Share via email
Hi! My name is Ella Bastone and I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 5+ years of experience providing mental health support. I have found that my approach and experience work best with young adults looking for support with identity exploration, managing life stress, and looking for ways to support their wellness.
My approach
Therapy is a collaborative process and I utilize a variety of modalities including CBT, DBT, mindful self-compassion, strengths-based and person-centered therapy, to support you in gaining more understanding of yourself and building a more accepting and nurturing relationship with yourself. I want to try to support you leaving each session feeling like you have some skills to cope with the hard parts of life and I modify my approach as I learn more about you and your needs. I hope to make space for you to feel heard and seen each session.
My focus
I have a background working with primarily current and former foster youth ranging in age but most between 18-30 years old. I have a lot of experience supporting people living with depression, anxiety, PTSD, complex trauma and supporting individuals working on emotional regulation, processing grief and loss, identity exploration, and managing life transitions. I have experience building long-term, supportive, therapeutic relationships with my clients, supporting some of my clients for 4+ years. I have a background in social justice work and I bring this lens to my clinical work to see how your experience is shaped by various factors.
My communication style
Safety is at the core of my work and you can expect to feel cared for and not judged. Here are some things people say about working with me: "I appreciate the kindness and care that you take when talking to me during our sessions, often times I don't really need much help and just need someone to listen and provide me space to cry and I am really thankful for that." "You are always so open/receptive to me, how I feel, and what I want to talk about! Thank you for giving me a space to feel safe and heard!" "I appreciate that you are honest with me without being rude or harsh. And you don't judge me. Very safe space with you Ella!" "Feeling validated, unjudged, and listened to."
My journey to mental healthcare
Being a witness to people's lives and experiences is an honor to me and I believe that relationships and connections can be healing. Working as a therapist gives me a chance to be creative, do something I love, use my heart and my head, and grow. My own life experiences also bring me to this work and I think my own challenges and experience caring for my mental health make me a stronger clinician.
My goals for you
I follow my clients' lead on what they are hoping to focus and work on while also providing some helpful structure and guidance. When I first begin working with somebody I like to hear what goals they want to work on so this can help guide our time together. Your time is valuable and I want to make sure you feel like you are gaining something from this investment in yourself. Creating goals together also provides a way for you to offer me feedback.
My first session with you
I will make space to get to know you and will ask some questions to get a better sense of what you are hoping to gain from our work together. It's important to me that you get to know me too and make sure I'm the right fit for you. If you choose to work with me, the first full session I will hold space to learn more about who you are what brings you to therapy, and understand what your hopes are from our time together.
