Couples Counseling Therapists in San Rafael, CA

Life is unpredictable. Health can falter; careers can get altered; relationships break down and change. Sometimes our normal ways of coping just don't cut it anymore. With over 15 years of experience, I enjoy helping clients find new ways to navigate. We can learn, not only, how to survive a difficulty but how to move through it in ways that are healthy, resilient and life-affirming.

Are you feeling overwhelmed, stressed, depressed, anxious or alone? Are you having trouble coping with life’s stressors, chronic health issues, having relationship conflicts, or plagued with unsettling thoughts, feelings and behaviors? Often times these difficult experiences stem from a lack of awareness and disharmony in our lives and not having the tools, strategies and guidance to help us overcome our problems.

The Relationship Institute of San Francisco (www.trisf.com) specializes in couples counseling , individual and family therapy, based out of San Francisco, California. We treat a wide variety of clients, all with unique stories and situations. We are a team of psychotherapists specifically trained to provide couples and relational counseling. Our psychotherapists have a few things in common: we teach skills, provide feedback, and are directive therapists. Our goal is short-term, evidence-based couples and relational counseling. We utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) modalities, as well as a range of widely accepted approaches.

Relationships are my speciality - I work with individuals and couples on attachment issues, relationships, connection, and emotional safety. I am an 'Emotionally Focused Couples Therapists' (ICEEFT) and certified sex therapist. My approach involves turning around patterns that feel out of control and repetitive while increasing bonding and closeness. I also work with individuals on connecting with others in a positive way while understanding and changing patterns that are hard to shift.

To live a happier and healthier life, starting therapy is a step in the right direction. It’s a way to align your life with your vision for who you want to be and where you are headed. Together, in therapy, we will explore the past and present and any obstacles getting in the way of achieving your current and future goals. Our lives have undeniably changed over the past few years with the pandemic. Therefore, it's important to have a safe space to reflect and verbalize the changes you have experienced and identify what you have learned about yourself, what and who you value, and what's most essential in your life moving forward.

I believe that life’s challenges, whether external or internal, are opportunities for self-discovery and for becoming more aligned with your inner wisdom. My role as a therapist is to create an environment in which you can express yourself, feel deeply heard and connect to your authentic self. I believe that when we can meet ourselves with love and respect, we can heal from many issues. My focus is on supporting you to gain a deeper understanding of who you are, including your resources and strengths, your unique perspective, and your unconscious patterns so you can create the change and healing that you desire.

Are you looking to reduce problematic Anger? Decrease emotional suffering from Anxiety, Depression, or trauma? Improve, save, or end a relationship ? Get your life back from self-limiting thoughts and behaviors? Cope with illness or loss? Connect better with a teen or help get a teen's life back on track? Let's talk. I am an authority on problematic anger issues and specialize in helping individuals with anxiety, ADHD, depression, and relationship distress.

You and your spouse are not in a good place. One of you is ready to walk away, and one of you is desperately hanging on. You've had tough times in the past, but this feels different. If you've made several attempts to make it work, and find yourself back in a hopeless place, divorce may seem like the next step. If you are the one hanging on, feeling confused about what's happened, you are desperate to keep things together. The idea of divorce is terrifying to you. You both feel misunderstood, your experience of the marriage does not align. You cannot agree about anything.

I am highly interactive and collaborative and depend on a strong relationship with clients that builds trust and encourages individuality and personal development. I believe in the power of change and also the strength within each of us to make those changes. I want people to feel empowered to live life to its fullest and to find happiness through purpose and connection. I hold hope while you find your way.

Are you feeling stuck and having difficulty breaking free from painful patterns? Fearful or overwhelmed? Somatic Psychotherapy goes beyond talk therapy and can help with underlying feelings of disconnection, isolation and helplessness. I'm happy to connect with you for an initial no-charge consultation about how somatic (body mind) therapy can help you. My priority is in creating an environment of safety, curiosity and compassion to support you in managing challenging emotional states and self-regulation.

I help clients of all ages process and heal from traumatic experiences; these are things that happened earlier in life that may have been overwhelming and created false, negative core beliefs about oneself, others, and the world. Beliefs such as “I’m not good enough, I can’t trust people; I'm not safe” can significantly impact how a person feels, thinks and reacts to the world, and lead to issues such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. I help clients process those experiences, transforming the negative beliefs into positive, helpful ones. This allows clients to experience more joy and ease in their life and relationships.

Hello & welcome…I offer my genuine interest in knowing you and discovering how best to guide you in the change you seek. I work with people struggling in many different ways…gripped by anxiety or depression, yearning for more fulfillment in relationships, hungry for purpose and meaning in life, or just wanting more and not sure how to get there. I feel intense gratitude for this work because of the profound changes I witness in my clients. Through guided self inquiry and direct, compassionate feedback you’ll develop your capacities to tolerate distress and take action toward building a life in alignment with your values and dreams.

Life is relentless and overwhelming, as a parent, teen or partner . You may feel that you are at a breaking point, constantly reacting rather than responding, and your own inner critic will not let up. Maybe you are a new mom, a teen, or you are sick and tired of your relational patterns leaving you drained and feeling un-seen and needs are left unmet. You are looking for guidance and tools that can help you navigate life, and make each day a bucket filler rather than a drain.

My practice focusses on a skillset that supports feeling sufficient in experiences of loss and cultivates agency for self comfort during tides of grief. Client and therapist share a process of inquiry to match the client's nagging anxiety and depression related to turbulent times and systems that limit individual choices with a client's refreshed resilient perspective. Through a trauma-informed practice, we redesign relationship changes in business/home, and we re-narrate old stories that have people fooling themselves from knowing their own strengths.

Are you feeling lonely, sad, angry, or unhappy in your relationships? Do you worry about your or someone else's alcohol or drug use? Substance Use Disorder often impacts individuals and families in painful + predictable ways that trap people in destructive cycles of interaction that lead to trauma and persistent feelings of anxiety, loneliness, anger, helplessness, and despair. You are not alone if your efforts to manage and move beyond the chaos and frustration of addiction have fallen short of your expectations. Don't lose hope! People do get better, and relationships can be repaired!

"​Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I’ll try again tomorrow.” Mary Anne Radmacher My ideal client is having issues with past traumas, life transitions and troubles. They want to see their life get easier and more joyful. We can figure out therapeutically what's needed and negotiate the number of sessions. With my own life and professional experiences, I bring a wealth of treatment options and resources. I offer a free initial phone (call 15-20 minutes) to help you determine if I'm the therapist for your needs at this time. Sessions are virtual due to COVID-19.