trauma presents in our bodies and nervous systems.
- Healing Developmental Trauma by Laura Parnell – Discusses the impact of early trauma and offers approaches to healing and emotional regulation.
- In an Unspoken Voice by Peter A. Levine – Explores how trauma affects the body and mind, providing insights into somatic experiencing for healing.
Additional
- Dibs by Virginia M. Axline – A classic case study illustrating the transformative power of play therapy for a troubled child.
- Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski – Examines the science of sexuality and how to embrace personal experiences for better intimacy.
- The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris – Introduces Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as a way to overcome negative thoughts and increase well-being.
