Psychobiological Approach Couple Therapy in El Granada, CA

I believe we are all wired for connection, and, whether extraverted or introverted, rejection and isolation are incredibly painful experiences. Our brains and bodies are built in such a way that protects us from threat and harm. While these protection instincts are necessary and helpful in the midst of threat, sometimes they can keep us from the connection we truly crave and need. If you're finding that your protectors are keeping you from relating with yourself, others, and the world around you, the counseling setting can be a safe place for practicing transformational skills to break free from the unhealthy, unhelpful habits.

Dr. McQuinn is a licensed Clinical Psychologist and a licensed Marital and Family therapist. Dr. Anna McQuinn has been a Tenured Professor of Notre Dame de Namur University where she has been chair of the Clinical Psychology Graduate Department since 1987. She has also been an Adjunct Faculty member at the University of San Francisco graduate Psychology program. Currently she is a Professor Emeritus at the NDNU & has a private practice in San Carlos. She believes that Psychotherapy Healing takes place within the relational model. There is a profound unconscious connection between therapist and client & a mutuality of influence.

I bring into my practice over 30 years of experience and extensive training in couple's dynamics, attachment style, and sexuality. I help unhappy couples resolve their issues with practical counseling. Individually or together, I can help you with challenges in emotional closeness, intimacy, sexual or other relationship conflicts. Whether you tend to fight without resolution, get angry, sad or numb, or give up and pull away, I offer many effective tools to help you grow your relationship and deepen your connection. In a warm and interactive manner I will help you transform obstacles into the relationship you want.

Therapy is an opportunity for healing and transformation. You begin to feel better in your body and improve the quality of your life. Maybe you struggle with a painful loss, are overwhelmed by excessive worry, depression, trauma, or social anxiety. Maybe you are feeling stuck. Maybe you want a better marriage and more confidence in your parenting. You may feel shame and find that your ways of coping with avoidance, procrastination, or negative self-talk adds to your distress. I am passionate about helping you find a greater sense of connection, health, and meaning in your life. I know how to get you there!

I am a compassionate, interactive, collaborative therapist who works with adult individuals, couples and parents who are facing a major life transition, relationship challenges, depression, anxiety, or self-defeating patterns of behavior. I believe in the healing power of humor and I strive to develop a frame that is profoundly supportive but also challenging, where you will feel free to express your feelings and speak your mind, with meaningful change and growth as our shared goal. My approach is trauma-informed; it integrates attachment theory, dynamic emotion focused therapy, neurobiology, systems, and relational models.

My practice is currently full. Are you hoping to find relief from suffering? I am a passionate, creative, and empathetic therapist with 10 years of experience practicing in the state of California. I work with a broad range of issues in an eclectic style. I assist people in healing emotional wounds experientially, and guide them toward resolving past trauma in the present moment without the need to re-hash a detailed trauma story. I love working with individuals, couples, groups, and families! I am a PACT Level 2 therapist, and also offer EMDR and ART (Accelerated Resolution Therapy).

Hello there! As a PACT Level 2 and RLT trained couples therapist, my passion lies in helping couples strengthen their emotional bond, rediscover intimacy, and build lasting connections. If you desire a relationship filled with trust, love, and understanding, I am here to guide you on this transformative journey. Together, we will address your unique concerns and create a safe space for open communication, fostering a love that stands the test of time. Let's embark on this empowering path towards a fulfilling and secure partnership.

Hi I’m Chaela, owner of Connecting Couples Therapy. I work with couples and individuals in various degrees of relationship distress and I help them develop a more secure attachment style. I love helping clients find real ways of connecting more deeply and authentically in order to live a more fulfilling and satisfying life. During times of stress, unmet needs can bring out the worst in a person. I help couples to recognize the root of relational insecurity and to develop security both internally and interpersonally. I also work with couples on the brink of or in the process of divorce to create secure coparenting practices.

I provide compassionate and collaborative psychotherapy with a focus on adults. I enjoy working with individuals and couples. I am trained in a range of treatment modalities and flexible in the approach I take with clients. Some treatment approaches I draw from are; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and A Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy (PACT). I work through a feminist and social justice lens and approach therapy with curiosity and a healthy dose of humor. My goal in providing psychotherapy is to facilitate you in living a meaningful life in alignment with your values.

Successfully helping individuals and couples has always been a priority to me. First and foremost I want you to feel comfortable and safe when we work together and this is essential to fostering your growth. I will be open with you in my understanding of your situation and to share what I can about options you might use in your life situation. Your sessions will encourage you to learn how to make sense of yourself in relationship to others, in love and work. Our work will leave you both supported and also challenged to explore new options in your personal style. Heal dental anxiety and phobias.

I work with adults, parents, couples and teens who are struggling with various aspects of life and want to make a change. I enjoy working with people going through transitions, which may be stressful but also offer huge opportunities for growth. I believe in a collaborative process and I will explore your needs with you and work with you to determine the best course of treatment. I will help you identify issues that are interfering with your happiness and support you in making the changes necessary to feel better and improve your quality of life. I prioritize emotion regulation and mindfulness and integrate this into our sessions.

You've shown incredible courage in taking the first step towards therapy, and I'm here to guide you toward lasting healing. Together, we'll create a safe space where you can explore, understand, and conquer the challenges that weigh on you. Your need for emotional well-being matters and EMDR therapy offers a proven, tailored approach to address those lingering issues. Picture a journey where you not only manage symptoms but where you emerge resilient, empowered, and free from the shadows of the past. Your goal is not just relief; it's a profound shift towards a life filled with meaningful connections and personal fulfillment.

Couples therapy lights me up! Not feeling heard, understood, valued or supported? Repetitive shaming & blaming? Withdrawing? Needing help? Utilizing evidence-based EFT & powerful tools from PACT, NVC & IFS,I help couples create a secure bond & safe haven with each other. You'll learn to trust, support, hear & "be there" for each other. Develop critical self-awareness, accountabiity & WE instead of just ME mentality. Turn towards each other instead of away with vulnerability, authenticity, compassion & attunement. Discover attachment styles, the brain & nervous system, survival parts & trauma that may be hurting your relationship.

I have a somatic focus, which means I can help you discover what is happening in your body as a fast track to healing whatever is on your mind. By slowing down and getting present, we can unwind difficulties, move through stuckness and create more capacity for closeness and connection. I have specialized training in Hakomi, EMDR, EFT, PACT and Stanford GSB's Interpersonal Dynamics Facilitator Program. Please call me for a free phone consultation.

Developing and maintaining a vital and fulfilling long-term relationship is one of the most difficult challenges we face in our lifetimes. I see impasses and breakdowns such as extensive arguing, lack of desire or estrangement as "natural and necessary failures" that point towards deeper individual issues that need to be addressed and worked through. In couples' sessions I help each partner to find a differentiated stance, interrupt dysfunctional patterns and develop healthier ways of relating and dealing with conflicts. In addition to working with couples and individuals, men's issues have been a focus of my interest for three decades.

Couples therapy lights me up! Not feeling heard, understood, valued or supported? Repetitive shaming & blaming? Withdrawing? Needing help? Utilizing evidence-based EFT & powerful tools from PACT, NVC & IFS,I help couples create a secure bond & safe haven with each other. You'll learn to trust, support, hear & "be there" for each other. Develop critical self-awareness, accountabiity & WE instead of just ME mentality. Turn towards each other instead of away with vulnerability, authenticity, compassion & attunement. Discover attachment styles, the brain & nervous system, survival parts & trauma that may be hurting your relationship.

My training would be defined as "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy" but I engage in general therapy. This means that I will work with my clients to meet them where they are and use tools, interventions and approaches that respect their person and strives to align with who they are. I am here for the client and make it a point to engage on a humanistic level. I am not a therapist who sits in a chair and asks "how does that make you feel?" I am a therapist who wants to actively help you identify your goal(s) and come up with a plan for you to reach them. I will not waste your time and I am invested as much as you are.

Life satisfaction is directly linked to how we cope with life's challenges. When we participate in escapist behavior (drinking too much, overindulging on sugar, avoiding confrontation, Netflix binges), we can feel stuck and hopeless. We get caught in these painful ways of coping because they work - at least temporarily. I specialize in helping clients get unstuck by incorporating brain-based education, support and practical suggestions for change.

Healing yourself, integrating body, mind, soul and spirit - realizing your highest Self. Living an authentic and adult life, facing the difficulties and clearing the obstacles to a healthier, fulfilling, connected and loving life. If these are some of your goals, then we are likely a good match for working together. Whether you are struggling with anxiety, depression, loneliness, grief, trauma, destructive behaviors, relationship problems, parenting challenges, general dissatisfaction, feelings of emptiness or unhappiness, these difficulties have within them the pointers of which way to go; the way is within.