Marriage Counseling Therapists in Chandler, AZ

I truly believe that therapy can be a transformative and rewarding process when facing the challenges of life. I strive to create a safe, supportive, and non-judgmental environment to encourage honest communication and trust between partners and family members. Curiosity, humor and understanding are often a part my work in therapy to help clients identify goals, create a plan, and work to make positive changes. As part of the therapy process, I utilize the most effective therapy approaches and techniques when addressing communication issues, infidelity, pre-marital preparation, intimacy, and family conflict.

Counseling any person, no matter where they have come from, or what challenges they are struggling with, is my passion. I enjoy helping people achieve what they desire in this life. Whether it is to have a better marriage, learn how to deal with depression, less anxiety with every new situation that arises, or parenting struggles, I can help. I love helping people to be the very best versions of themselves and giving them the tools to help with varying hurdles in life. I believe we are all struggling with something, and if we aren't currently struggling, we will at some point.

Katie Vaca, MAS-MFT, LAMFT is an Associate is an Associate Therapist at Center for Compassion. She is licensed by the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners, and is a member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. She is a trained leader and supervisor of The Resilient Parenting for Bereaved Families program, an evidence-based course that offers caregivers of parentally bereaved children practical tools to help facilitate a family structure that builds their children’s resilience, as well as strengthen tools to care for themselves.

Dr. Littleford was raised in Minnesota and graduated from Bethel College in St. Paul in 1978. All of his graduate coursework was taken at Texas Tech University, and he earned a doctorate in counseling psychology in 1986. The dissertation was based upon research with widowed persons, and his graduate minor was marital and family therapy. His internship was at the Tucson Veterans Administration Medical Center. He is licensed to practice psychology in the states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado. The primary clinical orientation of Dr. Littleford is cognitive-behavioral therapy, with strong influences from Adlerian psychology.

My goal is to help you overcome the feeling of being stuck so you can start moving forward! Whether this is related to your relationships, feelings of anxiety, or a recent change in your life, I am dedicated to uncovering the root cause of these issues, eradicating the discomfort and transforming it into functional daily living. A safe, judgment free environment will be felt along with the introduction of tools and techniques to create progress during this journey! Through a client centered approach, we will team up to uncover your underlying needs and explore healthy solutions to create meaningful change.

Accepting New Clients - I enjoy working with people who are motivated to change, but just need some direction in how to make those changes a reality. I work best with people who appreciate an action-oriented approach. This means we will collaboratively identify which intermediate steps need to be taken to achieve your overall treatment goals.

Are you struggling with communication issues or conflict in your marriage? Are you experiencing challenges in raising a young child or dealing with teens? As a therapist, I have a depth of compassion for couples, families, and individuals who are navigating the ups and downs of marriage and parenthood. I sincerely strive to create a warm, safe, and non-judgmental space where clients can experience healing, overcome obstacles, and develop skills to improve their relationships.

Are you struggling to feel happy or move forward in life? Have you tried a variety of things to feel better or to improve your relationships, but nothing really seems to work? I've been there and there is hope! As a marriage and family therapist I’m trained to support you through these very normal, but very challenging, difficulties in life. My goal as a therapist is to provide a safe place for you and your loved ones to communicate, heal and find hope again. I’m trained in a wide variety of therapy models and have worked with individuals, couples & families to improve their relationships.

With experience since 2005, I have had the opportunity to work with individuals to make positive changes in their lives. Whether you are experiencing a recent crisis, have long term challenges or are making life changes, counseling may be helpful. Although difficult to ask for help at times, it may be useful to broaden your support network and seek the guidance and support of a therapist. I believe every individual has the personal strengths to work through and make positive changes in thinking and behaviors, ultimately leading to positive outcomes.

I provide a supportive, compassionate, collaborative and non-judgmental environment. Your comfort and trust are the most important aspects to your success. Whether you are having challenges at home, school, or work, we can design a plan that will help you make positive changes in your life. In addition to my clinical practice, I am the Co-Director of the Marriage and Family Therapy graduate program. This keeps me "connected" to the latest advances in the field which I bring to our work together.

I have over 25 years of professional experience. It takes an act of courage to come to counseling. I look to provide a place where clients can work through their concerns without being judged. I see individuals and work on with them on anxiety, shame, guilt, feeling powerless, impulse control, anger, depression, addiction, life transitions and career/ school difficulties. I work with couples to promote healthy communication, safety, vulnerability and intimacy. I work with children to develop behavioral and emotional coping skills to succeed at home and school. I work with families to resolve conflict.

I work with clients who are struggling with any of the following: (1) unwanted sexual behaviors; (2) trauma caused by sexual betrayal; (3) marital quality; and (4) ancillary issues of depression/anxiety. My methods produce rapid results and are based on reliable research.

Losing hope things can change? I have been working with individuals, families, and couples for over a decade on how to overcome some of the most difficult and perplexing relational issues. My approach is direct and simple, to identify specific patterns, limiting beliefs or behaviors that lead to ineffective outcomes. I work collaboratively with my clients, using unique and innovative methods to gain understanding on root causes, and develop strength- based solutions to create a path for authentic and lasting change. I am also a pioneer in both the creation and facilitation of intensive therapeutic services here at our clinic.

Infidelity, conflict, communication problems, lack of intimacy? I can help. I am devoted to strengthening couples through helping restore connections, create new healthy interactions, and develop safe and secure bonds. I create a safe, non-judgmental place to work through many of life's challenges. My approach to the struggles within a couples relationships is to identify the negative cycle that keeps couples from connecting, understanding their attachment needs, and expressing their emotions. I utilize Emotionally Focused Therapy and Gottman Method to improve relationships, develop stronger connections and meaningful communication.

Life can be difficult and life can be stressful. Life can also be amazing, bring you joy, and bring you happiness. I work with patients at their most vulnerable and difficult times. My goal is to help patients navigate and get through these times. I see adults, couples, and families. Some of the many presenting problems that my patient's come in with include; Trauma, Anxiety, Depression, Work Stressors, Family Dynamic Stressors, Relationship Stressors, Attachment Issues, Body Image Issues, Life Transitions, Communication Issues, Pre-Marital Concerns, and much more.

Does every conversation with your spouse turn into an argument? Are you at a loss of what to do next to "fix" the marriage? Do you feel like you used to be on the same page but now it feels like you're on separate planets? Maybe you can't quite put your finger on what the actual problem is, but you're feeling frustrated, angry, disconnected, and alone. Perhaps you're struggling to overcome that "thing" from your past that you've never really talked about...

Are there things about your family or relationship that you wish were better or different? Depressed? Anxious? Frustrated with your child, your spouse or your parents? I enjoy helping people explore and improve marital/couple, parent-child, and sibling relationships. I specifically enjoy working with parents and their adolescents to decrease negative, antisocial behaviors, and increase functioning in the family overall. I am also interested in helping family members to improve marital/couple relationships related to stress in the home and with their children. Additionally, I enjoy working with adolescents and young adults who are struggling with sexuality-based issues.

Are you or a loved one suffering from emotional stress, depression, PTSD, Bipolar disorder, or anxiety? Are you questioning the endurance of your relationships or marriage? Now is the time to make changes to improve your quality of life. My passion for family, ministry, and living my divine purpose of serving others, can provide the support that you need. I have experience with addressing a variety of symptoms and diagnoses, and enjoy working with diverse populations to reach their potential to achieve stability.

Deciding to begin therapy is a big step and my main priority is to create a safe and understanding relationship where you can feel comfortable to open up about your struggles and receive the support you deserve. I will actively work with you to create your desired change in a non-judgmental and collaborative environment. I have experience helping with a range of presenting concerns including trauma, relational issues, anxiety, family conflict, pregnancy and postpartum challenges, parenting and behavioral concerns, life transitions, and perinatal challenges.