Psychotherapy Approach
Health Psychologist | Los Angeles, CA & NY
welcome!
Dr. Elika Razmjou is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia), behavioral sleep medicine, and health psychology. She is based in Los Angeles and provides telehealth psychotherapy to adults in California and New York. Dr. Razmjou currently works at the VA West Los Angeles Medical Center as a staff psychologist, and holds an appointment as a Health Sciences Clinical Instructor at UCLA. She is a member of the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine (SBSM) and is VA-certified in CBT-I and CBT for Nightmare Disorder (IP). She is licensed in California (PSY32372) and New York (027340).
Certifications
CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia) — VA
CBT for Nightmare Disorder — VA (IP)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy — VA
Appointments & Affiliations
VA West Los Angeles Medical Center
UCLA Health Sciences — Clinical Instructor
Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine (SBSM) — Member
California Psychological Association Ethics Committee — Member
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My training in health psychology shapes how I understand distress: not as a personal failure, but as a natural response to prolonged pressure, uncertainty, illness, or competing expectations.
I have extensive experience supporting individuals adjusting to:
Chronic or invisible illness
Medical stress and health-related uncertainty
Burnout and high-demand professional roles
Major life transitions
This lens allows us to focus not only on symptom relief, but on resilience, meaning, and quality of life — especially in circumstances that cannot simply be “fixed.”
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I practice evidence-based psychotherapy grounded in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), CBT-informed strategies, and mindfulness-based skills.
My approach is:
Thoughtful and collaborative
Mind–body informed
Focused on values-based change rather than perfection or symptom elimination
I’m also trained as a mindfulness facilitator and yoga teacher. While I do not provide yoga instruction or movement-based therapy as part of psychotherapy, this background informs how I help clients develop awareness of their internal experience — including emotional cues, bodily sensations, and stress responses — within a clear psychological framework.
Therapy often involves learning how to:
Notice thoughts and emotions without being ruled by them
Build tolerance for discomfort rather than avoiding it
Respond to self-criticism with clarity and self-respect
Practice asserting needs and values in real-life contexts
Reconnect with moments of presence, rest, and meaning
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I’m best suited to work with clients who are:
Curious and reflective
Open to examining long-standing patterns
Willing to practice new ways of responding, even when it feels uncomfortable
Looking for depth rather than a quick fix
You don’t need to be in crisis to benefit from therapy. If you’re feeling stretched thin, disconnected, or tired of pushing through — therapy can be a place to pause, listen inward, and begin living with more intention.
Many of the people I work with are capable, self-aware, and deeply responsible — often the ones others rely on. Over time, this can lead to pushing through exhaustion, minimizing personal needs, and staying primarily in one’s head as a way to cope. Therapy offers a space to slow down, reconnect with yourself, and begin responding more intentionally to your inner experience.
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All services provided are psychotherapy services delivered within the scope of licensed psychological practice. While my clinical work is informed by training in mindfulness and yoga, I do not teach movement, yoga, or physical exercise in psychotherapy. Mindfulness and body-based awareness are used solely as psychological skills to support emotional regulation, self-awareness, and well-being.