Ilana Bar-Din Giannini, LCSW (she/her)

I came to the practice of psychotherapy in my 50’s, a time of reflection and change for many women and men: children have left home, time takes on new meaning, and the urge to clarify life’s purpose becomes more pressing and complex. I think of this stage of development as the “third act” of life; it can feel overwhelming, but like all life’s changes, it is also a time rich with new possibilities and freedoms. 

Engaging in my own dynamic psychotherapy was vital in helping me to define and crystallize my third act.  Ultimately, I left a 20-year career as a screen and television writer to pursue a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Southern California. There, I spent a year counseling hospice patients and their families, a deeply meaningful time to explore the world of grief and loss.  After graduation, I went on to a 2-year post-graduate fellowship in psychotherapy at Wright Institute Los Angeles, which culminated in a Certificate in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy.   

During my tenure at Wright, I focused on trauma and PTSD.  There, I established trauma groups for survivors of child abuse and sexual assault and a training program for therapists who wished to work with this vulnerable population. In my private practice today, I see many survivors of trauma, both individually and in group therapy. 

Based on the success of those groups and my industry experience, I was commissioned by the Women in Film organization to design a group therapy model called “Safe Space,” for women who’d been prey to sexual predators in the entertainment business.  In this capacity, I worked with actors, writers, animal wranglers, costumers, stunt women, agents – the full gamut of women from age 20 to 75 who work in an industry that has long treated them very, very badly.  Saying #MeToo is just the beginning of the journey for these women; the challenge of picking up the pieces can be challenging and complex. In 2021, Women in Film started running Safe Space groups under the guidance of Ashley Merriman, MSW, one of my associates in my private practice today. Ashley and I very much enjoy working with creatives, and we are both proficient in trauma-sensitive therapy.  

I also have experience working with Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP), an experimental treatment which explores deeper levels of the unconscious mind with potential psychological and physiological benefits. This treatment has shown to be particularly effective with patients who suffer from chronic pain and Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD). I currently work with a colleague, Aaron Giannini, LCSW, as well as a team of physicians who provide treatment for those who qualify.

Contact: ilana.giannini.therapy@gmail.com | 310.266.1533

Associates

Genevieve Winters, ASW (she/her)

Genevieve works with individuals, couples, and alternative/non-traditional romantic partnerships and family constellations. Areas of special interest include obsessive compulsive disorder, eating disorders, sexual trauma, as well as working with patients through major life transitions and times of crisis. Genevieve engages patients with curiosity and warmth to help them achieve their goals, access healing, and live in alignment with what matters most to them. Her work is informed by psychoanalysis, trauma informed principles, and a commitment to collective liberation.

Genevieve earned her MA in Clinical Psychology at Antioch University Los Angeles and is currently completing a Postgraduate Fellowship in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy at The Wright Institute Los Angeles. She has a background in cultural anthropology, the entertainment industry, and advocacy for people who have experienced sexual violence and workplace discrimination on the basis of gender, race, sexuality, disability, age, and other identities & protected classes. Her interest in diverse ways of knowing, being, and living informs her practice as a psychotherapist.

Contact: therapy@genevievewinters.com | 323.531.7061

Mika Struhl, AMFT (she/her)

Mika is currently an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) specializing in hormone-related mental health for women and couples. She has a particular interest in the interaction between hormonal changes and mental health and primarily treats premenstrual disorders (PMDD, PME, and PMS), fertility and IVF-related challenges, psychological changes associated with pregnancy and the postpartum period, menstrual and gynecological conditions, and perimenopause and menopause.

Mika utilizes a cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic approach to help her clients understand how hormonal changes can affect mental health and daily functioning. She works collaboratively with clients to help them better understand how hormonal and psychological patterns may interact and develop more effective coping strategies.

Mika received her undergraduate degree from New York University and her graduate degree from Pepperdine’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology. She completed a one-year practicum at New Directions for Women in Costa Mesa, a residential/outpatient/detox treatment center for substance use and co-occurring disorders. Additionally, Mika is the Chair of the Youth Advisory Board at the International Association for Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD), where she advocates for increased awareness and education around hormone-related mental health.

Contact: 781.697.4814