About Amar Psychological Services
Dr. Ashley Amar PsyD LMFT
Dr. Ashley Amar Yaghoubian is the founder of Amar Psychological Services in which she runs a successful private practice with associate therapists in Beverly Hills, California. Dr. Amar received her doctoral degree in Psychology from The California School of Professional Psychology. Dr. Amar has spent several years working for the Department of Mental Health contracted agencies as a Supervisor in Crisis Intervention, and Clinical Director in substance abuse detox and rehabilitation facilities.
Dr. Amar specializes in treating trauma, self-harm and crisis intervention. She works from a Family of Origin and Cognitive Behavioral Framework to explore and identify her client's underlying needs. Dr. Amar works from a culturally and trauma informed perspective to assist clients in making permanent changes. Dr. Amar's research focuses on childhood sexual abuse and its impact on adult romantic relationships, sibling relationships, and parenting.
Clients will develop insight into their childhood traumas, relationships, and attachment figures. Clients will make a connection into their thoughts, feelings and behaviors and learn how it relates to their functioning, and relational patterns. Clients will learn how to cope with symptoms of trauma, depression, anxiety and grief in order to live a better and happier life.
Benjamin Friday, LMFT
Ben received two master's degrees in counseling, as well as educational psychology from California State University, Long Beach. Ben specializing in treating grief, trauma, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and intergenerational traumas. He has a wealth of experience in working in residential care settings, and community mental healthcare catering to children, teens, adults and families.
Ben uses his clinical experience and expertise to provide oversite to our clinical services- ensuring the highest quality of mental health care is being provided to our clients.
Julia Aftalion, AMFT
Julia received her master's degree from Pepperdine in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis on Marital and Family Therapy. Julia has a wealth of experience in working with children, teens and young adults, in which she worked in community mental health settings. Julia has special interests in working with children and teens who struggle with ADHD, Autism, anxiety, and trauma.
Julia is passionate about helping her clients navigate their development and socio-emotional world. Through her empathetic and thoughtful approach, she her clients combat their mental health struggles and gain a new sense of strength, confidence and joy.
Julia helps her clients understand their socio-emotional world by guiding them through coping skills and activities to help regulate their emotions and nervous system; allowing them to gain awareness, increase mindfulness, confidence and self-love. She helps her clients through challenges in school, anxiety, depression, trauma and more.
Julia makes sure that you won't have to tackle your or your loved ones' struggles alone. She creates a safe, empathetic and non-judgmental environment where her clients feel heard and accepted.
Anahi Gaeta, ACSW
Anahi received her master's degree in social work with a focus in mental health at California State University Los Angeles. Anahi’s work as a therapist is dedicated to empowering youth, adults and families through empathy, compassion and the use of evidence-based frameworks. Anahi's experience includes community mental health settings with children and families, including crisis intervention.
Anahi works with individuals encountering Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, Self-Harm, Divorce and Marital Conflict. In sessions, Anahi strives to foster an environment that is nurturing, understanding and confidential while also encouraging self-determination and empowerment. Anahi attempts to view her clients through a strength based and person in environment lens. In utilizing these approaches, Anahi identifies her clients' strengths, positive attributes, community and resources to overcome challenges and build resilience.
When working with individuals who experience anxiety, depression and trauma, Anahi implements Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy and Play Therapy(for youth). Through these approaches, individuals learn to identify self-destructive thoughts that influence negative emotions and behaviors, as well as collaborate to create solutions. In play therapy, youth and clinicians explore emotions, learn coping mechanisms and how to redirect inappropriate behaviors.
Identifying when symptoms are impacting day to day life is the first step and strength in overcoming your mental health struggles. Sometimes it can be difficult combating it on your own, that is why it’s important to Anahi to foster a therapeutic relationship that is safe. Anahi understands that everyone has their own unique experiences and life struggles. Through therapy, clients can collaboratively work with Anahi to identity their own unique set of solutions to struggles.
David Asch, AMFT
David earned his Masters degree in Marital and Family therapy at Hope International Univeristy. His experience includes community mental health settings including the Boys and Girls club in which he worked with youth and families, as well as other mental health clinics treating adults and couples.
David understands that combatting depression is hard. Additionally, attempting to find meaning in life while battling thoughts of hopelessness wreaks havoc on relationships. Sometimes this results in a complete identity crisis. Imagine that all you want is to feel “normal” again and to get back to the life and relationships that matter most to you.
As a clinician with a wealth of experience in helping individuals and couples find meaning in their lives, David provides a safe space for you to explore who you are. David helps you develop the self-esteem necessary to thrive. David will journey alongside you and provide genuine empathy and encouragement as you build your sense of self. Knowing that every person deserves to feel heard, understood, and cared for, his greatest pleasure is watching his clients learn to love who they are and make life-impacting changes.