

I enjoy working with a variety of people who have diverse lifestyles and cultural backgrounds. My clients find me to be compassionate, supportive, and challenging when needed. I believe in building on your strengths to help you find wellness and overcome any obstacles that hold you back from achieving your life goals.
My passion has always been to empower others to live their fullest, most authentic lives. I believe that each of us holds the strength, wisdom, and resilience we need within—we simply need the space, support, and encouragement to uncover it. I’m driven by a deep desire to help others overcome self-doubt, reconnect with their inner voice, and build a life aligned with their values, passions, and purpose.
Two decades of clinical excellence.
Dr. Cindy Ruelas-Tafolla's path to becoming a clinician began at age 13 with the sudden loss of her father — an experience that planted the seed of her life's purpose: to be the kind of support she needed during her own darkest moments.
She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Law and Society from UC Santa Barbara, her Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California, and her Doctorate in Social Work (DSW) from USC.
Over two decades, she has served as a Medical Social Worker, Case Manager, and Behavioral Health Therapist — bringing doctoral-level depth, board-certified credentials, and genuine compassion to every client she works with.
I believe that humans should ideally be unfolding and growing throughout their lifetime. This means embracing change, especially when life gets difficult and we feel stuck, dissatisfied, or overwhelmed. Change is a journey with ups and downs. Personally, I believe we all struggle with challenges at different times in our life and it's the courageous who seek help.
I am a clinical social worker/psychotherapist with 15 years of experience working in various mental healthcare settings. My post graduate training has primarily focused in the areas of trauma (developmental as well as medical) as well as perinatal mental health.


Headway makes it easy to find support for your mental health — from finding the right provider, to understanding costs, to scheduling with ease.