Ellen Polamero

We are all, in some way or another, dealing with the world around us – how the world is impacting us, and how we hope to have an impact on the world. My focus with clients is in better understanding this interaction between our selves and our world, and how we can either change or work to accept those parts of our selves and our world that trouble us. I look at people’s individual and unique strengths, how they approach problems, and the skills they already have in place to find solutions in life. I work with people to develop new skills, approaches and perspectives, and better define their place in their own world. I believe in the importance of acknowledging our emotions and embracing them, but not always being controlled by them. Humor is important to me in my work with clients, as is grief. I have been in the field of mental health since 2002, obtained my Masters in Social Work from UCLA in 2006, and have been licensed as a clinical social worker since 2011. I worked for the first 7 years of my career with children and families, and have focused more on adults (young and old – I’ll let you define yourself!), couples and families since 2010. I have specialized training in providing individual counseling and family counseling to those affected by cancer or other chronic illnesses, or dealing with grief and bereavement. I am also trained in couples counseling.