Family Therapy in Santa Cruz, CA
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Krista L (Durbin) Ehrenfried
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT, MA
Verified
Verified
Hi I'm Krista, and I'm so glad you're here. I specialize in working with individuals who are experiencing anxiety, depression, stress/burnout, relationship issues, or those who come from dysfunctional
family
systems. I also have a focus in working premarital couples and women who are perinatal in the transition from maiden to mother and the issues that can come up around pregnancy, postpartum, and parenthood. I take a holistic approach to therapy, weaving together eastern philosophy with western psychology in my sessions, bringing awareness to the present moment and the body.
Waitlist for new clients

Katrina Tattenham
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
My approach varies for each individual or
family
, but is always rooted in compassion and acceptance.
I offer a safe space for people of all ages (3-103!) to be understood and held as we learn together what helps increase calm and elevates their life. Have you ever wondered, "why did I just do that?" or felt a great conflict between different sides of yourself? My clients leave therapy with a better understanding of the parts of themselves at play, and feel relaxed and affirmed.

Bethany Kientzel
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified
Verified
Updated March 2023, I have recently opened up an extra day for new clients who can meet mornings online. I work with individuals experiencing symptoms such as general anxiety, social anxiety, depression and issues that go along with these such as
family
, work, and relationship conflict; self-esteem, self-image, personal boundaries and healthy communication challenges. I am passionate about social equity and justice, empowering women and other targeted populations, parenting, and child development, I try to return calls, texts, and emails within a day. I welcome Central California Alliance, Anthem, and Blue Shield Magellan.

Riitta de Los Santos
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified
Verified
Depending on your needs, we may incorporate modalities such as Internal
Family
Systems (IFS), Brainspotting, TRE (Trauma and Tension Release Exercises), Mindfulness, and elements from trauma-informed yoga as I'm also a registered yoga teacher (RYT-200).
I help adults who struggle with complex trauma (personal or intergenerational), anxiety, or depression, to heal emotional wounds, transform self-defeating patterns into positive actions, and attain a sense of control, connection, and harmony. We will go beyond quick fixes and explore parts of you that carry burdens from the past, get to know them, and learn to understand how they developed and why, so they can be healed.
Waitlist for new clients
Mindpath College Health Santa Cruz
Psychologist, LCSW, PhD, LMFT
Verified
Verified
" "Safe enough to talk about things that I would not normally discuss even with my closest friends or
family
.
Mindpath College Health is a leading provider of outpatient, university mental health support. We provide individual, couples, and group therapy, as well as psychiatry and medication management. We specialize in providing high-quality mental health services to university students, faculty, and staff, as well as the greater community. Our office is conveniently located near UCSC, and our therapists are trained across a variety of issues and modalities. We are committed to providing a safe, supportive environment and a positive therapeutic experience.

Tierney Long
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified
Verified
I offer nature walk therapy and online therapy to teens and adults. For in person therapy, rather than sitting in an office we meet at a local hiking trail or beach and walk during our session. Being immersed in nature and moving the body while talking provides many additional benefits to the therapeutic process. I utilize effective therapeutic approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral, Interpersonal and
Family Therapy
in my sessions. I am especially passionate about helping young adults navigate through difficult transitions and emotions.

Dana Ingersoll
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified
4 Endorsed
Verified
4 Endorsed
You know life can be better than this...or at least you hope so. Your ways of coping and controlling things in your life seem to be failing. You may feel like you're about to fall apart. Support from your friends and
family
aren’t enough. You need help to manage the overwhelm and make some big changes. I’m here for you. We’re going to drop in and get real about what’s really going on, in all of the layers. We’ll explore what compels you to do what you’re doing. We’ll figure out how these habits help and hurt you and find healthier ways to manage your stress.

Elani Aquino
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, MA, LCSW
Verified
Verified
Years in this field working with multiple modalities eventually led me to Internal
Family
Systems.
I bring a lifetime of spiritual practice, as well as the experience and privilege of having lived as a working artist in Europe for a number of years. I look forward to accompanying you on your healing journey, offering hope and validation, warm support, reassuring guidance. Whatever brings you to therapy - your relationships, stress, trauma, pain, fears, hurts - I will believe in you until you can believe in yourself - your wisdom, your capacity for healing, your inner strengths. You are entitled to experience your own delightful spirit, moments of wonder and aliveness, curiosity and spontaneity, finding joy and peace in your life.

Shine a Light Counseling Center
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
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!

Terry Edwards
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified
Verified
I will work empathetically with you, your partner and/or your
family
to resolve issues, understand each other better, develop communication skills, and find solutions.
Do you have life relationship challenges and and can’t seem to figure out a solution? Or do you feel overwhelmed in your life? I will help you to discover the solutions in your internal world and in so doing the everyday world you live in changes also. I use cognitive behavioral skills, communication skills, active and reflective listening Skills. I believe you can work to find solutions to your issues.

Pleasure Power Coaching
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified
Verified
This work has truly changed the way I think and feel about myself! It has improved the way I communicate with people in my life; in intimate relationships, as well as everyone from my
family
to my co-workers.
I provide experiential sex & intimacy coaching, as well as group facilitation, to help get you out of your head and into your body, to explore what connects you to your pleasure and allows you to step into your power.
Waitlist for new clients

Ellen Adams
Marriage & Family Therapist, MS, LMFT
Verified
5 Endorsed
Verified
5 Endorsed
I bring to my work years of meditation and utilize Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, blending CBT, Psychodynamic, Humanistic and
Family
Systems theories, with mindfulness.
Imagine confusion and emotional pain transforming into wisdom and clarity. As a seasoned therapist I offer compassionate support in a safe, comfortable environment. Incorporating body, mind and spirit in a practical approach to growth and change, I have successfully helped many individuals and couples find relief from anxiety and depression and improve their relationships. As we learn to see things more clearly, anger can be transformed into compassion, and fear can dissolve into acceptance, allowing us to be fully present and alive to celebrate our lives with joy and happiness.

Jessica Reynolds
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
I specialize in several areas of counseling - grief from death and from living losses, couples therapy,
family
cut-off, brainspotting, trauma and anxiety.
Whatever your struggle, the first step of reaching out can be daunting. Each of us is unique. Our stories are our own. Our challenges are deep and personal and are like ice burgs, mostly hidden from view. Sometimes we need someone to help navigate these depths, to help process the present, and the past and to renegotiate the future. This is the path to authenticity, contentment and freedom. This is true for us individually and in our relationships.

Nicole Minor- Expansive Therapy
Counselor, AMFT
Verified
Verified
My work with children, individuals, and families in community based settings, residential settings, and schools has provided me the privilege of walking alongside others as they navigate trauma,
family
issues, grief, identity, religious issues, and other challenges.
Seeking therapy can be the first step on a healing journey and I hope to walk alongside you as you pursue personal growth. I believe that therapy can be a great way to access some of the tools that are already within us but that we may need help employing. I understand the importance of intersectionality as a queer Black woman and therapist and can understand how necessary it is to acknowledge the impact of intersecting identities when working with clients. I use an integrative approach to help clients feel empowered to re-frame their narrative and identify and process complex emotions.

HH & Co.
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified
Verified
Holly and team are trained in many types of therapy, including those commonly requested - EMDR, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction; Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy; Motivational Interviewing; Internal
Family
Systems.
HH & Co. is a therapy practice with EMDR available, located in Santa Cruz, CA. We believe that growth and sustained change happens when people experience genuineness (openness, self-disclosure), acceptance (being seen with unconditional positive regard), and empathy (being listened to and understood). Holly is a general practitioner who treats people, not problems, so we encourage you to come just as you are. Together, we will work to define your goals, identify thoughts and behaviors that may may hinder the achievement of these goals, track progress, and tap into your inner strength and resilience.

Erik Kaul
Marriage & Family Therapist, MS, LMFT
Verified
Verified
Do you want to create practical solutions for solving problems in you or your
family
's life? Ambivalent about which therapist to choose? I help struggling teens, children, frustrated parents, and individuals, feel comfortable and at ease using innovative methods and a straightforward style of therapy. My interventions are drawn from evidenced based theories like Internal
Family
Systems, EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy. Interested in alternatives to talk therapy? I also offer "walk and talk sessions" outside of the office, play/art therapy, and distance counseling via Zoom or phone.

Bridgette Payne
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
Having survived a traumatic childhood, I'll help you navigate + rewire dysfunctional
family
dynamics.
You MATTER, you BELONG, you make SENSE. Has anxiety, depression, trauma, or relationship conflict left you feeling trapped or empty? Worried you are "crazy," cursed, or too messed up to have the life/ love you long for? Inner critics driving you to the edge? Afraid of hurting loved ones? I provide a safe space to speak your truth, understand why you feel what you feel, be validated and held with compassion. Together, with curiosity, playfulness + warmth, we'll explore what brought you to therapy, discuss diagnoses if helpful, acknowledge the intelligence of your system, nurture it, incorporate new tools, and celebrate your growth!
Not accepting new clients

Erin Williams-McNish
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified
2 Endorsed
Verified
2 Endorsed
As a Licensed Marriage and
Family Therapist
, I work with individuals, couples, and families.
I hold the belief that humans possess the resiliency to return to their grounded internal place of peace. Each person has the inherent ability to explore and find their individual tools for healing. I will gently and safely guide you through life's discord and back to your place of peace.

Katie Giannini
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT, MA
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
Life can be overcome by stress easily, and for some of us that stress becomes unbearable. Thoughts and feelings become overwhelming, leaving life feeling out of control and chaotic. In my work, I bring a wealth of curiosity and compassion to exploring a person's inner world of thoughts and feelings. Through this exploration, clients find deep internal healing and develop meaningful satisfaction in their work, relationships, and most of all within themselves. I am trained in Internal
Family
Systems therapy, which has given me a means to help people reach their goals and create the life they long for.

Elio Scudieri
Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, MA, AMFT
Verified
2 Endorsed
Verified
2 Endorsed
I care deeply about the well-being of union/
family
/partnership.
Sometimes hurts get stacked on each other & we assemble a life that protects against the pain, so it doesn’t ever hurt like that again. But in that process of armoring ourselves, we build a structure that also limits our capacity to enjoy life. We each have a much more unconstrained life that wants us to live it. By knowing ourselves through discovery, we work to be accountable to our own position & condition in life, forgive ourselves & others, & create a life that rewards us for this beautiful & courageous effort. Sessions will likely include mindfulness, humor, creativity, compassion, empathy, accountability, & problem-solving.
See more therapy options for
Family Therapy
What do family therapists do?
A family therapist facilitates the process of understanding and improving how a family functions. The therapist will help family members develop empathy for one another. They’ll seek to understand existing patterns, misunderstandings, and conflicts that arise, in order to help the family arrive at a realistic, unified understanding and develop the coping skills they need to build stronger relationships.
How long does therapy for families take to work?
Therapy manifests differently in every family; a common time frame is 12 weekly sessions, but some families may see improvement after just a few weeks. Families should discuss their goals with the therapist at the beginning of the process and periodically revisit those goals to assess their progress together.
How can you encourage a family member to attend family therapy?
You can encourage family members to attend therapy by expressing with both love and concern the challenges you see and explaining how a therapist could help the family navigate those challenges together. An outside perspective can help everyone feel heard, get on the same page, and develop new skills. If family members are still hesitant, it may be helpful to emphasize that family therapy is short-term—it won’t last forever.
Is therapy for families effective?
Family therapy can significantly improve family dynamics and relationships. Research suggests that family therapy can help individuals understand their role in the family, communicate and solve problems together, reduce conflict and draw boundaries when necessary, and develop coping skills for stressors, major life changes, and mental or physical illnesses within the family.