Stella Chesler, MFT

I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. My specialty is relational Gestalt therapy of which I have 4 years of post-Masters training. My focus in my work is creating a safe space, a space where my clients and I work collaboratively and together...

I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. My specialty is relational Gestalt therapy of which I have 4 years of post-Masters training. My focus in my work is creating a safe space, a space where my clients and I work collaboratively and together unpack and make sense of their experience, their hopes and their struggles. My work is largely informed by my years of post-master’s training in relational Gestalt Therapy and my experience in mindfulness. As a relational Gestalt therapist, I believe that we all are naturally inclined toward healing and growth which unfold when we have the support that enables it. When we feel alone with our struggles or different because of them, we may find it difficult to deeply connect with others. This feeling of disconnectedness may increase our sense of being different and possibly “damaged” in some way. We may feel powerless to make the changes we want for ourselves or confused about what those changes might even be. I work with mainly with individuals, helping my clients gain a deeper awareness of their experience, their history and their current circumstances. I work collaboratively and compassionately with my clients to make sense of their feelings, thoughts and behaviors and develop a sense of comfort and value in being who they are. Many of my clients struggle with confusing, and sometimes distressing thoughts, feelings or behaviors. Some feel stuck and unable to move forward. Together, my clients and I explore and experiment with new possibilities and new ways of engaging support in their lives. We explore new perspectives that help my clients live in ways that are more aligned to who they deeply are. I specialize in working with people who are struggling with past trauma, experiencing critical feelings about themselves or feeling challenged in their relationships. Depression, anxiety, confusion or a feeling of being stuck often come up for us around life transitions. Transitions such as moving into a new life phase, transitions in our relationships or in our work can leave us feeling overwhelmed and isolated. We can feel confused, stuck or unsure about how to move forward and feel alone in this experience. Healing and growth often evolve from these experiences when we have the support to explore our fears, sadness or frustrations and make sense of the patterns that we bring with us to our relationships and the habitual ways we view ourselves.