Dr. Paula Miley
DSW, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #116553
Paula (They/Them/She) is a Multi-Race native of South Central Los Angeles, Queer Affirming LMFT, focusing on providing services to Multi-Race, Black, Latine, and other melanated folks within the LGBTQIA+ community. As a dedicated leader in holistic healing services, they focus their time and energy on challenging systems of harm, specifically those that uphold racism, oppression, and denial of rights for the Queer, Transgender, Non-Binary, and Gender Non-Conforming communities. Paula is driven by the mental health movement to ensure equitable access to mental health services and reframing resilience as a form of resistance that strengthens individual capacity to continue our collective fight for social justice.
They combine their 20+ years as a community counselor with Eastern practices to offer healing through somatic psychotherapy, movement, breathwork, and EMDR. As the founder and Executive Director of Somatic Healers Collective, Paula has experience in building healing community partnerships, mental health education, crisis response, curriculum development, and workshops. They began in the mental health field as a volunteer domestic violence advocate with Project Peacemakers in conjunction with the L.A.P.D. as an on-scene crisis counselor in 2000.
They recently completed a Doctorate in Social Work from The University of Southern California. Paula received their Master of Arts Degree in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University and their Bachelor of Science from Cal State Northridge. They are a Clinical Supervisor and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California (#116553). They are a certified mindfulness and yoga instructor trained in trauma-sensitive yoga techniques.
Paula is a lifelong student of yoga, contemplative spirituality practices, and doing the self-work to confront and check their own privilege related to their proximity to power as a lighter-skinned person.
Paula Miley
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #116553
