Finally feel like we are a team
Telehealth Trauma Therapy in Aliso Viejo, CA & across California
When the problem isn’t one person. it’s the pattern.
Sometimes no one is “the problem.”
But the communication, the tension, the shutdowns, the conflict loops?
Those feel impossible to break.
Family and relational therapy helps you understand the patterns underneath the arguments, the distance, the defensiveness, and the hurt, so you can shift them at the root.
Signs of needing family therapy
*
Signs of needing family therapy *
Constant miscommunication
Walking on eggshells
Repeating the same argument over and over
Emotional distance or shutdown
Explosive reactions that feel bigger than the moment
Parenting conflict or co-parenting tension
Sibling rivalry that feels intense or unmanageable
A child or teen “acting out” and no one understands why
One person carrying the emotional weight of the family
Often, what looks like defiance, withdrawal, or anger is actually nervous system overwhelm or attachment distress.
My Approach
*
My Approach *
I use an attachment-focused, trauma-informed lens to understand what’s happening beneath the surface.
Instead of asking:
“Who is wrong?”
We ask:
“What is happening in this system?”
In family and relational therapy, we work on:
1. Understanding Attachment Patterns
How early experiences shape how each person responds to conflict, closeness, and stress.
2. Slowing Down Reactivity
Helping each member regulate before responding, not reacting from survival mode.
3. Repairing Emotional Injuries
Addressing unresolved hurt, misattunement, or long-standing resentment.
4. Building Secure Communication
Learning how to express needs clearly without blame, shutdown, or escalation.
5. Creating a New Relational Identity
Shifting from:
“We always fight.”
“They never listen.”
“Nothing changes.”
To:
“We know how to repair.”
“We can disagree and stay connected.”
“We feel safe in this relationship.”
Therapy looks like
*
Therapy looks like *
Sessions may include:
Whole-family sessions
Parent-child sessions
Sibling sessions
Individual sessions within the relational context
We focus on real-time interaction, not just talking about the problem, but noticing it as it unfolds and shifting it in the moment.
You won’t just gain insight.
You’ll practice new patterns inside session.
For Parents
*
For Parents *
If your child is struggling, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed.
Children communicate through behavior.
Teens communicate through distance.
We work together to:
Understand what your child’s nervous system is responding to
Strengthen emotional safety at home
Reduce power struggles
Increase connection and cooperation
When Trauma Is Part of the System
*
When Trauma Is Part of the System *
Unresolved trauma often shows up relationally through defensiveness, shutdown, control, or fear of abandonment.
When appropriate, I integrate EMDR within the relational work to help each person regulate and process what’s fueling the pattern.
When individuals heal, the system shifts.
The Goal
*
The Goal *
Not perfection.
Not constant harmony.
But resilience.
A family or relationship that:
Knows how to repair
Can tolerate discomfort
Feels emotionally safe
Handles stress without falling apart
Connection is a skill.
And it can be learned.
Your Questions, Answered
-
Yes. I offer family and relational therapy focused on improving communication, understanding patterns, and strengthening connection. Therapy creates space for each voice to be heard while supporting healthier family dynamics and relationships.