Leslie Chaires

Associate Clinical Therapist

My name is Leslie Chaires(she/her), a Bilingual Associate Clinical Social Worker, coffee lover, and I enjoy baking and cook. I’m a mom of three—a toddler boy and a set of boy/girl twins- and was born and raised in Southern California.

As a first-generation Mexican American and the first in my family for everything! As a therapist, I am dedicated to creating healing spaces for individuals, especially first-generation Latine individuals like me.

I enjoy working with kids, teens, their moms, young adults, and women facing anxiety, depression, trauma, identity shifts, and feeling overwhelmed with motherhood.

My approach draws from strength-based work, grounding and breath practices, evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), play therapy elements, and the Community Resilience Model (CRM). These approaches allow me to support both your thoughts and emotions as well as your nervous system— so you can build coping skills, feel more regulated, and reconnect with your inner resilience.

In our sessions, my goal is for you to feel safe, hopeful, invited, and deeply connected. I honor your culture, acknowledging resilience, and meeting you exactly where you are—with warmth, steadiness, and compassion. Healing is not something you have to do alone; I would be honored to walk alongside you.

Favorite Food

Birria

Education

I graduated from California State University, Fullerton with my Bachelor's in Sociology and a minor in Human Services. I earned my Master of Social Work from California State University, San Bernardino.

ACSW #117347*

Supervised by Elsa Matsumoto, LCSW #82305