Leslie Aguilar (she/her)

I have experience providing comprehensive Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) services to individuals struggling with personality traits. DBT was originally developed by psychologist Marsha Linehan to support those struggling with Borderline Personality Disorder. DBT, however, has been found to also be helpful for individuals struggling with other mental health concerns, such as anxiety, addiction, and eating disorders.

Societal pressures oftentimes reinforce the beliefs that for an individual to struggle with an eating disorder it must be physically apparent and symptoms must be "extreme." All-or-nothing thinking fuels engagement in eating disorder behaviors. Whether it is restriction, bingeing, bingeing & purging, and/or focus on eating "healthy" foods, I believe that each person's recovery will be unique. My philosophy is that all foods fit. Orthorexia

My philosophy is that all foods fit. Societal pressures oftentimes reinforce the beliefs that for an individual to struggle with an eating disorder it must be physically apparent and symptoms must be "extreme." Whether it is restriction, bingeing, bingeing & purging, and/or heightened focus on eating specific foods, I believe that each person's recovery process is unique. My goal is to learn about your experience to tailor my therapeutic approach to meet your individual needs.

DBT was originally developed by psychologist Marsha Linehan, Ph.D. to support individuals experiencing Borderline Personality Disorder. DBT, however, has been found to be helpful for individuals aiming to cope with other experiences, such as anxiety, depression, addiction, and eating disorders. DBT focuses on 4 specific modules: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness skills.

I believe flexibility throughout the therapeutic process is essential. This may require integration of other therapeutic techniques and modalities (within my scope of practice & scope of competence), while incorporating your own interests and evolving needs. This may, at times, include collaboration with other members of your clinical/support team.

I believe flexibility in the therapeutic process is essential. This may require integration of other therapeutic techniques and modalities (within my scope of practice & scope of competence). This may, at times, include collaboration with other members of your clinical/support team.

Alongside with flexibility, I believe in honoring the needs of any individual in the present moment. The process is not linear, and I aim to support adolescents and adults as they understand their wants, needs, goals, and ultimately themselves.

"Personal growth" varies from person to person. At times, we may rely on wellness trends to help guide us in identifying potential areas of emotional, mental, and/or physical growth, yet we may still feel directionless. I aim to provide a space where guidance is provided as you explore different life domains and your identify needs during this phase of your life. Areas to explore may include: boundary setting, exploring relationship dynamics, friendships, and emotional vulnerability.

While I work with adults, I also work with children from ages 9 and on.

The teen years come with a variety of changes. It can be challenging to balance socialization [friendships, relationship with parent(s), relationship with sibling(s), social media] as teens learn their individual likes, dislikes, values, interests and needs. I provide a nonjudgmental space where teens can learn tools to process and cope with their unique emotional experiences, and most importantly, walk away with radically accepting they are not defined by their feelings.

While I work with adults, I also work with children from ages 9 and older.

Whether wanting to explore dating, short-term relationships, long-term relationships, friendships, workplace dynamics or familial relationships, I guide individuals to explore their relationships with the self and how that may be externalized in different stages of any given relationship. Areas of focus may include: communication styles, personalization, the role of validation, how to support friends/partners, attachment styles, trauma, building and maintaining connections

Anxiety can manifest in different ways--it's not a one-size-fits-all experience. I believe it's important to approach anxiety with curiosity in order to identify how to best support you. My goal is to help you change your relationships with anxiety versus trying to find ways to fight it (which can be exhausting!).