Jillian Ellison, LMFT
(she, her, hers)
About Me
I work with the people who hold it all together for everyone else—until they can’t. Whether you’re a high-functioning professional, first responder, military service member, or medical staff, my focus is on helping you reclaim your life after moral injury, cumulative loss, and identity erosion. My clients are often the ones others depend on in crisis—yet behind closed doors they carry the weight of grief and responsibility that never fully resolves. Some live with relentless sorrow after losing a patient, fellow soldier, child, or loved one—grief that stays because it’s entangled with survivor’s guilt or the quiet belief they should have done more. Others appear successful on paper but are privately exhausted from decades of perfectionism, overfunctioning, and the unspoken drive to finally feel “enough.” I integrate EMDR therapy with somatic, attachment, and psychodynamic approaches to address the root of these patterns—often beliefs shaped long before the first loss ever occurred. In our work, fragmentation becomes a portal to integration, and the burden of carrying it all gives way to the capacity to live with presence, wholeness, and self-trust.
Education & Experience
I hold a Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University and a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics from the University of Northern Colorado. My clinical background spans both residential and outpatient settings, where I have provided direct care for: • Veterans navigating moral injury and combat-related trauma • Medical personnel coping with patient loss and cumulative stress • First responders processing years of high-stakes exposure • Individuals carrying unrelenting grief after the loss of a child or loved one—often complicated by survivor’s guilt or a belief they should have done more I am an EMDR-trained therapist completing certification under an EMDRIA-Approved Consultant. My approach integrates EMDR with somatic resourcing, attachment repair, and object relations mapping to address core negative beliefs, restore agency, and support deep, lasting change. In addition to individual therapy, I have facilitated trauma process groups using containment strategies, peaceful place imagery, bilateral stimulation, and experiential interventions such as the Gestalt Empty Chair technique. These methods create a safe, structured space for emotional regulation, reparenting, and the integration of experiences that have long felt too overwhelming to face.
Professional & Volunteer Affiliations
• Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT 156597) – California Board of Behavioral Sciences • Founder & Executive Director – Beneath the Surface Therapy • California SB-Micro Certified, Woman-Owned Business – State of California • In Process: National Women-Owned Certification through Supplier Clearinghouse • In Process Credentialing: Employee Assistance Programs – ComPsych, Magellan Health; Insurance Panels – Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Cigna/Evernorth • California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) – Active Member • EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) – EMDR Trained | Certification in Progress • Completed Basic EMDR Training through EMDR Consulting (Roy Kiessling model) • Certification in progress with an EMDRIA-Approved Consultant • Psychology Today – Verified Therapist Profile Advanced & Specialized Trainings • Healing the Heart and Soul of Our Nation’s Warriors: EMDR for Moral Injury – Integrating EMDR for moral injury repair, addressing existential and spiritual ruptures in military, first responder, and medical professionals • EMDR Early Intervention & Crisis Response (EEI Suites) – Advanced disaster preparedness integrating 4 ELEMENTS, G-REP, G-TEP, R-TEP, ASSYST, IGTP-OTP, and PRECI protocols; structured triage; levels of care; and field-adapted EMDR for high-intensity crises, disasters, and unstable environments • Psychological First Aid – Johns Hopkins University – Evidence-based approach for providing early emotional and practical support in the immediate aftermath of disasters, public health crises, and traumatic events • Gottman Method Couples Therapy Level 1 – Conflict management, intimacy-building, and effective communication skills for couples • CBT-E Certificate – University of Oxford, Department of Psychiatry – Treatment of eating disorders and personality disorders using enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-E)
Specialty Area
- Abuse/Neglect
- ADD/ADHD/Disruptive Behavior Disorders
- Addictions
- Alcohol/Substance Abuse
- Anxiety/Panic Attacks
- Bipolar Disorder
- Depression
- Eating Disorders
- Grief/Loss/Mourning
- Marriage/Relationship Issues
- Mood Disorders
- Moral Injury
- Personality Disorders
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Self-Harm
- Sexual Abuse
- Somatic Issues
- Spirituality
- Stress Management
- Survivor's Guilt
- Traumatic Incident
Population Served
- Adolescents (13-17)
- Adults
- First Responders
- Group
- LGBTQ+
- Residential Treatment Facility
- Seniors
- Veteran Center
- Veterans/Military
Language
- English
Insurance
- Sliding Scale
- UnitedHealth
Optum
