Meet Alia Elasmar | Founder/CEO, Therapist and Professor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alia Elasmar and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alia, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Undoubtedly, authenticity and integrity are the most important factors behind my success. The fields of mental health and education are not much different than other fields when it comes to external or hierarchical pressures to perform a certain way or deliver a certain message. I found that in these fields it’s most important to step away from those expectations and show up as a human. As a therapist, my clients rely on me to shine a light on the truth and gently guide them through the emotions and processes involved in managing reality. If I fail to do so, I risk enabling the very cycles they came to therapy to change. By creating space for the human experience, I help my clients make effective changes in their lives. It’s less about performing and more about showing up as who they truly are, allowing them to feel more empowered. To do this successfully, I needed to go through this journey myself and continue my own self-work. In academia, this approach models for my graduate students that making mistakes, or not knowing an answer, is okay. To have become qualified to teach them I, too, am constantly learning and evolving myself. That is the epitome of education: learning in real time with real issues. Considering the state of the world around us, too many people are eager to appease or perform and are not delivering effective and transparent services in their roles; we are seeing how that’s playing out in leaders globally and how the collective suffers from it. Regardless of the role I am in, people have shared with me that they trust my work because of how clear I am about my priorities and values in those spaces, and trust is the catalyst for success.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My business Olea Counseling and Consulting was inspired by the resilience within my Palestinian heritage. The name Olea is derived from the scientific name of olive trees, which symbolizes resilience, peace, adaptability, interconnectedness, and growth- all of which individuals, families, and organizations strive for and deserve. My vision for my practice are for individuals and organizations to draw inspiration from the olive trees’ capacity to endure, adapt, and thrive. The deep interconnecting roots of olive trees highlight the importance of collaboration and interconnected efforts in therapy and organizational change. Olea CC offers individual, couples, and family counseling. I am trained in different types of trauma therapy, including EMDR and Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy. Additionally, Olea CC provides consultation services ranging from short-term training on creating diverse, equitable, and inclusive spaces, crisis response, leadership development, organizational development, and wellness workshops, to long-term services like restructuring departments and workplace culture on a multi-tiered system.

I take pride in the unique combination of my pedagogy. I don’t see many organizations that integrate mental health and wellness with macro-level organizational change. The journey to owning my own business was a mix of timing, serendipity, and risk. I became tired of the organizational constraints that hindered my growth. Around the same time, I was offered a fuller load of classes to teach at Cal State, and I felt this was the perfect opportunity to transition out of a 9-5 job and take the risk of starting my own practice. I thankfully haven’t regretted it since and am now looking to expand. As you can imagine, none of this is easy. I had to trust myself, my mentors, and my skill set to establish success. I am still overcoming the challenges of being a business owner, and I lean a lot on asking for help from experts, mentors etc who can provide some insight on how to navigate business strategies as a therapist. I’ve learned the importance of seeking help and engaging in conversations, as there is a whole community of people experiencing similar challenges. Regardless, I’d rather grow than stay stagnant, so I manage the discomfort and stress for my long-term vision. When clients walk through my door, I want them to know that I will approach their challenges in a way that is holistic and unique to them and that my office is a place for them to discover their resilience.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
OMG this has to be the hardest question for me to answer because it depends on the kind of experience you want. I am an LA girl through and through and there is an experience here for everyone. I’ll share some of my favorite places:
Museum: The Getty Villa is a must.
Beaches: The Hidden Beaches in Malibu and Hermosa Beach
Hike: Griffith Park and Palos Verdes
My favorite thing to do is visit a new cafe each week some of my favorites are: Philz, Awakening, Hilltop Coffee, Playa Provisions and Boy and the Bear
Nature: Los Angeles Forest, Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens, and Underwood Farm
Places to eat with a view: Perch, Casa Madera and 71 Above
Misc: Universal Studios, Olvera Street, Little Tokyo, Grand Central Market, Angel’s flight railway and the Last Bookstore.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are many people who deserve credit for where I am today. First and foremost, my parents, who pushed me to be my best and always did their utmost to provide for and support me throughout my life. My best friend, KeUndria Eaton, who has unwaveringly supported me in countless ways for the past 24 years. My professors, who are now my mentors, have modeled leadership and provided me with an education that extends beyond any textbook. My family, for always spicing up my life. And finally, the beautiful community of friends and colleagues (you know who you are) who have supported, lifted, and celebrated with me. A special shout out to my sister Laila for taking the pictures for this feature.

Website: https://OleaCC.com

Instagram: @OleaCounseling

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alia-elasmar-m-s-lmft-pps-cwa-21775a171

Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/alia-elasmar-hermosa-beach-ca/706823

Image Credits
Laila Elasmar