About Us
We do things differently here.
Meet Our Team
Dinah Farrell, Associate Marriage & Family Therapist
AMFT #157063, Supervised by Dr. Sam Harris, Psy.D.
It is meaningful for me to be a witness to a client's life and help them make sense of the world around them. Going to therapy as a young person can be intimidating and confusing given all of the challenges that young people face in today's world. I hope to provide a safe, guiding, and supportive space for them to flourish into adulthood.
I work with teens and young adults who find themselves needing extra support to navigate the turbulent emotions and circumstances that arise as one transitions to adulthood. Because teens and young adults are still in the early stages of life development, this is a fruitful and impactful time for them to be learning skills and awareness that will help them in adulthood.
My approach is primarily psychodynamic, which means I work with clients to unearth unconscious motivations and experiences that may be driving their life in a direction that no longer serves them. It is important to me to meet each client with a genuine curiosity, cultural humility, and non judgemental perspective. Through this, I am able to establish a strong therapeutic relationship with each client and this relationship provides stability and validation that promotes positive changes.
The experience of therapy can help build a sense of self exploration, awareness, and confidence that will positively influence a client's ability to thrive in the future. As a result of therapy, clients become more self compassionate, more motivated, and grow deeper and more satisfying relationships.
Populations Served: Preteens & Teens (ages 9–17) | Young Adults (ages 18–25) | Parents | Families
Focus Areas: Anxiety | Depression | ADHD | OCD | Perfectionism | Grief | Life Transitions
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Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Georgetown University
Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology with an Emphasis on Marriage and Family Therapy, Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology
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Psychodynamic/Depth Therapy
DBT-Informed
Family Systems Therapy
Humanistic/Client-Centered Therapy
Dr. Sam Harris, Licensed Clinical Psychologist (PSY34170)
I am a licensed clinical psychologist practicing in Los Angeles. I work with children, adolescents, young adults, and parents. I have been practicing psychotherapy since 2014.
My clinical training has included work in university counseling centers, community mental health settings, and specialized postdoctoral training. I have completed training in Family-Based Treatment for adolescent anorexia at Stanford Medicine and Attachment-Focused EMDR through the Parnell Institute, as well as the Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Program at The New Center for Psychoanalysis. My doctoral research explored the relationship between body image, body modification, and psychological experience, with particular interest in the ways the body can express experiences that may be difficult to put into words.
My areas of practice and interest include anxiety, ADHD, eating disorders and body image concerns, complex trauma, gender identity, developmental transitions, and relationship difficulties. I have a particular interest in child and adolescent development and a longstanding commitment to working with queer and gender-diverse youth and their families.
My therapeutic style is warm, thoughtful, and direct. My work is informed by psychodynamic and relational approaches while incorporating other evidence-based treatments when helpful.
In addition to my clinical practice, I supervise clinicians in training.
Client Populations: Kids and Teens (5-17) | Young Adults (18-25) | Parents/Caregivers
Areas of Focus: Anxiety | ADHD | Eating Disorders | Body Image | Gender Identity | Complex Trauma | Parents and Caregivers
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Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, The Wright Institute (APA-accredited)
APA Doctoral Internship, University of California, Riverside, Counseling and Psychological Services
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Mount Saint Mary's University, Counseling and Psychological Services
Family-Based Treatment Training for Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa, Stanford Medicine
Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Program, New Center for Psychoanalysis
Attachment-Focused EMDR Training, Parnell Institute
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I’m an active member of professional organizations that support ongoing learning and high standards of care, including:
American Psychological Association (APA), including the Society of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology (Division 53 / SCCAP)
American Psychoanalytic Association (APsA)
International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP)
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Nurturing Body Confidence in the Elementary Years
ADHD and Body Image: Understanding the Connection in Adolescent Girls
Body Dysmorphia and Gender Dysphoria: Clinical Distinctions and Interactions (for clinicians)
Body Image in the Consulting Room (for clinicians)
Psychology for High-Achieving Families
Our Philosophy
Children, teens, and young adults deserve therapists who understand the developmental tasks of each stage of life and the relationships that support growth.
At Iris, we bring clinical expertise and developmental understanding to relationships built on trust. Our goal is to help young people better understand themselves and make use of their own capacities.
Therapy may include practical skill-building as well as deeper work around the patterns and experiences that shape relationships and sense of self.
Meaningful work with children and adolescents often includes parents. Helping parents better understand their child can strengthen the parent-child relationship and support continued development beyond the treatment room.
What Sets Our Team Apart
Our practice is dedicated to children, adolescents, and emerging adults. We have built our work around understanding development and the particular psychological needs of each stage of growing up.
What happens during these years matters. Therapy can help young people understand themselves more fully, develop greater emotional capacity, and move forward in their development with more freedom.
We think of our work through the lens of an iris: the part of the eye that helps us see clearly, and the flower associated with growth. Our work is about helping young people see themselves more clearly and supporting development when it has become stuck, painful, or difficult.
FAQs
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Sessions are 50 minutes and typically occur once or twice weekly. We determine frequency together, based on the specific needs of the treatment.
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Dr. Harris's fee is $300 per 50-minute session. Dinah Farrell, AMFT's fee is $180 per 50-minute session.
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We are “insurance friendly,” which means that we use a third party (Mentaya) to bill your claims to your insurance if you have out-of-network coverage. Many families with PPO plans receive partial or full reimbursement for our services.
How it works:
Your provider will send you a link to Mentaya to enter your insurance information and verify whether or not you have out-of-network coverage.
After each session, you will pay the full session fee in addition to a 5% claim processing fee.
Mentaya will submit the claims and mail you a reimbursement check and explanation of benefits.
If you prefer, you are able to submit claims to insurance yourself:
Pay for your session at the time of your appointment.
Request a monthly Superbill (detailed receipt) from your provider for you to submit to your insurance.
Your insurance company sends reimbursement directly to you (if you have out-of-network benefits).
Questions to ask your insurance company:
Do I have mental health benefits*?
What are my out-of-network benefits and reimbursement rate*?
What is my annual deductible, and how much have I met*?
How many therapy sessions are covered per year?
Do you cover telehealth sessions?
*Mentaya can verify this insurance information.
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We offer a limited number of sliding scale appointments for those for whom cost is a significant barrier. Please inquire by phone.
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We ask for 48 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or reschedule. Appointments cancelled with less than 48 hours’ notice are charged the full session fee. We understand emergencies happen and will take unexpected circumstances into account.
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The No Surprises Act requires health care providers to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance a Good Faith Estimate, a document explaining the expected cost for your non-emergency medical and mental health care. You can ask your healthcare provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a service. Our current fee is always discussed before or during the initial session. Fees may be periodically adjusted with prior notice. If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.
For more information on the No Surprises Act and your right to the Good Faith Estimate, click here. -
Yes. Family therapy helps improve communication and strengthen relationships. Parent coaching gives you tools to understand adolescent development and respond more effectively at home.
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Yes. We offer a comprehensive ADHD Support Program that includes individual therapy for your teen and parent coaching. This structured program typically runs 3-6 months and focuses on executive functioning skills, emotional regulation, and family support. Learn more on our ADHD Support Program page.
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At this time we are not offering any therapy groups. Group offerings change throughout the year, so please reach out to info@iristherapycenter.com for updates.
Ready to Begin?
We are here to support you. Start with a free 20-minute consultation to discuss your needs and see if we are the right fit.
