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Meet the Founder & Clinical Director

Linda Meier Abdelsayed, MA, LMFT, PMH-C (she, her)

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Becoming a parent turned out to be a lot harder than I ever imagined. Even with preparation, support, and professional training, nothing fully prepares you for how overwhelming those early days can feel.

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Maybe the delivery did not go as planned.
The baby is not eating “enough.”
Breastfeeding has been its own emotional rollercoaster.
And no matter where you turn, everyone seems to have an opinion about what you should be doing differently.

 

At the end of the day, it is just you, your baby, and those late-night thoughts that quietly question whether you are doing this right.

I know how heavy that can feel.

 

My work is grounded in helping parents, especially high-functioning women, regain a sense of stability, confidence, and self-trust during seasons that feel overwhelming, confusing, or isolating.

Why I Started Smart Talk Therapy

I founded Smart Talk Therapy because I saw too many capable, intelligent people struggling in silence.
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People who were used to functioning well.
People who had done everything “right.”
People who felt ashamed for needing help at all.
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Postpartum mental health, identity shifts, relationship strain, and anxiety do not always look dramatic from the outside. Often, they show up quietly. In overthinking. In exhaustion. In feeling disconnected from yourself while still doing everything for everyone else.
 
Smart Talk Therapy was created to be a place where you do not have to perform, impress, or minimize what you are carrying. Therapy here is honest, collaborative, and practical, with room for humor and real talk along the way.

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My Approach to Therapy

I believe therapy should help you feel steadier in your actual life, not just understood in session.

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In our work together, we focus on:

  • Stabilizing overwhelming thoughts and emotions

  • Reducing anxiety and mental spirals

  • Navigating postpartum and parenting transitions

  • Strengthening self-trust and confidence

  • Reconnecting with who you are and who you want to be

 

Alongside this work, we also take a holistic view of what supports your well-being day to day. That may include gently exploring factors like sleep, nutrition, movement, lifestyle demands, and stress levels, and how they interact with your emotional health.

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I bring warmth, structure, and curiosity into the therapy space. We move at your pace, focusing on what feels most important and most useful right now.

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And yes, there is room for humor. Sometimes laughter is part of coping, especially when parenting feels relentless and sleep feels optional.

What Working Together Looks Like

All sessions are offered virtually via secure video or phone.

This means:

  • No commuting

  • More flexibility for busy schedules

  • Support that fits into real life.

 

Sessions are scheduled at times that work best for you, because letting therapy add more stress defeats the point.

Areas of Focus

Top Specialties

  • Pregnancy, Prenatal, and Postpartum Mental Health

  • Women’s Issues

  • Infertility

  • Supporting working mothers navigating identity shifts across career, motherhood, partnership, and personal life

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Additional Areas of Expertise

  • Anxiety

  • Parenting Stress

  • Family Conflict

  • Life Transitions

  • Emotional Overwhelm

Education, Training, and Credentials

  • Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, Pepperdine University, Graduate School of Education and Psychology (2009)

  • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

    • California, LMFT 52323

    • Illinois, LMFT 166001142

  • Perinatal Mental Health Certification (PMH-C)

  • In practice for 17 years

  • Adjunct Professor, Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (2023–present)

 

I welcome questions about my training, experience, and qualifications. Transparency matters.

A Final Note

If you are feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure of yourself in this season, you do not have to figure it out alone.

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My role is to help you feel grounded, supported, and more like yourself again so you can become the parent and person you want to be, without burning out in the process.

 

Ready to get started?
You are welcome to reach out with questions or schedule a free 15-minute consultation.

Email Linda or call (949) 264-5963
Or book directly online.

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:​

  • $200 per 50 minute sessions

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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.

Publications

Podcasts & Radio Interviews

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