Beth Leydon, IFS Therapy in California

(Not Accepting New Clients)

Hello and welcome! My name is Beth Leydon and I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist - this truly defines me as a “systems thinker.” Throughout my career, even while working with individuals, I look through this lens of seeing us all as parts of a greater whole. This includes the family you came from, your current relationships or work settings, our nation, culture, or ethnic group. I am profoundly aware of our interconnectedness and its effect on our well-being.

My Approach

Relationships can be a potent source of both wounding and healing. My first priority when meeting with clients is to earn a high degree of trust and create a safe space from which to explore the nature of our inner and outer worlds. I have been privileged to assist clients in emerging from deep depressions, paralyzing anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders, and in finding a healthy stance in the face of toxic relationships. I am in awe of the wisdom of our body and how working somatically can unwind the wounds of trauma. 

I received my undergraduate degree in Child Development with a concentration in Family Studies from California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, and my graduate degree in Clinical Counseling at California State University, Hayward. While the majority of my decades-long career has been in private practice, I have also worked within inpatient mental health settings and structured substance abuse programs.

My Journey

My journey to becoming an IFS practitioner began back several years ago as I was becoming increasingly disillusioned by our healthcare “industry.” I could no longer participate in a system that required a pathologizing diagnosis in order to seek help via insurance reimbursement. This led me to pursue training as a Professional Integral Coach. I was introduced to IFS through continued coaching education, which ironically led me back to my therapist’s roots. The IFS Model is by far the most potent modality towards healing that I have encountered in all my years of practice and I am thrilled to be a part of the IFS Telehealth Collective!

Within the context of a supportive therapeutic relationship, we can explore ways of healing old wounds, build skills and develop insights leading to more contentment and satisfaction. I offer a chance to be seen and heard; to be challenged to embrace new ways of thinking and behaving. I delight in crafting between-session practices that further the progress and empower clients to realize their goals. I bring a warmth and sense of humor to this work.

About Me

Doing “parts work” is essentially a creative act - what Jung called “active imagination”.  As an artist and musician, I so value the creative process and believe it to be vital in our healing. I am also a trained SoulCollage® Facilitator and use this delightful practice in workshops, retreats, and small groups to introduce people to their “inner guides, challengers and allies.” I enjoy a regular yoga practice and love to hike and kayak in my “backyard” which is the Sierra Nevada Foothills of California where I live with my husband of 35 years and our beloved mutt, Phoebe.