
Hi, I’m Dr. Lara Sando
I’m a Los Angeles-based clinical psychologist, specializing in the assessment and treatment of young children and their families. My warm and holistic approach results in transformation from one generation to the next.
Dr. Lara specializes in helping her young clients and their families establish a strong foundation for lifelong mental health and robust relationships, using an insightful, collaborative approach.
Are you worried about your child and don’t know where to turn for answers or support? When seeking help for your child, you need an expert who cares. I draw on my many years of experience providing clinical care and overseeing a team of clinicians as the coordinator of a highly respected outpatient program for young children and their families, specializing in birth to five assessment and therapy. I am certified in a number of evidence-based practices (Safe and Sound Protocol, Child-Parent Psychotherapy, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, Managing and Adapting Practices, and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy). I am endorsed as a Reflective Practice Mentor through the California Center for Infant-Family and Early Childhood Mental Health and am a past fellow of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars program.
But more than credentials, you need to know your family is in caring hands. As a mother myself, I know how unnerving it can be to entrust your child to the professional opinion of an expert. In reality, YOU are the expert of your child and family, and I am particularly skilled at empowering parents to uncover their own intuition and transform the relationships within their family. Together, we will identify the root causes of your child’s challenges, whether through specialized neuropsychological assessment of children or therapy. And with your family’s culture and values guiding the way, I will steer you to the most effective plan to getting your family on the right track. My years of working in interdisciplinary teams have equipped me to identify all different types of contributing factors to your child’s challenges, and I have a wonderful network of professionals to whom I can refer.
I bring a calm and optimistic energy to my work, providing a deeply containing and supportive environment for you to transform challenges and connect with your highest self. The infancy and early childhood years provide a unique opportunity for families looking to rise above old patterns, and I gently support you in taking hold of this moment to set your child up for a lifetime of mental and relational wellness.
In addition to clinical work, I am an experienced mentor and public speaker, providing training and mentoring to parents and professionals alike. My personal and engaging approach captures the attention of participants, for an enjoyable and memorable learning experience. Areas of training expertise include reflective practice, parenting young children, burnout prevention for professionals, and the treatment of generational trauma.
At Wildflower Wellbeing, we are LGBTQIA+ affirming and welcome every family in every form.
Maija Vance, AMFT
Associate Marriage and Family Therapist
If you’re feeling out of sync with your partner or kids, you already know the quality of our most valuable relationships deeply affects our lives as a whole. On the sometimes disorienting journey of raising kids, you may wonder why you keep coming unglued, or why your child’s behaviors defy every parenting strategy you try! Or maybe you feel understandably exhausted and despairing at the thought of waking up to another day trying to manage it all. In working with me, you and your family can expect I will spend time listening deeply and observing, coming alongside as you navigate difficult conflicts and behaviors.
Together, we can make life-changing discoveries about your child’s or your own unique wiring, which may include autism, ADHD or sensory processing challenges. I am an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist from the Pacific Northwest. I earned my Bachelor degree from Pacific Lutheran University in French, and my Masters in Counseling and Psychology from The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology. I grew up speaking Swedish and traveling regularly to Sweden to visit family, and as an adult, spent four years living in France with my husband and children. These bi-cultural experiences helped develop my ability to see life from a variety of different perspectives. I bring a playful, optimistic and intuitive energy to my work, as well as a determination to support you and your family on your journey.
At Wildflower Wellbeing, we are LGBTQIA+ affirming and welcome every family in every form.