Get to Know Isabella Cuellar, LMHC: Guiding Clients Through Change with Mindfulness and Care
When we talk about navigating change—new parenthood, shifting relationships, evolving identities—few experiences are as universal, or as disorienting, as transition. At the Seleni Institute, Isabella Cuellar, LMHC brings a calm, grounded presence to these moments of transformation.
A former educator turned therapist, Isabella integrates psychodynamic therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and mindfulness-based practices to help clients explore the roots of emotional patterns, regulate in the present, and strengthen relationships through greater self-awareness.
In this Q&A, Isabella shares what inspires her work, how she helps clients move from resistance to resilience, and the small grounding practices she encourages between sessions.
What inspired you to pursue a career in mental health, and what continues to motivate your work today?
I’ve always been curious about human behavior and working with people. As a psychology major and education minor in my undergraduate career, I initially was considering pursuing school counseling, since I liked working with children and am passionate about socioemotional learning.
After being a kindergarten teacher, I learned that I wanted to work with adults and support parents with emotional regulation, which ultimately led me to continue my graduate education in Mental Health Counseling and work at the Seleni Institute.
I believe in Seleni’s generational mission: changing a mother’s life will change a child’s life. I ground myself in this “why” often, to remind myself of the greater impact of therapy.
How would you describe your therapeutic approach to someone considering working with you for the first time?
My approach integrates psychodynamic therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and mindfulness-based practices. I emphasize the therapeutic relationship as a foundation for healing; I want clients to feel seen, supported, and empowered to make meaningful shifts in their lives.
I help clients explore the roots of their emotional patterns while building practical tools for coping and self-regulation in the present. I believe that our past impacts our present, and insight and change go hand-in-hand. To facilitate change, we must understand where our struggles come from to allow us to respond with more awareness and compassion.
“Clients can expect a calm, welcoming space to share what’s bringing them in and what they hope to get out of therapy. I’ll ask thoughtful questions to get a sense of one's background, current challenges, and goals, but there’s no pressure to have everything figured out.”
You’re certified in the Gottman Method. What do you find most rewarding about supporting couples through that framework?
Couples work is a vulnerable and brave choice. The Gottman Method integrates several evidence-based frameworks into one, offering couples practical tools they can apply while also creating space for deeper emotional insight and connection.
I like to celebrate the small wins in couples therapy: when one partner begins to see the other with new understanding, when a couple starts to untangle long-standing patterns, or when they begin to resolve conflicts on their own with greater empathy and awareness.
You’ve worked with clients navigating everything from first pregnancies to identity shifts and relationship changes. What do you find most meaningful about helping people through life transitions?
Life transitions are universal and unavoidable. It’s common to approach change with resistance, but I find it powerful when clients shift from being resistant to resilient.
What are a few small ways you encourage clients to stay grounded or build self-compassion between sessions?
There are many strategies that can help, but I often remind clients to come back to their breath — it’s an accessible grounding tool we always have with us. Taking longer exhales signals to the brain that we are safe; for example, inhaling for three counts and exhaling for five can calm the nervous system in just a few moments.
I love breathwork because it can be done anywhere, often without anyone noticing.
Another simple practice for building self-compassion is to treat yourself as you would your best friend. When self-criticism shows up, I ask clients to pause and consider: Would you speak to a friend this way? That small shift in perspective can make a big difference.
What do you hope clients take away from their time in therapy with you?
My goal is for clients to leave each session feeling heard, understood, and a little more hopeful about the path ahead.
Isabella is now accepting new clients for in-person and virtual therapy sessions. She brings a calm and compassionate presence to her work with adults and couples navigating change. Whether you’re entering a new chapter of parenthood, working to strengthen your relationships, or learning to approach yourself with more kindness, Isabella offers evidence-based, holistic care that meets you where you are.
Isabella Cuellar, LMHC
“I want clients to feel seen, supported, and empowered to make meaningful shifts in their lives.”
Specialties: Life transitions, adjustment, anxiety, depression, couples
Isabella’s approach: She integrates psychodynamic therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and mindfulness-based practices.
State licensure: New York
