Couples Counseling Therapists in San Luis Obispo, CA
See all therapists in San Luis Obispo
Stacy Guisse
Marriage & Family Therapist, PsyD, LMFT
Verified
Verified
My journey in the healing arts is a wonderful one and involves working with clients of all ages and stages of life. I have an integrated therapy approach with a specific focus on intermodal therapies, life transitions, community building, and family/group work. I work with clients who can be experiencing anxiety, adolescent anxiety, depression, substance abuse, significant life adjustments/transitions, post traumatic stress, blended family dynamics, grief/loss, adjustment to motherhood, and
couples
communication challenges. In our work together we are transforming life challenges into growth opportunities and creative action in your life.

Desiree Troxell
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified
4 Endorsed
Verified
4 Endorsed
I work with all ages including youth, families,
couples
, college students and mature adults.
Welcome to wellness. You have taken the first step toward exploring your full potential. Embarking on a path of self discovery enables you to unearth your hopes for yourself, your relationships, and your future. Authenticity, communication, forgiveness, love and humor are essential to living a healthy life. Knowing yourself allows you to have healthier relationships with your family, friends and colleagues. I have experience helping people who are encountering grief, anxiety, depression, mood disorders, trauma, marital difficulties, life transitions, family conflict,
relationship
conflict, stress, self harm, and substance abuse.

Hallelujah Adams
Marriage & Family Therapist, MS, LMFT
Verified
Verified
I enjoy working with children, adolescents, individuals and
couples
who are facing self-esteem/ self-worth concerns, relational issues, parenting struggles and those who seek to buffer the stressors of life. I also have experience with anxiety, depression, PTSD and relational distress and I have completed Advanced Training in Emotionally Focused Therapy - a well researched and highly effective approach to
couples
therapy. It is my passion to help you discover the strengths you already carry inside of you and to help you develop stronger, more deeply connected relationships.

Paula Defrisco
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified
Verified
I am a San Luis Obispo therapist working extensively with adolescents, college students, adults and
couples
who struggle with
relationship
issues or who have experienced sexual abuse or domestic violence in their lives. I have also helped numerous clients struggling with depression or anxiety. I am practical and supportive in my approach. My focus has always been trauma work, and I feel great respect and admiration for my clients who have allowed me to be part of their journey to gain feelings of empowerment in their lives. Please click on my website for more information about my practice.

Robert E Clayton
Psychologist
Verified
Verified
I believe that our most profound feelings contain the seeds of our transformation and growth. Working together in a warm, supportive, and connected
relationship
, we can gain access to these deep, transformative emotions to find healing, strength, and unimagined new vitality. I enjoy working with students and young adults, those in mid-life, and elders.

Nicholas Cline
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT, MA, MS
Verified
Verified
TeIe-therapy & In Person Sessions. I know from working with people that there is a lot of suffering out there and many people don't know where to reach out for help. Working together, I can help you navigate these challenges. I work with Adults and Professionals dealing with imposter syndrome and work stress, College students and adolescents navigating school, relationships and the future. Adolescents and Adults working through anxiety, depression, and relationships. I have additional training and experience working with the LGBTQIA+ community and
Couples
Work. Reach out to me and we can talk further about how I can help.

Tim Schenberg
Psychologist, PhD
Verified
Verified
And, the therapeutic
relationship
is a must if a client is to get better.
Many people struggle with finding their way in life. It is very hard to do it on your own. Therapy is one of many tools that people can use to create and sustain change. My practice tends to draw individuals,
couples
and families who need support with a variety of different challenges and conflicts.

Michael W Regier, PhD, Couple Therapist California
Psychologist, PhD
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
Do you need help with communication? Does your
partner
lack empathy and emotion? Does he/she not listen? Have you been hurt by an affair? I am a Certified Emotionally Focused
Couples
Therapist, an expert in Couple & Marriage Therapy, betrayal trauma, emotional communication and divorce prevention. I help individuals and
couples
recover from the trauma of an affair and learn how to prevent future infidelity. I help
couples
in conflict understand and escape their patterns of arguing, re-build trust, and meet each other's emotional needs. I help
couples
in new relationships build the foundations for healthy
relationship
.

Leonard Manzella
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified
Verified
It's through the
relationship
with your therapist and their respectful guidance that you'll learn to identify your problems and acquire the necessary tools to overcome them.
Anxiety, Depression and Substance Abuse have reached epidemic proportions in today's world. They have become a way of life for many, causing undue anguish and pain, and jeopardizing the well-being of millions as well as the significant relationships in their lives. For over 25 years I have been helping people find a way back to themselves and on a path to living healthier and happier lives. It would be an honor to help you.

Monica Serrao Kim
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
To ensure effective counseling, establishing a robust therapeutic
relationship
is crucial, and the first step towards achieving this is through an initial consultation.
Only Virtual Sessions Available. Monica runs a remote private practice based in San Luis Obispo, CA. With a diverse professional background, she specializes in treating various mental health concerns, such as anxiety, depression, grief, and trauma. Additionally, Monica has a particular interest in addressing women's mental health issues, including family planning, baby ambivalence, difficulty conceiving, infertility, involuntary childlessness, and role transitions. She provides a supportive and non-judgmental space for women to explore their thoughts and emotions concerning these complex topics.
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
& Online

Amy Liston
Psychologist, PhD
Verified
2 Endorsed
Verified
2 Endorsed
Hello and thank you for visiting my profile. I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with over 32 years of practice. I currently provide individual psychotherapy to college students and adults who are struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, grief/bereavement, family issues, peer issues,
relationship
issues and/or life transitions. I offer a personalized therapy experience in a safe and inclusive space that honors your uniqueness as an individual. My approach is strength-based and client-centered with a humanistic/existential orientation.

Tommy Ferndino
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified
Verified
My job is to
partner
with with you and give you the secure base you need to make the kind of progress you have been looking for.
Hello, my legal name is Joseph but you can call me Tommy. My work as a therapist is mostly informed by Attachment Theory and I currently work with individuals ranging from young adults to seniors. As human beings, we are meant to seek connection with others. Connection with a compassionate, caring, and knowledgeable therapist is one of the best ways to develop a more secure sense of attachment to the world around you. This connection can lead to the positive, long-term change you are seeking.

Vanessa Swier
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, MSW, LCSW, GC-C
Verified
6 Endorsed
Verified
6 Endorsed
Do you feel emotionally stuck? Are you a stuffer? You know, someone who hides your true feelings so you appear "okay" on the outside. Then, let me join you on your journey of feeling & healing. Healing is a process, an ongoing discovery & I'm here to help you uncover hope, find harmony & move towards healing. I'll support you in processing your feelings in order to live your most authentic life. Since earning my BA in Psychology and my Master of Social Work degree, I have worked passionately with individuals,
couples
, families, adults, college students & teens to learn positive ways to cope with life's many stressors.

Cindy K Nelson
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified
Verified
Expectations and Boundaries are key elements to every
relationship
with yourself and others. If you find yourself trying the same thing over and over again, hoping for or expecting a different outcome it my have to do with unrealistic expectations or inabilities to set appropriate boundaries. Expectations, boundaries and communication issues have their roots in the past while manifesting in the present and will most likely effect the future - I'm here to help you sort it out.

Adare Toral
Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, LPCC
Verified
Verified
Thank you for taking interest in my practice, my work centers on providing care for trauma, depression, anxiety, and issues related to gender and sexual orientation. If any of this is something that you are struggling with, know that you are not alone and help is available. Evenings and weekend appointments are available. I have 2 associates in my practice who are also accepting clients ages 6+ for individual, family, or
couples
therapy.

Daisy Biggers
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified
2 Endorsed
Verified
2 Endorsed
She is passionate about building a safe
relationship
with her clients in which true healing can take place.
No one comes to therapy when everything is amazing. Often, things come up that were not what we planned. Or we have feelings that are stronger than we imagined and we don't quite know how to handle them. Maybe you feel like your normal coping strategies are no longer doing the trick. Maybe therapy can help. Daisy lovingly and curiously approaches the issues that are getting in your way. She invites you to walk side by side as you move through things together.

Larry Galpert
Psychologist, PhD, ABPP
Verified
Verified
I also have extensive experience working with
couples
.
I have over 20 years of experience providing individual, couple, and group psychotherapy to adults and older teens. My orientation is eclectic, drawing from psychodynamic, humanistic-existential, gestalt, cognitive-behavioral, and internal family systems models. This means I have a variety of tools and approaches with which to help my clients understand and resolve the issues they face. Among the many issues and concerns I have helped people with are depression, substance abuse,
relationship
problems, affairs, sexual addiction, anxiety, grief, and personal growth. I am board-certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology (the "ABPP" after my name).

Serena Andrews
Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, MA, AMFT, APCC
Verified
Verified
The people I work with include adolescents and adults experiencing stress, anxiety, depression,
relationship
challenges, illness, trauma or loss and grief.
As a therapist, I help people in the San Luis Obispo community navigate life changes and find balance, emotional health and mental well-being. Whether you’re facing a recent shift, past trauma, grief or loss, my goal is to provide a supportive environment for exploration and emotional healing. Additionally, I strive to build healthy relationships with my clients and equip them with self-care resources that can provide support during therapy and beyond. Therapy can offer both immediate and long-lasting results. I am also available to offer therapy to anyone in the state of California through confidential tele-therapy.
Not accepting new clients

Nicole Vito
Psychologist, PhD
Verified
Verified
Research shows one of the most powerful predictors of growth in therapy relies on the strength of the
relationship
between therapist and client.
Everyone has the capacity to make positive changes whether they be large or small if they are motivated to do so. Therapy can be a helpful tool to help you acheive your goals and/or explore emotions that are difficult to deal with alone. I prefer to work collaboratively with my clients to develop a treatment plan that works. Therapy can be hard work and it's important that you are comfortable with how your treatment is progressing.

Melinda Marcelluskincaid
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
I believe in the importance of establishing a therapeutic bond in the working
relationship
between client & therapist.
Do you seek more balance, understanding, connection and freedom in your relationships with yourself and others? I create a safe and supportive environment to help you through difficulties to become more positive and live with presence in acceptance and peace. Whether we work to create boundaries, increase self-esteem, decrease destructive patterns, or move through painful life experiences, together we will process what you are going through in order to obtain clarity, solutions, and personal growth. My hope is that we can find contentment in our present moment & live fully in that moment each day.
See more therapy options for
Couples Counseling Therapists
Does couples counseling work?
Research shows that couples counseling is effective; it can reduce relationship distress and improve emotional awareness, communication, empathy, intimacy, and overall relationship satisfaction. For example, emotionally focused therapy was found to be effective for about 75 percent of couples, and those benefits lasted at least two years.
When should a couple seek counseling?
Couples can benefit from counseling if they consistently struggle in their relationship. They may have lost the ability to communicate effectively, become entrenched in harmful patterns, begun to fight more than usual, broken the other’s trust, suffered from a mental or physical illness, or faced any number of other challenges. Many therapists offer free consultations, so if a couple isn’t sure whether therapy is necessary, asking directly can provide clarity.
How can I get my partner to go to couples therapy?
The decision to seek couples therapy is often driven by one partner, who then convinces the other to participate. When discussing the idea, the initiator should be direct and assertive. They can state the problems they see and explain how the relationship would benefit from therapy. In more serious cases, they can also explain how their relationship may suffer without making any changes or seeking professional help.
How does a couple prepare for couples counseling?
The anticipation of beginning couples counseling can be difficult—sometimes more difficult than the first session itself. Taking a few moments to reflect can allay those concerns: What are the current challenges? When and how did they begin? What do they want the relationship to look like in the future? Reflecting on these questions can help individuals or couples articulate their goals. Of course, the therapist will also ask questions and guide couples through the process.