Lin Nelson Benedek is a licensed marriage and family therapist who provides individual, couples and family therapy. She maintains a private practice in Westwood, California. With close to twenty years of experience as a licensed professional, Lin provides both child and adult therapy and is currently serving as a private practitioner working with a broad spectrum of clients.
Lin provides Psychotherapy for Individual Adults, Adolescents and Children. She supports adults and adolescents in their search for greater peace of mind, self-acceptance, clarity and productivity in their lives and relationships. Her mission is to help her clients to get along better with themselves and with others and to help them to make their lives more meaningful, mindful and joyful no matter what challenges they face.
Lin has had a wealth of experience working as a psychotherapist in community agencies, school districts and in private practice. Also a credentialed teacher for students in kindergarten through community college, she has special expertise in the areas of social skills, divorce issues, ADHD and learning disabilities. Lin has directed and helped to create outreach programs in the Santa Monica/Malibu, Los Angeles Unified and Culver City Unified school districts. She served for many years as Director and Coordinator of School Outreach Services for the Southern California Counseling Center, where she is currently serving as a clinical supervisor, and also coordinated group therapy programs for children for the Los Angeles Child Development Center.
Lin is a California Association of Marriage & Family Therapists Clinical Member and an American Association of Marriage & Family Therapists Clinical Member and Approved Clinical Supervisor.
Lin is dedicated to the pursuit of helping parents, children and couples find their way to appreciating the gifts in themselves and in their relationships.
Lin is a compassionate, interactive, solution-focused therapist. Her therapeutic approach is to provide support and practical feedback to help clients effectively address personal life challenges. She integrates complementary methodologies and techniques to offer a highly personalized approach tailored to each client. With insight and understanding, she supports each individual in the endeavor of attaining his or her desired goals.
Education
B.A., Scripps College
M.A., California State University at Los Angeles
Teaching Credentials for K-12, at the University of California at Los Angeles
Doctoral Studies in English Literature (1978-81) at the University of California at Los Angeles
M.A., Pacific Oaks College (Human Development and Marriage and Family Therapy)
License, Certifications & Awards
California License for Marriage and Family Therapy
American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists Approved Supervisor Designation
Additional Training
Intensive Training in Child Psychotherapy at the Violet Oaklander Institute in Santa Barbara, California
University of California at San Francisco certification in the treatment of childhood obesity
Shapedown Weight Management Provider
Professional Development
Lin stays current with the best practices of her profession and attends regular conferences and workshops in order to maximize her effectiveness with her clients. Most recently, in an ongoing study group with Daniel Siegel, M.D., she has been focusing on the importance of recent developments in neurobiology, brain research and attachment theory on the way we make sense of human development throughout the lifespan and, in trainings with Jack Kornfield, Ph.D., and Trudy Goodman, Ph.D., on the usefulness of mindfulness meditation practices both within and beyond the psychotherapy context.
Memberships
California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists Clinical Member
American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists Clinical Member