Tara Sindler
MFT, SEP, CADC-II
The intention for sharing this story is for you to feel me. Yes, I have hundreds of thousands of dollars invested in trainings (see below), but in my opinion that is not what makes me a good therapist. What makes me a good therapist is authenticity, and that I have in spades.
I grew up in the glitzy heart of Las Vegas, the daughter of a mafia father tied to the casinos and a Philadelphia heiress. Despite the outward allure, my home lacked the warmth of love. In a household where money and image were paramount, I felt lost and disconnected. By the age of seven, I was already battling depression. By eleven, I was acting out, and by thirteen, I was sent to boarding school. There, I found solace in drugs, sex, and an obsession with controlling my body. This pattern of self-destruction continued well into my early thirties.
Though my parents had money and I possessed a trust fund, wealth proved to be a deceptive privilege, masking deeper issues. My problems were often quickly solved with money, but my inner turmoil remained unresolved. Despite earning a degree, my life lacked direction and purpose. I attempted to work, but without the need for financial stability, there was no real incentive.
At the age of 31, everything changed. My father called to deliver a stark message: "Tara, the money is gone. Don't ever ask me for anything again." This moment marked a pivotal turning point in my life. Suddenly, I had to work, and more importantly, I had to find my inner strength and capacity to survive.
In 2008, I started working as a residential technician at The Canyon, a treatment center for co-occurring disorders- an fortunate opportunity that seemed made for me by forces outside of me. It was here that my initiation from being a dilettante to someone with a clearer purpose began.
But the story doesn’t end there. Over the past 21 years, I have dedicated myself to self-development, continuously working to become the person I am today- always an evolving process. I am here to share my wisdom, not just from my “successes”, but more importantly, from my “failures”—because it is from these experiences that true wisdom emerges.
My Story
My Therapeutic Style
Put simply, I talk to people about their lives. This may sound too simple, but in many ways this is also what sets me apart. You will feel like you are talking to a friend. A friend with a depth of knowledge and training. A friend that will challenge you, but in the end, completely has your back.
I am excellent at seeing patterns; identifying problems in the past, and applying logical solutions for the future, but I do so by guiding you towards the now. Towards the existential. Towards the depth of your existence. I may at times offer strategy because that is the wise thing to offer, but it is all in service to your transformation into becoming more of what you already are, which may be different than what you think you are.
We will explore your experiences but so that those experiences are guiding you towards deeper depth and composting you towards dismantling your ideas of self that are based on the conditions of your family or society.
What I care about most is that you are living an honest life; completely committed to owning who you are and what you want.
Clients I Work With
You may have noticed that I don’t have an extensive list of diagnoses or problem areas I treat on my website. That is because my work is not about allowing the past to be an albatross. I believe we let the past inform us, but we don’t need to get stuck there. All experience can shift. Don’t get me wrong - at times a diagnosis can provide a great road map, and I’ll use it when necessary. Other times I will deconstruct it if it's a hindrance to your growth.
The type of client I am best able to help is someone who wants more depth, enjoys learning, is willing to take risks even when it’s hard, and is willing to take loving ownership of the parts of yourself that you think should be gone by now.
None of the above may sound like you as you are now. You may be living a shallow existence. You may resist being teachable. You may be terrified to take risks and you might not like yourself. Well, you’re in luck, because I also love a good challenge.
Training & Experience
EDUCATION
MA in Spiritual Psychology from the University of Santa Monica, 2006
MA in Counseling from Phillips Graduate Institute, 2012
LICENSES & CERTIFICATIONS
Alcohol and Drug Counseling Certificate – Loyola Marymount University
TRE Certified - Trauma Release Exercises
200-hour Yoga Teacher Training - Awakened Heart, Embodied Mind
Breathwork Certification 1-4 with David Elliot
Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP)
Psychedelic Integration Coaching (Psyched Soul Method)
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) training offered by Behavioral Tech:
Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Interpersonal Effectiveness, and Emotion Regulation
Skill Coaching Module
BCA (Behavioral Chain Analysis)
Validation Strategies
Transforming Difficult Moments in Therapy
Doing DBT to Adherence and Competence by Treatment Implementation Collaborative
Radically Open DBT (Level 1 complete; Level 2 in process)
Foundations of Exposure Therapy
Prolonged Exposure therapy to address PTSD and BPD (PE-DBT)
Mentalization-Based Therapy (MBT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Trauma Resiliency Model Level 1 and 2
Community Resiliency Model
Community Resiliency Model Train the Trainer
Somatic Experiencing Touch Training for trauma therapists
Somatic Resilience and Regulation: Early Trauma Touch Training
Attachment-Focused EMDR; (Parts 1-3)
Attachment Theory through Mettagroup, PACT, and various other trainings
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for Chronic Pain
Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) based on the work of Dan Siegel
Getting Things Done by David Allen
Stan Tatkin’s Neurobiological Approach to Couples Therapy (Level 1and 2)
12 step and other recovery models