Elena Saraga, M.A., LMFT

ElenaHeadshotElena Saraga is a Pennsylvania Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Clinical Fellow of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), and an AAMFT Approved Supervisor Candidate. Elena obtained a Master’s Degree in Clinical Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Marriage and Family Therapy from La Salle University in 2011 and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Psychology from Ithaca College in 2006.

In addition to her association with Dr. Donna Tonrey and Associates, Elena has extensive clinical experience in Community Mental Health where she has provided therapy and clinical supervision. Elena is also an adjunct faculty member at La Salle University where she teaches in the Counseling and Family Therapy Master’s Program.

As an LMFT, Elena provides individual, family, and couples therapy to people who are facing a variety of relationship, mental health, adjustment, and co-occurring challenges. These issues may be affecting their ability to effectively work, socialize, learn, or achieve a personal sense of balance and contentment. In order to address these obstacles, Elena utilizes a systemic and strengths-based approach where she connects with each individual, couple, and family beyond just “the problems” that have led them to treatment. Believing that people must draw upon the parts of themselves that are resilient, Elena helps each client utilize their inherent strengths in order to facilitate long-lasting change. She specializes in working with a variety of presenting issues including grief and loss, parenting difficulties, intimate relationship conflict, trauma, and family discord.

Elena is particularly skilled at working with adolescents and young adults who are struggling with issues related to depression, identity formation, anxiety, and self-esteem. She has a specific interest in working with siblings of all ages and seeks to strengthen these connections throughout the therapeutic process.

In treatment, Elena is a sensitive and encouraging therapist who uses both humor and compassion in order to join with people where they are in the change process. She tailors each session to the client’s specific needs and goals while challenging and empowering them to grow in whatever direction feels right for them.

As a family systems therapist, Elena draws on her knowledge of both Structural and Bowenian Therapy and educates clients on how to utilize these theories for the foundation of resolving what brought them to treatment. Implementing an array of therapeutic interventions, Elena pulls skills from many modalities including cognitive therapy, mindfulness, dialectical behavioral therapy, and creative art therapy.

Above all, Elena believes in the power of change and helps her clients learn to have hope for tomorrow- she teaches insight-oriented and positive thinking along with healthy coping strategies that allow each person to deconstruct their old patterns of behavior, improve communication, and achieve an overall sense of peace and holistic wellness.