Relational Foundations Institute

CO-FOUNDER

Camila Ferrario, MS, LMFT

Camila Ferrario is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California (LMFT #154815) and New York (#002544). She is a bilingual psychotherapist (English and Spanish) specializing in parent–child relationships, bonding, and family-based interventions for children with neurodevelopmental disorders who experience challenges with emotional regulation and behavioral difficulties. Certified in Parent–Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and Perinatal Mental Health (PMH-C), she supports families through evidence-based, relationship-focused approaches.

She received her clinical training at UCLA’s MOMS Clinic and UCLA Parent–Child Interaction Clinic and continues to be part of their teams, as well as the McDonald Lab at UCLA’s Center for Autism Research and Treatment (CART). Camila has authored peer-reviewed publications on postpartum depression and the mother–infant relationship, developmental outcomes in NICU graduates, and how parents’ early life experiences shape bonding after a NICU stay. She has also examined innovative service models, including the UCLA MOMS Clinic’s collaborative care approach, which integrates mental health into obstetric care and emphasizes trauma-informed, relationship-focused treatment for perinatal populations.

In addition to her clinical and research work, Camila guest lectures in the MFT program at California State University, Northridge, and frequently presents at national and international conferences on parent–child, family-based interventions. She is dedicated to bridging research and clinical practice to better support families navigating early developmental and relational challenges.