Meet Aleah Maas, LCSW
Founder of Holistic Flow Therapy | Trauma Therapist in San Diego
Heal from the roots.
Reconnect with yourself.
Build relationships that feel safe.
Why I Do This Work
I've always been fascinated by people. Not in a clinical, detached way, but genuinely curious about why we do what we do. Why we lean into patterns that hurt us. Why we sometimes work against ourselves even when part of us knows better.
That curiosity has never been just academic. I came to this work with real questions about human behavior, and I've done my own work in therapy to understand myself more clearly. That experience sits in the room with me. I know what it takes to actually look at the parts of yourself you'd rather not see, and I know how much it matters to have someone with you when you do.
I became a therapist because I believe that most of what looks like self-sabotage, avoidance, or emotional reactivity makes complete sense when you understand where it came from. My job is to help you understand that too.
What I Bring to the Room
Clients describe me as grounded, curious, and warm, with a sense of humor that makes the work feel a little lighter. I can be gentle when that's what's needed, and direct when that's what helps.
I'm not here to judge you. In nearly ten years of doing this work, I have yet to meet a person whose responses to life, however painful or confusing, didn't make sense once we understood them together. That's where we start. Not with what's wrong with you, but with what happened to you, and what your system learned to do about it.
When you can look at those parts with curiosity instead of shame, something shifts. That shift is what this work is about.
My Approach
I see therapy as a collaboration. My role isn't to fix you. It's to be a steady, attuned presence while you do the work of understanding yourself more deeply.
I'm a relational therapist, which means the connection we build together is part of the healing itself. Research consistently shows that the quality of the therapeutic relationship is the strongest predictor of change. If you can feel safe with me, that safety starts to show up in other areas of your life too.
Within that relational foundation, I draw on EMDR, Internal Family Systems, and somatic approaches to work at the level of the body and nervous system, not just the thinking mind. We're not just building insight. We're creating real, felt change.
I work with adults navigating complex trauma, childhood emotional neglect, attachment wounds, anxiety, and difficult relationship patterns. I see clients in person in La Jolla and virtually throughout California.
You Are Not Broken
Your anxiety, disconnection, or emotional reactivity are not personal flaws. They are protective responses from a nervous system shaped by your past. The patterns that feel like the problem were once solutions. They made sense then. The work we do together is about understanding that, softening it, and building something new.
Many of the people I work with grew up in families where it wasn't safe to fully be themselves. Those early experiences create barriers in adulthood, showing up as difficulty trusting others, feeling chronically unsafe in relationships, or a persistent sense of disconnection from yourself. My work focuses on healing those roots so that real change becomes possible, not just better coping.
The Foundation of My Work
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Understanding
Our past experiences shape the way we respond in the present. As a holistic therapist in San Diego, I help you see that your reactions aren’t random—they’re protective, even if they no longer serve you.
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Compassion
Healing begins when you can show kindness to the parts of yourself you’ve wanted to push away. Together, we’ll create space for those parts and discover the role they’ve played in keeping you safe.
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Mindfulness & Education
Knowledge is power. When you understand your nervous system and trauma responses, you gain tools to regulate, patterns become clearer, and change feels possible.
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I am committed to creating a practice that is safe, inclusive, and affirming for all people. I welcome clients of every race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, and background. My goal is to hold a space where you feel seen, heard, and respected—just as you are.
If you’re looking for a holistic therapist in San Diego, I’d love to support you on your path to healing.
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I’ve been working in trauma-focused therapy since 2016, helping individuals and couples heal from the impact of trauma and build stronger, more connected lives.
Education
B.A. in Psychology, Ohio University
Master’s in Social Work, Cleveland State University
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), State of California, License Number: 114969
Specialized Trainings & Certifications
EMDR Basic Level Training
Mastering IFS Therapy for Clinical Challenges: Trauma, Addiction, Anxiety, Cultural and Racial Wounds
200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training
Learn More About My Approach
Complex PTSD
EMDR Therapy
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Relational Trauma
Childhood Emotional Neglect
Anxiety Therapy
Therapy for Therapists
Clinical Supervision
Get started with a Holistic Therapist in San Diego today.
Book a free 15 minute phone call!