Ariel Rhodus, ACSW
Rooted in compassionate directness.
For ten years, I lived in the world of high-stakes corporate transitions. My journey from the boardroom to the therapy room was driven by a single desire: to live a life aligned with my deepest values — and to help others do the same.
“The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction not a destination.”
From the boardroom to the therapy room.
For ten years, I lived in the world of high-stakes corporate transitions. I saw firsthand how pressure can reveal — or obscure — our truest selves. My journey from the corporate boardroom to the therapy room was driven by a single desire: to live a life aligned with my deepest values and to help others do the same.
I understand that the path to transformation can feel unconventional or even daunting. That’s why I prioritize building a relationship rooted in compassionate directness. I don’t just offer empathy; I offer a rigorous commitment to your growth, backed by a diverse toolkit of evidence-based modalities.
Empowering transformation
I believe we can only go as deep with others as we have gone with ourselves. As a lifelong learner, I am constantly refined by my own self-inquiry and clinical training, ensuring that you receive the highest quality of insightful, kind-hearted care.
Practical tools, radical trust.
I believe therapy is most impactful when the clinician is as committed to their own growth as the client is. My practice is integrative, blending psychodynamic insights with evidence-based tools. Depending on the client’s needs, I will use a blend of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Narrative therapy to support reframing negative thoughts and implementing practical, goal-oriented approaches to positive mental health that focus on one core insight: how we think affects how we feel and what we do.
These modalities build upon one another. CBT supports clients to catch negative thoughts in the act, check them against reality, and replace them with more balanced ones. If CBT is about changing your thoughts, ACT is about changing your relationship with them. It’s a mindful, action-based approach that argues we suffer more when we try to suppress our pain than when we simply acknowledge it. If CBT is “catching and balancing” and ACT is “accepting,” DBT is the bridge between the two. It’s based on a ‘dialectical’ idea: that you can accept yourself exactly as you are, while simultaneously working hard to change your behavior. It’s essentially a life-skills program.
I also utilize Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to help clients process and move past traumatic experiences. EMDR is a specialized therapy designed to help the brain reprocess traumatic memories so they no longer cause emotional pain. When something upsetting happens, the brain can “freeze” that memory in its raw, distressing form. EMDR uses bilateral stimulation — like guided eye movements or taps to both sides of the body — to unlock those memories and help the brain file them away in a more healthy and manageable way, turning a traumatic memory into a neutral memory from the past.
My commitment to you
I believe that the most impactful therapeutic work happens when there is a foundation of radical trust. My commitment to you is to show up as a fearless co-explorer in your journey of self-inquiry. I am committed to my own ongoing self-inquiry and professional development, ensuring that the care I provide is informed by the latest evidence-based modalities. You will never be just a “case” to me. I commit to seeing you as a whole person and treating your story with the dignity and warmth it deserves.
Let’s begin the conversation
Taking the first step toward therapy can feel like a significant transition in itself. I invite you to reach out for a brief, no-pressure consultation. It’s a chance for us to connect, discuss what you’re looking for, and see if my approach feels like the right fit for your journey. I look forward to meeting you exactly where you are.
What I draw on, tailored to you.
Bilateral stimulation that helps the brain refile a traumatic memory as a neutral memory from the past.
Catch negative thoughts in the act, check them against reality, and replace them with more balanced ones.
If CBT changes your thoughts, ACT changes your relationship with them — acknowledging pain instead of suppressing it.
The bridge between the two: accept yourself exactly as you are while working hard to change your behavior.
What I help people with.
Eastside to Westside, or online.
Tell us what’s going on.
We’ll hand-select your match from our small, boutique roster — usually within 24 to 48 hours.
You were never meant to do it alone.
A free 30-minute consult, and a therapist hand-selected by the founder who trained them.
Find my therapist →