Couples Counseling Therapists in San Rafael, CA
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Marlena Kushner
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
Each therapy
relationship
is unique utilizing the resources that come out of the
relationship
that develops.
With over 30 years experience, my approach is holistic integrating the connection between mind, body, heart and spirit. Certified in EMDR therapy by the EMDR International Association, I find EMDR to be a powerful tool that I use along with other treatment modalities to facilitate healing. I specialize in working with trauma, eating disorders, addiction recovery, grief, depression, anxiety and
relationship
issues. I especially work with clients who have trust and abandonment issues due to childhood trauma, neglect or abusive parents. Early dysfunctional family patterns and lack of nurturing can affect self-esteem, intimate relationships and work performance.

Amy Cosby-Frost
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified
Verified
We all need help sometimes. Clients come to me with a variety of problems, depression, anxiety, parenting,
relationship
issues and substance abuse. I work with my clients, identifying the strengths they already have and teaching new skills to address the problems that are causing them pain.

Lourdes Vargas-Bogardus
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified
Verified
I utilize the Emotional Focused Therapy (EFT) approach to
Couples
' Therapy.
Perhaps you are going through a life transition and need support sorting things out. Maybe you are feeling anxious or depressed and this is bogging you down. Are you having difficulty visualizing a better life for yourself? Is your sense of self worth suffering? Maybe you are experiencing strained relationships with family or friends; or you may have a nagging feeling that major changes are needed. Let's talk; you don't have to go through this alone.

Laura Elliott
Marriage & Family Therapist, MFT
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
Specialties include: deep self-inquiry for individuals and
couples
, conscious relationships, clear communication, recovery from affairs, depression, anxiety, grief/loss, life transitions and spirituality.
The heart and emphasis of my work is to help you know and trust your deepest feelings and to live an emotionally authentic life. When you become more intimate and present with yourself you become more intimate and authentic with others. As you know yourself better, you'll discover how certain emotions, behaviors and beliefs have shaped your life and relationships and you'll become empowered to make many important changes.
For over 20 years, I've helped
couples
and individuals develop increased self-trust and self-awareness, greater life purpose and more conscious, loving and intimate relationships.

Kim Leicester
Psychologist, PhD
Verified
Verified
I provide therapy to teens, adults, and
couples
who struggle with depression, anxiety, relationships, women's health, substance use, eating disorders, and circumstantial stress to name a few of the difficulties that come our way. Progress often depends on the nature of the problems, your level of motivation, and your relationships. Life often presents challenges to us that make it difficult to cope and live the life we truly want. Whether these challenges feel mild and variable or feel monumental and interfere with how you want to relate to yourself and others, therapy can be an opportunity for meaningful change.

Rita Groszmann
Marriage & Family Therapist, PhD
Verified
Verified
What I bring to my work in over 25 years of working with people is clarity, competence, personal warmth and an ability to draw from a wide range of effective approaches. I have had particular success with
couples
, teenage girls and individuals in recovery. My approach is both personable and effective.

Monika Telichowska
Psychologist, PsyD
Verified
Verified
I offer my best within the
relationship
that we build together, and I am fully committed to helping you achieve your goals.
I work with children, teens, and adults. I help clients become resilient, aware of what truly matters to them, live in the present moment, and effective in managing stress and difficult emotions. Sometimes past disappointments, fear and shame, loss, or trauma keep us stuck. Often my clients do not know how to cope with difficult situations and intense emotions, which causes them to be emotionally vulnerable and reactive. Things can easily get out of control when you lack effective coping or experience instability in life. I would like to help you develop new ways of thinking, relating to others and oneself, and managing stress.

Cybil Gilbertson
Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, MA, AMFT
Verified
Verified
I collaborate with individuals and
couples
using an EFT, psychodynamic, depth and somatic approach.
Therapy is not something I "do" to you; it is a collaboration and conversation we have together. I look forward to walking beside you as you access a place within that feels more like home. There is no one way to move toward healing. I use an emotionally-focused (EFT), humanistic and somatic understanding while keeping the very human need for attachment and
relationship
at the heart of our work together. Many clients feel and notice a shift toward increased authenticity, flow, ease and joy in their lives after working together. (Now accepting
COUPLES
).

Tom Thurston
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, MFT
Verified
Verified
org) both with individuals and with
couples
.
I work with my clients to deeply discover and access new resources and potentials of "self at best" both for growth and as ways beyond obstacles.
I believe the quality of the
relationship
between the therapist and client is essential for change. I have over 17 years of spiritual practice which I incorporate using mindfulness, inquiry and dream work.

Maya R Johansson
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, MFT
Verified
Verified
Parents, co-parenting,
couples
and other
relationship
configurations.
The work of being human is hard. It takes many forms for all of us, but no one escapes pain, loneliness, confusion, and chaos. There are seasons of these experiences, as well as fulfilling and joyful ones for us all. I am interested in bringing fierce curiosity to your experience and what these moments look like and mean. After a decade of leading a company as CEO I am very aligned with other leaders and undoing the loneliness experienced by these roles. I have training in
couples
therapy that I also bring into cofounder and co-worker dynamics. Pressure, anxiety, performance "impostor's syndrome" are my specialties.

Kate Herrington
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified
Verified
I believe every therapeutic
relationship
is unique and thus the journey to a more balanced and fulfilling life will also be unique.
In my practice I bring compassion, humor, insight, and a sincere dedication to my clients. My practice is grounded in attachment theory, play therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), exposure and response prevention (E/RP), and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). With my warm and welcoming nature, I strive to create a safe space for children, teens and adults to explore their concerns. In collaboration with you, I will support you in taking steps toward an improved sense of well-being and a life path that aligns with your deepest values. I work with individuals of all ages, families, and provide parent coaching.
Waitlist for new clients

A. Raja Hornstein
Psychologist, PsyD
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
I can help if you are struggling with: anxiety, depression or other mood issues; aging or life-threatening illness; or
relationship
difficulties; or the consequences of living with serious mental disorders. I help people affected by loss including people dealing with grief, facing death, or serious illness, but if you think of your own situation you might realize that loss is playing a role in your search for a therapist. I also work with people who aren't deeply troubled, but are searching for growth in their work, relationships, or who are feeling the absence of a spiritual center in their lives.

Jess Gioia
Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, MA, AMFT
Verified
Verified
The hardest thing about mental health or
relationship
challenges is the fear that things will never change, but by taking the initiative to care for yourself you have changed already.
Do you want to better understand and love yourself? I can help you clarify your values, desires and goals, improve assertiveness and effectiveness in communication and gain skills and confidence to handle life’s stressors. This work can lead to improvement in symptoms of anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, codependency and trauma/complex PTSD.

Barbara Jean Gosselin
Marriage & Family Therapist, MS, LMFT
Verified
Verified
My specialties also include helping Singles,
Couples
and families build healthy relationships.
Choosing to see a therapist is about you wanting to make some changes in yourself or in your life. The most important job I have as your therapist is to provide you with a non-judgmental space to explore your issues, your feelings and to help you find a solution that will ultimately make you feel better.

Jodie M. NewDelman
Psychologist, PsyD
Verified
Verified
Getting to SELF through contextual, cultural, and developmental assessment, we look forward to being your trusted
partner
in transformation.
My clients are leaders, emerging professionals, clinical providers, young adults, and pain patients. I serve on the Council of Therapists for my prescribing partners at Journey Clinical and offer psychiatric evaluation, psychotherapy, Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP), and integration. The work is solution-focused and experiential, with a "whole person" perspective. After 25 years in the field, a pragmatic blend of approaches have become core to my practice. These include Internal Family Systems, Pain Reprocessing Therapy, CBT, ACT, Habits of Mind, and attachment-based and somatic modes.

Gigi Pagani
Psychologist, PsyD
Verified
Verified
A healthy, therapeutic
relationship
requires a safe, emotionally supportive space.
Are you or your child unhappy, anxious, angry, or grieving? Has your life been upended by COVID19? Perhaps you are adjusting to a bipolar diagnosis, recovering from trauma, struggling in relationships, seeking personal growth, or discovering your identity. Adults,
couples
, and children are all welcome in my practice! Together, we will consider the complexity of who and how you are—your unique combination of life experiences, temperament, culture, relationships, and more. In exploring formative experiences and present-day struggles and strengths, we will discover and address what is interfering with you having the life you desire.
Not accepting new clients

Laura Fannon
Psychologist, PsyD
Verified
Verified
My work with individual adults at all stages of life recognizes the transformative power of even the most challenging life transitions. These opportunities may take many forms: fears about mortality and aging, grief and loss, questions about career and calling, spiritual and existential crises, shifts in sexual identity and orientation, and
relationship
challenges. I also work with
couples
(including LGBTQ) and adult family members who want to improve their relationships. Y sí, hablo español. Si desea obtener más información, llámeme, por favor, y podemos platicar de sus necesidades. Trabajo solamente con adultos y no acepto aseguranza.

Kate Gustin
Psychologist, PhD
Verified
Verified
For the past 15 years as a senior staff psychologist at Kaiser Permanente, I have helped hundreds of people to heal their emotional wounds and recover peace of mind. If you're finding that your daily mood and quality of life are being diminished by mental or physical symptoms related to anxiety, depression, trauma, work stress or
relationship
challenges, please give yourself the gift of a free phone consultation. My expertise includes health psychology, having pioneered PoZitive Strides - an approach to healing, health and happiness based on the clinical science of positive psychology. I offer individual as well as group therapy and educational programs.

Amy Allerheiligen
Marriage & Family Therapist, MS, LMFT
Verified
Verified
If you are feeling depressed or anxious, are having
relationship
issues, need parenting support, OR are concerned about your child or teen, I am here to support you.
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.

Michelle Bonsignore
Marriage & Family Therapist, MS, LMFT
Verified
4 Endorsed
Verified
4 Endorsed
Personal + professional experience with addiction combined with training in evidence-based treatment protocols, including, CBT, EMDR, + Family Systems, informs my passion to guide individuals and families beyond the pain of substance use disorder,
relationship
conflict, and/or mood disturbances, to live more expansive and satisfying lives.
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!
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.