Ayla Bridges, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Ms. Bridges’ clinical interests include OCD, anxiety disorders, panic disorder, specific phobias, ADHD, body-focused repetitive behaviors, and externalizing behavioral concerns. Ms. Bridges is particularly passionate about helping clients and their families to manage their symptoms through new experiences, positive reinforcement and healthier coping mechanisms. Ms. Bridges is experienced in working with people across the lifespan and particularly enjoys working with children, young adults, and adults.
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Ms. Bridges believes that experience is our best teacher. However, sometimes we need additional support to muster the internal and external skills one needs to face certain experiences. Ms. Bridges’ aim is to make her clients their own best therapist by warmly and collaboratively working with clients and their support network to develop tools and strategies to address their symptoms and face their fears. She uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help clients build insight and develop practical ways of approaching difficult situations. As well as exposure and response prevention (E/RP) to help clients systematically face feared situations. Ms. Bridges is also versed in parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT), and the COMBs model.
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Ms. Bridges received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Sonoma State University in Psychology and Liberal Studies (The Hutchins Program). She earned a Master of Science degree in Child and Family Studies, with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy from Northern Illinois University. Ms. Bridges has experience working with children, adolescents, parents, families, and young adults in non-profit and private practice settings, as well as in a Wilderness Therapy setting. After graduate school, Ms. Bridges worked as an MFT Associate at The Santa Rosa Center for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy where she received extensive training and experience in the treatment of all anxiety disorders, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Insomnia, and Habit Disorders, including skin picking and Trichotillomania under the supervision of Litsa Tanner. After successfully completing the training program and gaining licensure in California in 2019. She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of Texas (204387) and the state of California (117144).
Commitment to Ongoing Education
Ms. Bridges highly values education, and frequently seeks out training to deepen her clinical knowledge. Her professional affiliations include:
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)
Texas Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (TAMFT)
Austin Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (Austin AMFT)
California Association for Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)
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In her spare time, Ms. Bridges enjoys spending time with her family, exploring Austin, walking, baking and playing board games with friends.
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Ms. Bridges provides online video therapy sessions and also sees clients at our Round Rock office. For more information about Ms. Bridges availability or to schedule an appointment please call 512-246-7225 or visit our client portal.