I am a licensed professional counselor with over 20 years of experience working in mental health. I also have over 7 years experience in acute psychiatric care. I work with adults, children, adolescents and families to help them find wholeness for themselves and in relationships. I have worked with clients with a variety of diagnosis including depression, ADHD, OCD, oppositional defiant disorder, mood disorder, anxiety, personality disorder, psychosis, disruptive behavior disorder, bipolar, schizophrenia and substance abuse. I have received specialized training in mindfulness and trauma focused therapy.
I was drawn to the helping profession through my love for relationships and helping others. I have a passion for helping others to improve the overall quality of their life. I am honored to work with families and individuals who have a desire or need for change. Helping others is a privilege and honor. My goals is to serve others and help them through life's challenges.
Now, that you have made the first step. I am ready to begin this life changing experience with you. I look forward to working with you to accomplish your goals.
Additional areas of focus: Addictions, LGBT, Relationship issues, Family conflicts, Grief, Intimacy-related issues, Eating disorders, Parenting issues, Anger management, Career difficulties, Bipolar disorder, Compassion fatigue, ADHD, Abandonment, Adoption and foster care, Antisocial personality, Attachment issues, Avoidant personality, Blended family issues, Body image, Caregiver issues and stress, Codependency, Commitment issues, Communication problems, Control issues, Coping with natural or human-caused disaster, Dependent personality, Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD), Dissociation, Divorce and separation, Domestic violence, Drug and alcohol addiction, Eating and food-related issues, Emptiness, Family problems, Fatherhood issues, Forgiveness, Guilt and shame, Hoarding, Impulsivity, Infidelity, Intellectual disability, Isolation / loneliness, Jealousy, Life purpose, Midlife crisis, Veteran and Armed Forces Issues, Money and financial issues, Mood disorders, Multicultural concerns, Obsessions, compulsions, and OCD, Panic disorder and panic attacks, Paranoia, Personality disorders, Phobias, Postpartum depression, Post-traumatic stress, Pregnancy and childbirth, Prejudice and discrimination, Process addiction (porn, exercise, gambling), Self-harm, Self-love, Sexual assault and abuse, Sexuality, Smoking / vaping cessation, Social anxiety and phobia, Women's issues, Workplace issues, Young adult issues
Clinical approaches: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Client-Centered Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT), Existential Therapy, Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Trauma-Focused Therapy
MS LPC 1775
These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Ayla Ruffin. We don't pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with BetterHelp might be different.
Ayla is a spectacular therapist. She took the time to understand me without judgment. I greatly appreciate working with her and would recommend her.
Written on Apr 18, 2022 after therapy with Ayla for 1 year and 1 month
Ayla has been very helpful for to me. I’ve been working with her for about 4 months now. She’s helped me navigate so many things during that time, specifically grief. She’s always open to listen, no matter where you are in your thinking. I look forward to our sessions because she’s continually insightful.
Written on Nov 18, 2021 after therapy with Ayla for 3 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, self esteem, and coping with life changes
I only worked with Ayla Ruffin for two-ish weeks, but I absolutely loved it. I will be finding her again, once I can afford to do so. She was very understanding of my situation and offered insights that helped me a lot in my transition from being at home with my parents to figuring out how to leave. She also offered insights on my relationship with my parents that helped to validate my feelings about their toxic behavior. She also sent me a lot of worksheets that I was able to read, and she sent exercises I will be using to cope with my anxiety and depression. She also went out of her way to schedule extra sessions with me before I had to quit betterhelp. It was absolutely wonderful talking with her.
Written on Nov 14, 2021 after therapy with Ayla for 1 week on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, self esteem, coping with life changes, and adhd
I am so thankful to have been matched with Ayla! Therapy can be daunting, but she made it such a great experience. From her making herself easily accessible, to the conversations and weekly prompts, it was such a pleasure and so helpful working with her. Thank you Ayla & BetterHelp!
Written on Sep 22, 2021 after therapy with Ayla for 2 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, parenting issues, self esteem, and coping with life changes
amazing counselor
Written on Aug 04, 2021 after therapy with Ayla for 3 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, parenting issues, and self esteem
Super therapist!!
Written on Jul 17, 2021 after therapy with Ayla for 2 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, intimacy-related issues, self esteem, anger management, career difficulties, coping with life changes, coaching, compassion fatigue, and adhd