Working under the supervision of Michele Hall-Preston, LMFT, so a second licensed clinician reviews the clinical work.
Elaine Bayer, AMFT and APCC, is an associate marriage and family therapist and associate professional clinical counselor at Third Street Counseling in Laguna Beach, working under the supervision of Michele Hall-Preston, LMFT. She works with adults, teens and children, in our Laguna Beach office and by telehealth across California, using EMDR, cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness. Every new client begins with a free consult.
What Elaine builds first is a solid, trusting relationship: a space where confidentiality, respect, validation and support are a given, and where you can say the thing you came to say.
She works with clients struggling with anxiety, depression, OCD and life transitions, and she works extensively with neurodivergent clients.
Approach and Philosophy
How does Elaine work?
Elaine works from a systems-based approach, drawing on cognitive behavioral therapy, attachment theory and EMDR. The work targets the behavioral and thinking patterns that keep getting in the way, looks at the attachment patterns underneath them, and builds coping strategies you can use outside the room.
Areas of Clinical Focus
What does Elaine help with?
In our Laguna Beach office and by telehealth across California.
Parents are part of the process from the first free consult, especially for children and younger teens.
Background
What did Elaine do before this?
Elaine graduated with a master's degree from the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology in 2021, and has been in practice for six years.
Her background includes twenty years specializing with children with autism spectrum disorder, and a Master of Science from California State University, Long Beach.
She has raised three adult children and a husky.
Credentials
License and training
License
AMFT: 138170
Supervisor of record
Michele Hall-Preston, LMFT
Trainings
EMDR Therapy
Attachment-Based Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
How Sessions Work
What are sessions with Elaine like?
About 50 minutes, at our Laguna Beach office or by telehealth across California.
Sessions with Elaine run about 50 minutes, in our Laguna Beach office or by telehealth across California. The first session focuses on building rapport and understanding what is going on. Parents are part of the process from the first free consult, and the therapy dogs often help with introductions.
Adults · Teens · ChildrenPopulations seen
EMDR · CBT · MindfulnessApproaches used
In person · TelehealthSession formats offered
Practice Details
Availability and formats
Sees
Adults · Teens · Children
Formats
In person · Telehealth
Availability
Accepting new clients
Next Steps
How do you begin working with Elaine?
Start with a free consult. We will tell you honestly whether Elaine is the right fit for what you need.