WILA

WILA Welcome to the Wright Institute Los Angeles (WILA). We offer Affordable Therapy for everyday people.

What psychoanalysis asks of both patient and therapist. 🧐Repost from
04/17/2026

What psychoanalysis asks of both patient and therapist. 🧐

Repost from

04/16/2026

🚨Attention friends, colleagues, and community members in the LA area:

WILA is currently accepting new patients with no wait list to start therapy! After completing an intake, prospective patients may be matched with a therapist (or provided more appropriate referrals) in as little as one week.

If you or someone you know are seeking high quality, affordable therapy, reach out to us TODAY at our link in bio!

WILA’s newest Reading Roundup is here! From the Winter 2026 quarter, our student therapists have highlighted readings fr...
04/15/2026

WILA’s newest Reading Roundup is here! From the Winter 2026 quarter, our student therapists have highlighted readings from the following courses:
•Working with Traumatic States
•Queer Perspectives in Psychoanalysis
•Couples Therapy

If you’re interested in full citations for one or more of these pieces, leave us a comment! If you’re interested to learn more about the training programs in which these courses are included, check out our website at the link in our bio.

04/10/2026

Meet WILA therapist Jessie Leider, MA! In her words:

“I approach therapy with warmth, empathy, and curiosity. I believe we are all shaped not only by our closest relationships and communities but by intergenerational patterns and the broader systems we live in today. This informs the way that I listen and create space for clients to explore what arises during therapy. Together, we try to understand what is asking to be seen, felt, or spoken aloud. We may play with new forms of self-expression, cultivating a greater sense of awareness and freedom. It is meaningful to support clients on the path towards a more whole version of themselves and the life they wish to live.”

Learn more about Jessie and her therapeutic style at our link in bio!

130 years ago yesterday, Donald Woods Winnicott was born! 🥳Winnicott’s influence on the field of psychoanalysis is unden...
04/08/2026

130 years ago yesterday, Donald Woods Winnicott was born! 🥳

Winnicott’s influence on the field of psychoanalysis is undeniable, and he is still frequently quoted by scholars and clinicians over a decade since his birth.

This particular quote reminds us that therapy is about being human TOGETHER. It’s not about the therapist giving perfect responses or answers to the patient. It’s about the therapist and patient meeting each other in a process of SHARED exploration and collaboration - not one judgment or authority. 

04/06/2026

Within the therapy rooms of the WILA clinic, “I am afraid to be vulnerable” is a sentiment we hear frequently—especially from men.

Men are often brought up hearing things like, “toughen up,” “keep it together,” “don’t cry like a girl,” etc. when they show emotion, all of which give the not so subtle message that to be emotionally vulnerable is to be less of a man. This can add an extra layer of fear and pressure to the already scary experience of opening yourself up to others.

But vulnerability is so much more than just scary. It can be inspiring, healing, expanding, lightening…life changing. Which is why we feel it’s important to create spaces where men can practice being vulnerable, both with themselves and with others.

WILA’s new men’s process group, The Unspoken, is intended to be one such space. If you are a man who struggles to be vulnerable, whether due to fear or something else, we encourage you to join us.

Want more info? Check out our link in bio.
Interested? Contact WILA at (424)371-5191 x431 ; (424)371-5191 x417; or mensgroup@wila.org.

Group facilitated by Gregory Bendau, PsyD (PSB94029140) and MartĂ­n Lasa, MSW (ACSW122827); under the supervision of Paul J. Gibbs, PhD, PsyD (PSY34056)

Thank you to for sharing this vulnerable conversation about vulnerability!

The fear of the true self comes in many different forms.Original posts from ; .michellechung ; ;
04/02/2026

The fear of the true self comes in many different forms.

Original posts from ; .michellechung ; ;

03/31/2026

WILA couldn’t let Women’s History Month go by without highlighting the amazing women at the helm of our organization: Executive Director Dr. Michele Gomes and Clinical Director Dr. Claudia Feldman!

WILA is incredibly grateful to these women not only for their expertise and leadership, but also for their shining personalities—which this montage provides a glimmer of.

Even edited to be comedic, our directors’ admiration and appreciation for each other is clear. They exemplify the phrase “empowered women empower women”, and that’s just part of what makes them such great Directors at WILA.

Thank you, Michele and Claudia, for all that you do and are!

03/30/2026

Did you know that men in the US are 3-4x more likely to die by su***de than women?

A major risk factor for suicidality is isolation—a growing experience among men today. WILA’s new men’s process group, The Unspoken, aims to combat this risk by offering men a space to come together, connect, and be real about what they’re holding.

Interested? Contact WILA at (424)371-5191 x431 ; (424)371-5191 x417; or mensgroup@wila.org.
Want more info? Check out our link in bio.

Group facilitated by Gregory Bendau, PsyD (PSB94029140) and MartĂ­n Lasa, MSW (ACSW122827); under the supervision of Paul J. Gibbs, PhD, PsyD (PSY34056)

Dr. Nancy McWilliams is a renowned psychoanalyst, author, and educator. She has written seminal works on psychoanalytic ...
03/27/2026

Dr. Nancy McWilliams is a renowned psychoanalyst, author, and educator. She has written seminal works on psychoanalytic diagnosis, case formulation, psychotherapy, and supervision; she has also made contributions in the areas of personality structure, personality disorders, s*x, and gender. Her books on psychoanalytic and psychodynamic diagnosis offer criticisms of and alternatives to the approach to diagnosis that has been widely adopted in the US.

This quote from Dr. McWilliams touches on a core belief in psychoanalysis: emotions offer insight that must be attended to in order to understand ourselves, our experiences, our needs, etc.

Intellectualization: a defense mechanism in which we protect ourselves from unconscious conflicts or emotional difficult...
03/24/2026

Intellectualization: a defense mechanism in which we protect ourselves from unconscious conflicts or emotional difficulties through excessive intellectual activity; rather than feeling the conflicts/emotions, we use logic and reasoning to try to understand them.

Like all defense mechanisms, intellectualization is intended to be protective. But, it leads to further difficulty if used consistently, as it prevents the actual expression and working through of our conflicts and emotions. This can lead people to feel “stuck” in life and in therapy, as alluded to above.

One of the core tasks in psychoanalytic work is identifying and compassionately dismantling one’s defense mechanisms. If you notice a pattern of intellectualizing within yourself, you might consider psychoanalytic psychotherapy!

Repost from

Ahhhh, the many flavors of transference! 👥Original posts from
03/19/2026

Ahhhh, the many flavors of transference! 👥

Original posts from

Address

11845 W Olympic Boulevard, Ste 505W
Los Angeles, CA
90064

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 9pm
Tuesday 8am - 9pm
Wednesday 8am - 9pm
Thursday 8am - 9pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Website

https://linktr.ee/wrightinstitutela

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