Meet Our Team
Lynn Marie Saso, LMFT, ATR
Founder and Practicing Clinician
Lynn Marie has been working in the field of behavioral healthcare since 2006. She began her career as a mental health professional within a hospital setting at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, working with children and adolescents in recovery, terminal illnesses, and their family systems.
After completion of graduate school Lynn Marie moved on to working in acute county mental health facilities working with severe mental health, thought disorders, trauma survivors, personality disorders, and co-occurring mental health/addiction disorders. It was this experience that solidified Lynn Marie’s passion for providing compassionate, patient-centered care in the mental health, addiction, and co-occurring treatment field.
She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist trained and certified in expressive art therapy and behavioral and narrative approaches to support a whole person and their chosen family through life’s trauma. She has a specialization in trauma informed care specific within the creative arts, integrating a cognitive behavioral approach to trauma. Lynn Marie has extensive history working in Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient and residential dual diagnosis programing in the westside of Los Angeles.
Throughout the years Lynn Marie has worked as both a primary therapist, case manager, Clinical Director, and program director of clinical services. Lynn Marie has also supported the creation and development of programming, curriculum and providing clinical excellence within her role as a clinical director. She believes in a family system approach including all members of that system (therapist, sponsor, parents, friends, housing professionals, etc.).
Lynn Marie has developed the curriculum of countless closed and open groups in addition to providing teaching and coaching tools to her various interns throughout the years. Her specialization in Art Therapy has guided her creative mind in the development of these skills. Her interns have moved onto develop within the field as psychologists, case managers and primary therapists all with the skill set to provide true trauma informed, co-occurring care.
In addition to having a passion for building strong clinical programs utilizing evidence-based practices for clients and families, Lynn Marie has done extensive work providing direct client care as a facilitator of individual, group, couples and family therapy. These experiences of providing direct client care as well as program development, program leadership, and clinical supervision have culminated in her current role as a founder and creator of this practice of clinicians working alongside one another to support the community in building healing strategies in patient centered care.
Lynn Marie obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Chapman University and Master of Psychology (MFT) with a secondary focus in art therapy from Phillips University. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapy (LMFT) and Registered Art Therapist (ATR).
Arielle Rappaport, LMFT
Lead Clinician
Arielle Rapaport is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #126248, who specializes in treating individuals and families coping with addiction and trauma. She received a BS from Boston University, and a MS in Counseling from California State University, Northridge, graduating with honors. Arielle began her training with children and families involved in the DCFS system, where she focused on supporting families reconciling after traumatic events.
Since then, Arielle has worked in outpatient and residential facilities, providing individual and group support to those managing co-occurring disorders and family system challenges. Arielle is passionate about utilizing solution-focused techniques and mind-body approaches to assist others in identifying their own internal strengths to navigate obstacles. She is trained in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Brainspotting, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Breathwork. Arielle values empowering clients to develop self-compassion and acceptance in order to live a fulfilling life.
Amanda Diguilio, LMFT
Family Therapy Specialist
Co-Founder of Close to Home Family Services
DiGiulio brings a long standing career as a Film Producer/Industry Executive and a depth oriented approach to her clinical work as a therapist. Her journey began retelling human interest dramas that explored lives marginalized through criminal negligence, sexual abuse, and addiction. Through this work, she discovered a growing need to see through the wound toward a deeper understanding of what motivates the human spirit. She earned her Master’s degree in Clinical Counseling & Depth Psychology at the Pacifica Graduate Institute.
DiGuilio created Family Sundays “focused on psycho education around the family system disease of addiction, issues of Co-Dependency and the importance of creating a family Relapse Prevention Plan for all family members. DiGiulio has been instrumental in designing and supporting multi-modal process curriculum for working professionals catering to both working individuals and those transitioning back into a less structured therapeutic environment.
Her groups, “In Depth Psyche “and “Recovery of the Creative Self,” have garnered favor from creative individuals, trauma survivors who are stuck in painful chronic patterns and are ready to delve deeper into the underlying issues; to break the painful cycle of negative self-sabotaging, and self-limiting behaviors. Through helping clients facilitate an upward spiral, and then maintaining and following it, breakthroughs occur; when the wounded places are revisited with greater insight and less reactivity real growth and change become possible. When pain and chaos no longer hold the lure of a familiar friend with addiction or life trauma as the only secure attachment, the pain-fueled resiliency has allowed the wound to transform into a walking stick.
DiGiulio is licensed marriage and family therapist continuing to advanced level “Dream Tending II” Certification with Dr. Stephen Aizenstat deepening her narrative practice and Analytical orientation to psychotherapy. She is currently completing a PHP degree in Integral and Transpersonal Psychology. Additionally, she is Certification level trained in Brainspotting, and Trauma Disassociation and the Soul with Donald Kalsched. Primary therapeutic modalities include CBT, DBT, MI, Attachment and Object Relations Theory, Depth Oriented praxis; Image based Narrative therapies, SE, Mindfulness, and Brainspotting. Trauma focused specialties include working with nightmares, and all facets of PTSD. MH specialties include all personality Disorders with emphasis on BPD, and MH specific to Anxiety, Depression, and Bipolar disorder.
Amanda DiGiulio has a private practice in the westside of LA, and works along LM Therapy with her family system program co-facilitated by Lynn Marie Saso. For the family system program please send inquiry below or for more information on working individually with Amanda DiGuilio in her private practice.
Complementary Consultation
Contact us to schedule a complementary consultation and assessment call with Lynn Marie Saso, LMFT, ATR, for a comprehensive individualized treatment plan including a creative therapy approach to healing.