Hello. I am Rachel Arditi, AMFT.

I am a child, teen, and and young adult therapist specializing in helping young people make sense of their inner world through patience, empathy, and genuine respect for their experiences.

My background includes many years in school settings, special education programs, camp Ramah in California, and community organizations. This has given me a holistic understanding of how children grow, how stress shows up in their bodies and behavior, and how to best support children and parents when things feel challenging. In addition to my mental health training, I bring years of experience working with children and young adults with special needs, with a special focus in supporting individuals with autism and learning differences. My background in special education, IEP development, applied behavioral analysis, and social skills training uniquely equips me to collaborate with families, teachers, and providers, to support the whole child.

I blend evidence-based practices with creative, experiential approaches that meet each person exactly where they are. My goal is to help each child, teenager, and young adult build resilience, strengthen their sense of self, and develop lifelong skills for navigating challenges with confidence.

My Experience

I strive to maintain a consistent commitment to meet each client with compassion, curiosity, and deep respect for their journey.

  • Mental Health Associate at Los Angeles elementary schools

  • Supported children, teens, and young adults through anxiety, ADHD, depression, divorce, panic, anger, suicidal ideation, self-esteem challenges, grief, family conflict, and social conflict

  • Trained in crisis intervention and safety planning

  • Parent coaching

  • Special Day Class teacher for TK-K children with Autism

  • Trained in leading IEP meetings and reporting on social emotional goals

  • Co-teacher in inclusive Jewish educational programs

  • Applied behavioral analysis and social skills

  • Vocational and social skills facilitator for adults with disabilities

  • Direct support professional for adults with moderate disabilities

  • Camp coordinator at a Jewish sleep away camp for young adults with special needs teaching life skills, job skills, independent living skills, and social connection

Therapy powered by:

Attachment and connection

Developmentally informed play

Emotional regulation and body awareness

Strengths-based support for neurodivergent learners

Trauma-informed care

Collaboration with parents, caregivers, and schools

Together, we may use:

Play therapy (child-centered, Oaklander, and Synergetic Play therapy)

Art, sand, puppets, and expressive therapies

Mindfulness

Cognitive behavioral therapy and trauma-sensitive interventions

Narrative and solution-focused approaches

My Path and Training

Education

M.S. in Counseling Psychology (Marriage and Family Therapy)
California Lutheran University — Emphasis in Attachment Theory

K–12 Mild–Moderate Special Education Credential
California State University Northridge — Autism & ELL Certifications

B.A. in Psychology
Pitzer College — Focus in Special Education

Specialized Training

24-hour Oaklander Model Intensive (2021)
Part 2 Advanced Oaklander Model Training (2023)
Training in emotional expression, grief and loss, and child-centered play therapy

Currently being trained in Synergetic Play Therapy Level 1
Training in CPS reporting, safety planning, and crisis support

Clinical Training

Child, teen, and young adult therapy at Valley Beth Shalom Counseling Center

School-based counseling in K–8 settings across Los Angeles

ABA therapist roles supporting children with autism

UCLA Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital — Early Childhood Partial Hospitalization Program

Language and Communication

I speak conversational Spanish.
I value accessible communication, cultural humility, and the shared process of learning and understanding.

Rachel Arditi, AMFT

Helping young people move through anxiety, depression, ADHD, divorce, grief, school challenges, and social struggles with evidence-based, developmentally attuned therapy.