Jilla Lavian , LCSW

Jilla Lavian is a licensed clinical social worker in California who helps people manage stress, anxiety, parenting strain, and issues common to women. She brings 20 years of experience working with diverse communities and speaks English and Persian. Her approach is direct and compassionate, aimed at helping people find clearer direction and steadier day-to-day coping.

She focuses on practical change alongside deeper self-understanding. Sessions often include looking at patterns that keep someone stuck, practicing ways to shift unhelpful thoughts, and noticing emotions with more kindness. Jilla blends problem-solving skills with attention to long-standing personal stories and values.

Her background includes a dual master’s from the University of Southern California in Social Work and Jewish Communal Service. She also has experience as a transformational life coach, which informs goal-setting and action planning in sessions. Those elements are woven into her clinical work when useful.

People come to her for help with grief, relationship struggles, sleep problems, anger, career questions, and life transitions. She also supports those facing caregiver stress, codependency, attachment or abandonment concerns, and multicultural or immigration-related issues. Therapy may include direct skill teaching, reflective conversation, and short-term solution-focused work.

Sessions are offered via video calls, phone, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different schedules. Jilla uses a collaborative, respectful style to help people identify strengths and take small steps toward clearer goals.

Therapeutic approaches and online care

Jilla commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness Therapy in online sessions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on noticing and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors to reduce symptoms like anxiety or low mood. Mindfulness Therapy teaches simple awareness practices to help people relate to emotions with less judgment and to manage stress more calmly.

She also draws on Motivational Interviewing to help people clarify what they really want and to build motivation for change. That approach is useful for setting goals, whether for career shifts, healthier habits, or relationship steps. Throughout care she collaborates with each person to find which methods fit their needs and goals, adjusting methods as progress and preferences become clearer.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues, while phone sessions work well when bandwidth is limited or a quieter check-in is needed. Live chat and text-based messaging support brief check-ins, ongoing encouragement, and step-by-step coaching between longer sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy into busy lives and varied schedules.