Psychodynamic Therapy for Adults Healing from Childhood Abuse & Complex Trauma

Meet Ariel Black, Psychodynamic Trauma Therapist

Available Via Telehealth Across California & In-Person in Long Beach

I’m Ariel Black, a licensed marriage and family therapist based in Long Beach. I work with adults who want to understand how painful early experiences still shape their relationships, sense of self, and everyday lives. My approach is warm, thoughtful, and collaborative.

I specialize in working with adults who are healing from childhood emotional, physical, or sexual abuse and the lasting effects of complex trauma. Together, we can make room for the feelings and patterns you’ve had to carry, and begin to understand them with greater compassion.

Therapy for Adults with High-Functioning Trauma

I specialize in treating adults with high-functioning PTSD or trauma—meaning that, from the outside, you are the person who always appears to have it all together. You are responsible, a great caretaker, and a high achiever. Your life may look okay—however, on the inside, you feel differently. You may feel disconnected, anxious, or numb. You struggle to relax, trust others, or feel truly seen. No matter how much you accomplish, it never feels like enough. You carry a deep sense of loneliness or shame that’s hard to name—and even harder to explain. This is what I call high-functioning trauma. It often looks invisible to others, but its deeply and personally felt.

Trauma-Informed Psychodynamic Therapy: My Approach

I believe that there is no exact recipe or standardized treatment in therapy. Each person that comes to see me is unique and presents a different set of issues. This is why I hope to create an individualized, organic treatment plan that is tailored towards helping each person achieve their goals. As a psychodynamic, trauma focused therapist, my main focus is the relationship and connection I have with my clients. I believe that it is important to feel grounded and secure when processing deep-rooted and painful issues.

Long-Term Healing Through Psychodynamic Inner Child Work

During our sessions together, I will be using a psychodynamic framework that incorporates inner child healing. This style of therapy focuses on uncovering unconscious and recurring patterns that may be preventing individuals from moving forward and experiencing true inner healing. This approach is grounded in the belief that early childhood experiences—particularly those involving unmet emotional needs, trauma, or attachment disruptions—can leave lasting imprints on the psyche. These unresolved issues often manifest in adulthood as depression, anxiety, low self-worth, self-sabotaging behaviors, and difficulties in relationships.

Unlike some other forms of therapy, psychodynamic work is a long-term process that requires commitment. It is not intended as a quick fix or a “band-aid” approach to coping. Rather, it is best suited for those who are seeking deep, meaningful, and lasting change—and who understand that true inner healing takes time. Through this form of counseling, my goal is to support clients in achieving long-lasting, lifestyle-level transformation—the kind of growth that may not always be possible through more surface-level approaches.

Signs of High-Functioning Trauma

Many of my clients come to my practice unknowingly carrying these patterns—not realizing they are common signs of high-functioning trauma. Does any of this resonate with you?

1. Experiencing an immediate wave of unexplained guilt or anxiety whenever you set a boundary.

(Harsh internal standards, low self-esteem, self-doubt, self-sabotage)

2. Finding yourself taking on the exact same self-sacrificing role in every relationship.

(Relational attachment wounds, codependency, people-pleasing, boundary fatigue)

3. Learning early on to manage everyone else's mood just to keep the peace.

(Narcissistic or volatile caregivers, parentification, toxic family dynamics)

4. Feeling like you’re reacting to an old relational dynamic rather than the person in front of you.

(Complex developmental trauma, sexual trauma, childhood emotional neglect)

5. Analyzing your behavior with total clarity, yet feeling stuck in the exact same emotional loop.

(High-functioning trauma, intellectualization, chronic anxiety)

Is Trauma-Informed Psychodynamic Therapy Right For You?

This Work May Be a Good Fit If You Want To:

• Understand how your past continues to shape your present

• Explore how unconscious patterns influence your choices, relationships, and self-perception

• Expand your sense of agency and increase your range of options in life

• Develop a more secure internal attachment and healthier relational dynamics

• Heal relational wounds and move toward a more authentic way of living

• Create meaningful, long-lasting change rather than relying only on short-term coping strategies

*This is depth-oriented therapy designed for high-functioning adults who are ready to look beneath the surface — not just manage symptoms, but understand them.

What Depth-Oriented Trauma Therapy Requires:

• A willingness to explore deeper emotional layers, even when it feels uncomfortable

• Consistency and commitment to a reflective, long-term process

• Curiosity about relational dynamics and personal responsibility

• Emotional stability sufficient for insight-oriented therapy (this is not crisis stabilization work)

*Psychodynamic therapy is the foundation of my work. While I am not rigid in theory, I integrate other approaches when clinically appropriate — always in service of depth, clarity, and sustainable change.

When This Approach Is Not the Right Fit:

• If you are primarily seeking short-term coping tools without exploring underlying patterns

• If you prefer highly directive advice or step-by-step instruction each session

• If you are in acute crisis and need immediate stabilization or intensive support

• If you are unable to commit to consistent sessions at this time

*If you’re unsure whether this approach aligns with what you’re looking for, we can explore that together during a consultation call.

Ready to Begin?

If this work resonates, I invite you to reach out. Before the onset of therapy, I do offer a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation to answer any questions/concerns and assess if we are a good fit.

OFFICE HOURS:

Monday: 9am-9pm (In-Person & Telehealth)

Tuesday: 9am-9pm (In-Person & Telehealth)

Wednesday: 9am-9pm. (In-Person & Telehealth)

Thursday: 9am-9pm. (Only Telehealth Sessions)

Friday: 9am-9pm. (In-Person & Telehealth)

Saturday: Closed

Sunday: Closed

Ariel Black, M.S., L.M.F.T #119825

Email: arielblackmft@gmail.com

Address: 4195 N. Viking Way Suite 220 Long Beach, CA 90808

Phone: (562) 581-9344