Relationship Issues Therapists in Isla Vista, CA

I see adults with various relationship issues, quality of life concerns, and those wanting to expand their personal growth and take care of their mental health. I provide Psychodynamic and Cognitive Behavioral therapies, with other supportive therapies. Integration Psychology empowers patients and tends to their most pressing needs. Also, as an EMDR-trained Clinician, I provide sessions for PTSD and reprocessing trauma to help patients who feel stuck in their body or thinking or who feel younger than they are and may have frozen or unprocessed memories. I provide psychotherapy, psychological evaluations, and personality testing.

Are you feeling anxious, irritable or sad? Are you having difficulty in your relationships at home or at work? You don't have to go through this alone. We can often struggle in a life situation or circumstance and just feel stuck. What I know is that it is almost always possible to feel better and gain clearer insights into what makes us happy and what gets in our way. My approach in therapy is both humanistic and psychodynamic, with the core principles of mindfulness and self-compassion at the heart of my practice.

If you’re reading this, that probably means that you are in a place where you have tried a lot of things to feel better, or help your loved one feel better and just don’t know what else to do. I would love to help support you on this journey. Therapy is a collaboration between two individuals (therapist and client) and when successful, truly amazing things can occur within this space. I use the relationship between my clients and I to help them build insight and awareness into the way they show up in the world.

I help individuals and couples understand and transform deeply rooted patterns. Some walk through my door in profound distress, while others seek relief from a persistent sense of unease and dissatisfaction. I listen closely for the ideas and experiences shaping important aspects of your life, such as family, friends, work, sexuality, creativity, and self-worth. And together, we explore the ups and downs of your thoughts and feelings, with a focus on how current experiences and past traumas may be restricting your capacity for growth, self-expression, satisfaction, fulfilling relationships, and meaningful work.

I am a licensed clinical psychologist in 4 states, (California, Florida, Virginia, Maryland). If you are motivated to do your part, what I will bring to our relationship is my passion for psychology which is as fervent today as over 30 years ago when I hung out my first shingle. My job will be to figure out how to help you arrive at your pinnacle given your unique temperament and situational challenge. Your job will be to do the work.

I work primarily with adults who seek therapy to improve their relationships, navigate life changes, and understand difficult patterns to generate more peace, joy, and authenticity. I’m able to support you with a range of concerns, including insomnia using CBT-I, new parents, work related challenges, career growth and menopause. In addition, I work with individuals to clarify their future goals, desired life path, and create new habits for wellbeing.

As a Marriage and Family therapist, I work with couples & individuals: *With couples,I focus our work within a developmental framework to achieve empathic communication and differentiation leading to deepened emotional intimacy; *With those experiencing life transitions, we explore the impact on us as individuals & on our relationships; *In navigating depression, life style choices, anxiety, and other struggles I provide the opportunity to challenge & ability to realize your potential *Teaching communication skills, the focus is to make the accompanying shift from looking outside ourselves for explanation to taking responsibility for Self. *I offer DBT for individuals/groups to develop the ability to regulate emotions.

I work with individuals, couples and families struggling with transitions and communication. I also specialize in Men’s issues that may include challenges with emotional intimacy, difficulty being vulnerable, and maintaining their passion for life. I see men who are wanting to uncover a fuller version of themselves, and feel fully expressed and fully fulfilled in every area of their lives. Clients I see understand that they get out of the therapy what they put into it. The therapeutic relationship becomes the container for change. I see their seeking help not as a sign of weakness, but rather as a sign of good judgment.

I believe that healthy people seek counseling. Taking time to honestly explore our thoughts and feelings about life is a respected tradition in virtually every culture and faith tradition. Therapy can be pursued not only to handle problems, but also to find more meaning in life, to live with more energy and zest and to increase the joy of being alive. Feel free to visit my website (www.DrFlathman.com) to learn more about me and the services I offer.