- Guilt and shame work
- ACT and CBT methods
- English and Spanish
About Ivan
Ivan Ayala is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) in Minnesota with 13 years of clinical experience. He works with adults facing depression, anxiety, relationship strain, addiction, grief, and LGBT concerns. He also supports people dealing with parenting stress, sleep problems, career transitions, ADHD, and intimacy-related issues.
Ivan uses a relational, person-centered way of working. Sessions focus on listening to a person's story and connecting it to choices they can make now. Conversations are practical and grounded, often combining reflective talk with skill-building exercises.
He draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Client-Centered Therapy, Mindfulness Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and narrative approaches. That mix is used to notice unhelpful patterns, clarify values, and practice small shifts that matter in daily life.
People who bring family-of-origin concerns, codependency, forgiveness questions, or blended-family pressures can expect direct discussion of those patterns. He also addresses issues such as domestic violence, substance use, and fatherhood-related stress in individual sessions.
Sessions are offered in English and Spanish, and international clients are accepted. Ivan asks new clients to complete a brief matching questionnaire and schedule a first session through the site's online flow.
How Ivan’s therapeutic approaches work online
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice painful thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them. It focuses on values and small, concrete actions that move someone toward a life they care about. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) looks at how thoughts, feelings and behaviors connect and uses practical exercises to change unhelpful patterns. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes the person’s own perspective and uses reflective conversation to deepen understanding and choice.Finding the best approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, history, and preferences and then recommend which methods to try first. That plan can change over time based on what helps most in real life, and decisions are made together.
This profile does not list specific session formats here, so please confirm the available online options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, allow shorter check-ins when schedules demand, and remove travel time. For some people, phone-only meetings are helpful when bandwidth is limited or a quieter call is preferred, while video can support face-to-face conversation and visual cues. Licensed professionals can adapt exercises and homework so work done between sessions fits into everyday routines.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
13+ years
Listed in
Minnesota
Languages
English, Spanish
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does he address?
He works with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship and family issues, addictions, grief, trauma, intimacy questions, sleep problems, parenting and career concerns.
How does he approach guilt and shame?
He uses relational talk plus ACT and CBT strategies to identify self-critical patterns and practice different ways of responding to painful feelings.
What is his clinical background?
He has 13 years of experience as a clinical psychotherapist working with individuals, couples and families from varied backgrounds.
Which credentials and region apply?
He holds LMFT and LICSW credentials licensed in Minnesota.
Can I work with him in my language?
Sessions are offered in English and Spanish, and he accepts clients from outside the United States.
What formats are offered for sessions?
Specific session formats are not listed here; please confirm current session options before booking.
How much do sessions cost?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be canceled at any time.
How do I begin working with him?
Select the See online therapy options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule your first session.
Online talk therapy is not emergency care. If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, use the crisis numbers.