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Our Services Trauma Therapy Therapy for Empaths & HSPs Grief and Loss Therapy Couples Therapy IFS Therapy Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy Therapy for Teens
Meet Our Team Sharon Yu Sabrina Bolin Gabriella Elise Giorgio Janelle Malak Marina Mendes Rachel Kwon Grace Chan
 
Janelle Malek

Meet Janelle Malak

As someone who became a parent and changed careers in my late 30s, I understand the feeling of being “behind” in life. Often, my clients will express similar sentiments — they feel distressed about not hitting certain milestones or are trying to reconcile the life they want to live with the life they feel they “should”. Together, we work to examine and deconstruct these narratives, and to joyfully embrace their unique paths.

I am also a partner in a multiracial and neurodiverse relationship, and I understand how attachment injuries and ruptures can show up in nuanced ways. In my practice, I help individuals and couples attune to their own patterns and needs, creating a solid foundation to engage more intentionally with their loved ones and themselves. Together, we make room to relate in new and responsive ways.

I believe my clients are the experts of their own lives. My role is to hold trust in you—even when you struggle to trust yourself.

 

I am an Associate Marriage and family Therapist (#144798) supervised by Sharon Yu, LMFT (#50028). Trained in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy and the Gottman Method of couples therapy, I welcome couples who feel disconnected from one another and want to cultivate safety in their relationship.

Informed by Internal Family Systems, I help individuals map their internal worlds and embrace the parts of themselves that have been living in exile.

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My clients work through internal conflicts as they navigate massive life shifts in their careers and relationships.

When we are stuck in patterns that no longer serve us, we feel anxious, depressed, and hopeless. But even positive change can be isolating and overwhelming. My clients want someone to walk beside them as they navigate a new path in life.

They are couples who feel disconnected, despite a deep well of love for one another. They have grown to view each other as the problem and want to feel like they’re on the same team again, or intentionally and consciously create a new dynamic, sometimes including separation. 

They are individuals who are burned out in their careers and are assessing whether to make a change. They are disillusioned by their dream job and question whether the pursuit of their dream is worth the toll it takes on their mental health and relationships.

They are devoted parents who are struggling to hold the joy of parenthood in the midst of the valid anxiety and demands of raising a child in our current world.

My clients value relationships. Whether seeking therapy individually or as a couple, my clients view relationships as the building blocks of a fulfilling life. They acknowledge that healthy relationships take work and are willing to put in the effort. They crave secure attachments with their partners, loved ones, and themselves.

 
An illustration of a queer couple holding hands. This couple represents couples wanting to use couples therapy to address attachment wounds and major life transitions in Los Angeles, CA.

Therapy with me is compassionate, affirming, and non-pathologizing. In our work together, we will:

  • Explore the parts of yourself that keep you stuck in old patterns

  • Identify and build on your strengths

  • Embrace vulnerability as a vehicle for change and empowerment

Special welcome to entertainment industry professionals, anxious creatives, new parents, and Los Angeles transplants.

Post graduate degree in counseling: Antioch University, Masters in Clinical Psychology

Specialized training(s): Gottman Method Couples Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS/Parts Work) Informed, Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy