West Los Angeles Community Counseling Center

Services Offered

Clients seeking services from the Pepperdine Community Counseling Clinic (also known as Pepperdine Psychological and Educational Clinic) participate in an initial telephone evaluation to assess which of the following services would be most helpful:

Individual Therapy

• One-on-one therapy with clients of all ages to help resolve a wide range of problems in coping with life's challenges.

Couples Therapy

• Therapy aimed at helping a couple resolve conflicts, learn effective communication skills, and develop a fulfilling relationship.

Family Therapy

• Family members participate in therapy together to resolve problems. It is aimed at improving communication and problem-solving skills. Parenting Education is also available to teach valuable parenting skills.

Group Therapy

• Therapy utilizing the support and resources of a group of individuals confronting similar struggles in coping with life's challenges. Availability of Group Therapy varies.

Stress Management

• Training in specific skills aimed at helping people cope with the stresses of traumatic events and daily life.

Vocational Counseling

• Counseling to assist in determining job decisions and career directions. Does not involve formal vocational assessment or testing. Referrals can be provided.

Therapeutic Support to Address Educational Issues

• Strategies to address learning and attentional difficulties, for all ages. Therapy addresses internal and external events that interfere with concentration, and helps build more effective skills for learning.

Psychological Assessment

• Available for existing clinic therapy clients only.

About the Director

Dr. Aaron Aviera, Senior Clinical Professor, is a clinical psychologist who since 1997 has worked as a core faculty member and senior clinician at Pepperdine University, where he has developed and directed training clinics for masters and doctoral students in clinical psychology (including the Pepperdine Psychological and Educational Clinic on our West Los Angeles Campus, the Union Rescue Mission-Pepperdine Clinic in downtown Los Angeles and most recently in 2025 at URM/Angeles House in Compton, CA). He served as the Director of Clinical Training for the Pepperdine University PsyD program for five years.

Among his primary interests is his passion for providing clinical supervision and training to advanced doctoral students; he is also active in mentoring and clinical training. Dr. Aviera has been providing psychotherapy for over thirty-five years in his private clinical practice. His approach integrates insight-oriented/depth psychotherapy with mindfulness/meditation, within an essential framework of body awareness and somatic therapy conceptualization and practices. Respect for diversity, equity, and inclusion is an essential emphasis in his clinical work, teaching, and training.

Dr. Aviera has pursued advanced training in the treatment of trauma and completed his Somatic Experiencing Practitioner advanced training (2013), certification in NeuroAffective Touch (2018), and EMDR training (2018).