Hello
My name is Linda and I have been a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist for over a decade. In addition to being the founder of Smart Talk, I am also an Adjunct Professor at Pepperdine University. I live with my husband and eight year old twins.
Licensed in California and Illinois. Due to my responsibilities as the owner of the group, I have limited availability for private pay clients only at this time.
My Specialty:
So being a parent has turned out to be a lot harder than you anticipated. The delivery didn't go as planned, the baby isn't eating enough, and don't get me started on the journey that is breastfeeding. No matter where you turn, people have ideas on how you should do things differently. Everyone has opinions but at the end of the day, it's just you, your baby, and your thoughts of inadequacies in the middle of the night.
I am here to help you regain who you are and become the parent you want to be. In our work together, we will focus on stabilizing your life, your thoughts, and your feelings so that you can be who you want to be. I use a warm and non judgemental approach to therapy. I also sprinkle in some humor and personal anecdotes to help you remember that we are all human and all just trying to do our best.
Publications
-
Abdelsayed, L. M. (2020). Quarantine - How to Survive it With Your Family. Family Therapist Magazine, Volume 19 (3), 16-19.
-
Abdelsayed, L. M. (2020). Supporting Clients Facing Infertility. Family Therapist Magazine, Volume 19 (1), 24-27.
-
Abdelsayed, L. M. (2018). Yoga As Self-Care. Family Therapist Magazine, Volume 17 (5), 22 - 26.
-
Abdelsayed, L. M. (2018, March 27). 5 Ways of Regaining a Sense of Control During Infertility. Retrieved from https://www.marriage.com
-
Abdelsayed, L.M. (2018, April 11). 4 Ways of Remaining Calm During Fertility Testing. Retrieved from https://www.marriage.com.
-
Abdelsayed, L.M. (2018, April 24th). How to Survive the First Year of Having Children. Retrieved from https://www.marriage.com.
-
Abdelsayed, L.M. (2018, May 9th). Learning to Fight Fair in a Relationship with the Help of Counseling. Retrieved from https://www.marriage.com.
-
Tran, Amber. (2019, March 5). Mom Guilt, It's Time for a Break Up. Retrieved from https://orangecounty.citymomsblog.com
Podcasts & Radio Interviews
-
Interviewed by Jessica Leigh, PhD of Psych Talk. High Achieving Women Transitioning into Motherhood. January 29th, 2024.
-
Interviewed by Lara Mcelderry of Married to Doctors Podcast. Facing Infertility as a Medical Couple. July 23rd, 2020.
-
Interviewed by Robert Whetham of NBR FM Live. February 22nd, 2019.
-
Interviewed by Julie Clarke of #Parenting...Who? Podcast. Online Therapy and Infertility with Linda Meier Abdelsayed. July 31st, 2018.
Education
Pepperdine University
Malibu, California
Master of Clinical Psychology with Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy
Royal Holloway, University of London
Egham, United Kingdom
Bachelor of Arts in Music and Psychology
Fees and Insurance
Due to my years of experience, level of expertise, and professorship at Pepperdine University I am currently only accepting new private pay clients. My private pay rates are the following for new clients:
-
$180 per session for individual therapy
-
$200 per session for couples therapy
I offer telehealth services for clients located in California and Illinois. I also understand that not everyone is comfortable with video-based services and some prefer in-person sessions. Combining talk therapy with movement has been shown to be effective in reducing feelings of stress and increasing feelings of happiness, so I offer walk-and-talk therapy sessions outside at The South Coast Botanical Gardens in Rancho Palos Verdes and on the Redondo Beach Esplanade. You are welcome to bring your baby to either of those appointments.