Ally Silva (she/her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) #93160

Clinical Supervisor

SERVICES I OFFER

In-office and virtual sessions for:

• Individual therapy (teens)

SPECIALTIES AND FOCUS AREAS

• Challenges in partner relationships

• Communication issues and boundary setting

• LGTBQIA+ community/issues/concerns

MY APPROACH

My therapy approach is client-centered and strengths-based. I incorporate cognitive behavioral therapy, attachment theory, harm reduction, motivational interviewing, and solution-focused therapy frameworks. I have always been passionate about working with teens and helping them discover their identities as they prepare for the world of adulthood. I enjoy working with many challenges teens face, but I particularly enjoy working with challenges in partner relationships, communication issues, boundary-setting needs, trauma, those in the LGTBQIA+ community, and life transitions. I like to be direct with my clients while sprinkling in some humor where it is appropriate. I will meet you where you are and support you with finding ways to navigate the stressors of life while also celebrating areas of growth with you. I want to use your strengths and passions to help you find a path forward that you feel confident about.

As a therapist, I stand apart by actively engaging with my clients in a way that challenges them while respecting their autonomy. I understand that each young person has their own unique needs, and my approach reflects that. I incorporate modalities such as cognitive behavioral therapy and solution-focused therapy while maintaining a strengths-based focus, tailored to each client’s needs in any given session. Clients who work with me often find that my style is more dynamic and interactive, fostering a collaborative environment where they feel both supported and empowered to make meaningful changes in their lives.

ABOUT ME

I like to refer to myself as quirky - someone who can laugh at themselves, and someone who loves puns and dad jokes. I always wanted to be a therapist. I experienced some unexpected adversities in high school and college which shaped who I am today. I then learned during my time as a substitute teacher for a middle school followed by work with transition-age foster youth (16-20) that teens were the population I simply had to specialize in. If I can help teens develop the coping, self-soothing, and communication skills that I hadn't quite honed when I was a young person, they will feel more prepared for their next phase of life. Doing therapy with me is like chatting with a cool aunt: I'll hold space for you to process, vent, celebrate wins, and reflect, but I'll also give you “real talk” and challenge you to step outside your comfort zone.

In my time away from work, I can be found hanging with my dog, playing volleyball with my rec league, watching the 49ers and Sharks, watching a Broadway show, watching SVU or Netflix dating shows, listening to emo music, and finding fun local places to eat.

THERAPEUTIC MODALITIES I AM TRAINED TO USE

• Art therapy

• Attachment-based therapy

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

• Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy

• Crisis intervention

• Emotionally focused therapy (EFT)

• Gender affirmative clinical model

• Humanistic therapy

EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATIONS

• MSW from University of Southern California

• BA in Psychology from Dominican University of California

• TEAM CBT – Level 1 Certified

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Clinical Supervisor and Therapist at Teen Therapy Center

• Licensed Clinical Social Worker/Associate Clinical Social Worker at Bay Area Youth Center DBA Side by Side

• Social Work Trainee, Support Counselor at Valley Crisis Center

OTHER AREAS OF CONCERN I WORK WITH

• Abandonment 

• Academic problems 

• Attachment issues 

• Body image 

• Codependency