- Relationship concerns
- Parenting support
- Trauma recovery
About Ellen
Ellen Ortiz is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with seven years of clinical experience. She is licensed in Nevada and Illinois and works with adults facing relationship and family concerns, trauma and abuse, parenting challenges, and major life changes.
Ellen treats people who are dealing with attachment and abandonment wounds, caregiver stress, communication problems, and the strain of divorce or separation. She also helps with issues tied to guilt, shame, and self-love, and supports women navigating pregnancy, childbirth, and midlife transitions. Life purpose and finding direction after change are part of her focus.
She starts sessions by listening to each person's story and identifying strengths they already have. Conversations tend to be straightforward and practical, with attention to what feels most urgent in daily life. Ellen uses video and phone sessions as her main ways of working and limits texting to appointment confirmations or last-minute changes.
Her approach aims to help people manage symptoms of post-traumatic stress and work through past hurts while improving present relationships. She offers concrete tools for parenting and for communication skills that reduce conflict. Sessions also include space to consider values and next steps when someone feels stuck.
People who reach out can expect a collaborative, down-to-earth style. Ellen encourages small, manageable changes and checks in on how new strategies are working between sessions. To begin, clients follow the provider's intake flow to match and schedule a first appointment.
How her therapeutic approaches fit into online work
Many of Ellen's methods focus on evidence-based techniques that address trauma and relationships. Trauma-focused approaches help people process past harm and reduce symptoms tied to post-traumatic stress. These methods concentrate on stabilizing reactions, developing coping skills, and gradually working through distressing memories in a paced way.Attachment-informed approaches look at how early relationship patterns affect current connections. Sessions help identify repeated dynamics, improve communication, and practice different ways of asking for needs to be met. This can be useful for relationship strain, abandonment concerns, and rebuilding trust after separation.
Finding the right approach is part of the work. Ellen collaborates with each person to choose which techniques fit their goals and day-to-day life. She checks in about what is and is not helping and adjusts the plan as therapy progresses.
Practically, Ellen prefers video and phone sessions and limits texting to appointment confirmations or last-minute changes. If you need specific session formats, confirm the current options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit appointments into a busy week, allow for shorter check-ins when needed, and reduce travel time so people can keep therapy consistent alongside work and family commitments.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Experience
7+ years
Listed in
Nevada, Illinois
Languages
English
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of relationship problems does she address?
She helps with communication problems, divorce and separation, attachment and abandonment issues, and ongoing conflicts within family systems.
How does she approach someone feeling stuck about life direction?
She listens for values and strengths, then works with the person to identify small, practical steps toward clearer priorities and purpose.
What is her clinical background and experience?
She has seven years of professional experience as an LMFT, and has worked with trauma, family conflict, parenting, and stages of life issues.
Where is she licensed to practice?
She holds LMFT licensure in Nevada and Illinois and is based in Illinois for practice purposes.
Does she work in languages other than English or with international clients?
Sessions are offered in English and she is not currently accepting international clients.
What session formats does she use?
She prefers video and phone sessions and uses text only to confirm appointments or note last-minute changes. Please confirm current session options before booking.
How are fees and payment handled?
Cost varies by location and sessions use a subscription model that can be canceled at any time.
How does someone start working with her?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session through the platform.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger, use the crisis numbers.