Couples Counseling Therapists in Santa Cruz, CA

Congratulations for taking a step towards creating change. Finding a therapist can be challenging and it is important to find one who is right for you. I offer a free introductory session which we use to get to know each other. Clients often come into my office feeling hopeless or nervous, but usually leave feeling more hopeful and relaxed. I love to see people grow and thrive with the support of therapy. My style is warm, empathic, and collaborative. In our work together we draw on your strengths and wisdom and my goal is to empower you to create a more joyful and fulfilling life.

I am a licensed psychotherapist specializing in couples therapy and working with individuals desiring to better understand themselves in relationship . I approach the therapeutic relationship with compassion and expertise. I am trained in the lasted neuroscience of adult attachment and somatic (soma relating to the body) based interventions. I help clients understand how to regulate their emotions, communicate their needs, integrate nervous system dysregulation, improve their ability to tolerate difficult emotions, and build happy, connected lives.

I specialize in helping people reduce their suffering though quality and efficient therapy treatment. I have successfully helped hundreds of clients heal the conditions that perpetuate their suffering. This includes experiences of depression, anxiety, psychosis, PTSD, mania and other causes of psychological pain. The rationale for accurate and timely assessment and application of treatment, is so that you can be more comfortable as soon as possible, enabling a higher quality of life and healing that is sustainable. Please visit my website: https://anahataneuman.com

Therapy can help you find balance, connection, and fulfillment. In order to do so, I believe it's important that we acknowledge the shadow elements of life-the challenges that cause us pain, confusion, and block us from finding a sense of harmony and well-being. I collaborate with you in navigating the shadows and the more buried aspects of your life in order to develop a deeper capacity for balance, personal growth, and healing. To find out more about who I am, how I work, and if I might be the right therapist for you, consider visiting santacruztherapy.org

We are a non-profit counseling agency with locations in Santa Cruz, Watsonville, & Monterey. We provide high quality, affordable psychotherapy and counseling services to individuals, couples , families, and groups. Our fees are set on a sliding scale, based upon your income. Our services are provided by Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists and Master's level Interns and Trainees who are under the supervision of a licensed therapist. We would love to answer any questions you may have, or schedule an appointment to meet with you. Simply call or send us an email today!

INDIVIDUAL THERAPY: You are one of a kind. There has never been anyone like you and never will be again. Therapy is a place where you have the opportunity to know yourself in a deep and intimate way. The journey towards wholeness begins with embracing (and discovering) our many and often rejected parts that comprise our authentic self. Wounds, triggers and defenses exist for a reason and represent the internal maps that lead to healing. COUPLES THERAPY: Relationships are the path to knowing who we are and I believe that what needs to be healed presents itself through the struggles and dynamics that get activated in partnership.

With a passion for inspiring individuals to claim their own personal excellence, my expertise is in understanding interpersonal dynamics, and successfully coaching individuals, couples , families and groups into reaching their highest self. My background includes a degree in Organizational Communication, a ten year career as a Technical/Corporate Instructor, and six years providing coaching with a Master of Arts in MFT. Along with my private practice, I teach psychology and management classes for University Of Phoenix and am completing a book, Mental Health For Consumers. I look forward to our meeting and the potential of becoming part of your journey.

Together we will explore the impact of your past history and beliefs. I bring an open-minded and introspective approach to exploring thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Many of our struggles internally and externally are due to unmet needs for empathy and understanding.

Life can be hard but I'm guessing you already knew that.  All the hard stuff can leave us feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, or sad. Sometimes life's challenges become too difficult to overcome alone. Finding a safe and collaborative place to explore and address what is troubling you is the first step toward healing.  Perhaps you are struggling with anxiety, depression, grief, or challenges within a relationship . While there are no guarantees of what you will experience in therapy, research shows that therapy helps people. It works. Psychotherapy can elevate feelings of self worth, purpose, and improve your overall quality of life.

I am an experienced therapist who has the natural ability to make almost anybody feel comfortable. I have a compassionate and relaxed personal style, which can be good potential fit for therapeutic work with people of many ages and backgrounds. Along with working with individuals, I enjoy working with the interpersonal where there is often powerful opportunities for change. I work well with couples , because I am able to see multiple points of view and I have a disarming presence, which makes me easily approachable.

Steps away from the beach, Lighthouse Counseling is located on the campus of Janus of Santa Cruz where compassionate licensed and pre-licensed therapists are available to provide client-focused therapy to you and your family. We provide therapy to people who are looking to heal from a variety of challenges including but not limited to addiction, mental health, life transitions, relationship issues as well as circumstances linked to poverty, trauma and marginalization. We serve clients with diverse backgrounds and across the life-span (children, youth, adolescents, young adult , adults and older adults) couples and families.

There is hope. I've worked with lots of folks who feel hopeless, anxious, upset, angry, or confused, and often their lives improve with positive support. My first goal in therapy is to listen with compassion and help build trust between us. We'll work in whatever way is comfortable for you, and when you're ready, we'll chart a course toward meaningful change. Whether I'm working just with you, or with you and your loved ones, I'll value each person's perspective and help look for positive solutions. To learn more me and about therapy, see my video "Why Go to Therapy?" at https://bit.ly/2UG9Aur

In my work with individuals, couples , children, teens and families I strive to create a warm, nurturing and compassionate environment for personal exploration and healing. In this space all parts of you are welcome. I see therapy as a collaboration where you and I partner to create an achievable plan to improve your relationships, increase your sense of vitality, and work towards your personal goals. In my work, I have witnessed how life's challenges can create emotional scars that then consciously or unconscious run our lives. These scars can manifest as a variety of mental health and relational issues.

Welcome. If you’re reading this, it probably means you are looking for something different. If you are looking for individual therapy, I believe I can be of best support to those who have already begun their healing work and are ready to dive deeper. This might involve utilizing current high-tech approaches such as Internal Family Systems (IFS) or Somatic-based therapies, as well as mindfulness and present-moment focused therapy, or possibly delving deeper into your psychological history. However, I am confident, ready, and willing to meet people wherever they are at on their journey. Additionally, I enjoy working with couples .

Therapy is an opportunity to explore and make better sense of your thoughts, feelings, and emotions and how you may be affected by these components in different parts of your life in a safe non-judgmental space. It is a chance to uncover more about yourself, the patterns that you may have, and how your past may impact how you interact with situations, events, and others. Therapy also can be a time to heal and explore new ways of thinking and being. My approach to therapy is collaborative. I’ll encourage active engagement to help uncover your strengths and resiliencies.

I provide support for new or expecting mothers and partners, couples , individuals struggling with body image and disordered eating, relationship challenges, anxiety, depression, and women's issues. I do this work because I believe that it is every human being's right and potential to live a fulfilled and healthy life, and often, we just need to feel safe, seen, and heard in order to find our way there. If you are ready to experience relief, cultivate new tools that support your healing and growth, and claim your vitality and purpose, I am here to partner with you on your journey.