Hi, I’m Ariel Thiermann Stahl. I work with kids, teens, adults, couples, and families navigating anxiety, overwhelm, grief and loss, relationship challenges, identity exploration, parenting concerns, and life transitions. My style is creative, collaborative, and experiential. I pay close attention to what’s happening in the moment, what you’re feeling emotionally, what you notice in your body, and what emerges in our relationship itself. I believe the most transformative part of therapy is not a technique, it’s the trust and safety we build together, so that you can have the space to reflect, grow and heal.
My Approach
I integrate mindfulness with traditional psychotherapy, drawing from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), and client-centered work. I also have a strong interest in Jungian and Depth Psychology, and I’m attuned to the ways meaning, symbolism, and the unconscious can shape our patterns and inner lives.
Where My Experience Comes From
Over the years, I’ve worked as a therapist in a range of clinical settings supporting individuals, couples, and teens. My experience includes psychodynamic training at The Maple Counseling Center in Los Angeles, hospice grief support in Scotts Valley, and community mental health work at Family Service Agency in Santa Cruz. Most recently, I spent two years at Beacon School in Campbell in a therapeutic model program for teens navigating trauma, anxiety, depression, learning differences, and neurodivergence. That work strengthened my belief that we heal, at any age, in spaces where we feel safe to be ourselves, seen, heard, and supported. I believe the relationship we build in therapy is central to change, helping you reconnect with your strength, resilience, and the joy you deserve.
My Creative Background
Before becoming a therapist, I spent more than two decades as a vocal coach and expressive arts mentor. This is what actually inspired me to become a therapist. In this time as a vocal coach, I observed how voice and creativity can open channels of emotional truth, connection, and self-understanding, sometimes in ways words cannot. That history continues to inform how I listen and how I work today.
In therapy, creative approaches are never required, but for clients who are interested, we can incorporate mindfulness-based, somatic, or expressive practices. Please request this if interested.
What It’s Like to Work Together
If you’re wondering what a first session is like, I treat it as a conversation, a chance for us to get to know each other and see if we’re a good fit. It can feel vulnerable to reach out, and I deeply respect the courage it takes to make time for yourself in the middle of a busy life. Therapy is an intentional space to slow down, reflect, and move toward change with support. Above all, my priority is that you feel safe, comfortable, and connected.