Member Highlight — Shelley Horner, MFT

Ariel Cohen, LMFT

Ariel Cohen, LMFT is an enthusiastic person who has a lot to offer his community and his clients. He has just launched his own private practice in Woodland Hills, specializing in teens and children. Previously, he was part of The Teen Therapy Center in Woodland Hills where he gained extensive experience helping special needs clients and their parents. Ariel has a talent for getting clients to express themselves and find ways to improve their lives. Whether it’s play therapy for children or talk therapy for teens, he knows how to help them achieve their goals.

Ariel’s path to where he is now is quite unusual. He originally studied journalism at Santa Barbara City College where he worked on the school paper. Ariel changed his major to communications when he transferred to the University of California, Santa Barbara. There, he took a sociology class on human sexuality that inspired him to study as a sex therapist. He worked at UCSB's sex information website and, after graduating, earned his Master of Arts in the Marriage and Family Therapy Program at the University of San Francisco.

Shortly after graduate school, Ariel returned to the Los Angeles area, where he grew up, and started a private practice internship with Robin Scott Walker, LMFT, specializing in working with children and teens. Robin encouraged him to join SFV CAMFT, which helped him to connect with colleagues in the area. Ariel's energy and talent were recognized immediately and in 2014 he became a pre-licensed board member. His leadership ability boosted him to president-elect in 2015 and president in 2016. Ariel has devoted so much time in the last few years to our board that you can give him a whole-hearted "thank you" next time you see him! He has an amazing talent of being able to listen to and summarize different opinions to encourage trust and cooperation and has helped board members work as a team.

Ariel also found time to get married last September and is still enjoying newlywed bliss. His wife Mary, who is a newly licensed M.F.T. likes to tease him about his penchant for entering raffles. Apparently, luck is with him since he not only won our Member Highlight drawing, he also won the chance to buy tickets to a very exclusive concert at the Ace Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. Ariel and Mary are going to have a live immersive concert experience, Lux Prima, with Karen O and Danger Mouse. Ok, I don’t really understand what this concert is all about, but Ariel is thrilled and you can ask him about the experience next time you see him.

Ariel also loves creating art, taking part in Robin Scott Walker’s art group for therapists. Ariel’s art often has psychological themes and has been part of the art show, Mirrors of the Mind” for the last couple of years. “Art is a personal journey and a great way to practice self-care,” he says.

I recommend that you get a chance to get to know Ariel.

To contact or send referrals to Ariel Cohen, LMFT you can call him at 818.674.9834 or email him at arielcohenlmft@gmail.com.

Shelley Horner, LMFT enjoys writing the our Member Profile section since she likes getting to know her colleagues in depth. She is an actress, speaker and therapist.

Shelley has had a private practice for more than twenty years. She assists adults, children, and teens as well as facilitates parent groups in her office in Calabasas. She also does consultation and training of employees through Employee Assistance Programs at various organizations and colleges.