Bella Lurie is a California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (CA LMFT 154980) with six years of clinical experience, practicing in California. She presents a practice called Wake Dreaming that draws from positive psychology to expand the work many people begin in traditional therapy.

For someone who has experienced therapy before and felt its gentle influence but senses there is more to uncover without a clear path forward, Wake Dreaming offers an invitation to experiment with how language shapes deeper understanding and presence. The approach suits people who cherish language—its pieces and purposes—and who are curious about how personal speech and narrative emerge from the unconscious.

Bella frames the work with attention to historical context and the symbols that shape the roles people inhabit within narratives that appear to “make sense.” At the same time she emphasizes that there is much more to explore about the forces that influence both waking and sleeping life. The mythologies that grow out of pain, grief, sorrow, and joy take many genres and styles—more than there are individuals—so the practice allows room for that variety.

She notes how language can both reveal and obscure inner states. When she says “I am sorry,” neither speaker nor listener can fully capture its meaning or the feeling behind it; understanding can be partial and words often fall short. Wake Dreaming aims to move psychotherapeutic progress beyond the conventional limits of language and the social narratives that shape life, while also helping clients cultivate spontaneity in speech and a greater comfort with uncertainty – skills that support clearer communication with oneself and others.

Bella specializes in grief, intimacy-related issues, self-esteem concerns, career questions, and ADHD. She is a therapist of color and an older female clinician who brings her six years of experience to work with clients across these areas in California.