Evan McCrary
Hello, my name is Evan. I think many people have a deep desire to be seen, heard and understood for whom we really are. I particularly enjoy working with African American individuals (Black), BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color) and adult folks; as well as individuals who are dealing with the lingering effects of relational wounds/attachment wounds, and/or emotional overload. In addition, I work with women that are trying to navigate complex relationships; including but not limited to those that have experienced infidelity in their past relationships (either by being unfaithful or having had relationships with people that were emotionally unavailable); as well as women that are looking to find clarity regarding their own complicated relationship experiences without guilt/shame. Ultimately, my goal is to assist my clients in developing greater self awareness and ultimately to achieve meaningful, sustainable change in their relationships, overall emotional well-being and their everyday lives.
First session
The first meeting allows me the opportunity to meet you and establish a therapeutic relationship based upon mutual respect, trust, communication and curiosity. During this initial session we will focus on getting to know each other. The first session is typically spent identifying how you got here, what motivated you to seek out counseling services and what changes would you like to see occur in your life. Additionally, together we will determine some short term and long term objectives, as well as identify the patterns, strengths and resources that will serve as a foundation for our work. Most importantly, I strive to create a safe enough environment for you to feel supported and recognized. Therapy is not about rushing forward towards change, it is about going at a speed that respects your nervous system so that we may develop the conditions necessary for real healing, growth and increased connection with yourself.
Strengths
I offer a grounded, attuned, and collaborative presence that helps clients better understand their emotional patterns, relational dynamics, and nervous system responses. My work is trauma-informed and attachment-based, integrating EMDR, somatic awareness, relational approaches, and feminist therapies, including Black feminist therapeutic frameworks that center lived experience, identity, and systems of oppression. I focus not only on helping clients develop insight into how past experiences shape present struggles, but also on supporting meaningful change in how they view themselves, how they relate to others, and how they engage in their behaviors and internal narratives. Together, we work to reduce shame, deepen self-understanding, and foster shifts in perception and action that feel safe, empowering, and sustainable.
Ideal clients
My ideal client is someone who is seeking more than symptom relief. They are looking for meaningful transformation, deeper self understanding, and lasting change. They may be navigating the effects of attachment or relational wounds, emotional overwhelm, complex relationship dynamics, or patterns that no longer align with the life they want to live. I particularly enjoy working with Black and BIPOC adults, women, men, and LGBTQIA+ individuals who are curious about how their past experiences continue to shape their present emotions, relationships, and sense of self. The clients I work best with are open to slowing down and becoming curious about themselves, even when the answers are uncomfortable or uncertain. They understand that healing is rarely linear and are willing to embrace the natural fluctuations that come with growth. Rather than striving for perfection, they are interested in developing a more compassionate and authentic relationship with themselves. I don't expect clients to arrive without self criticism or shame. In fact, those experiences are often an important part of the work. My ideal clients are willing to explore the purpose those patterns have served, recognizing that many ways of coping developed to help them survive difficult experiences. Together, we seek to understand those adaptations with curiosity rather than judgment while creating space for new ways of relating to themselves and others. Ultimately, I enjoy working with clients who are motivated to engage fully in the therapeutic process, even when it feels challenging. They value honesty, reflection, and collaboration, and are interested in understanding not only what they experience, but why. Together, we work toward greater self awareness, healthier relationships, emotional flexibility, and a life that feels more aligned with their values and the person they want to become.
Treatment methods
EMDR
EMDR is my primary treatment approach and is an evidence-based therapy designed to help clients process traumatic and distressing experiences. It targets memories that continue to affect emotions, beliefs, and behaviors. Through structured reprocessing, clients can reduce emotional distress, integrate past experiences, and develop healthier perspectives, allowing for greater emotional relief and adaptive functioning in daily life.
Somatic
I integrate EMDR within a relational, somatic, gestalt, and feminist framework that emphasizes the importance of connection, present-moment awareness, body experience, and social context in healing. This approach recognizes how relationships, identity, culture, and systems shape lived experience. Gestalt principles support awareness of what is happening in the here and now, including thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations, and relational dynamics as they arise in session. Clients are supported in noticing these experiences with curiosity and compassion, fostering deeper self-understanding and reducing patterns of avoidance, disconnection, or self-judgment.
Attachment-based
Attachment based therapy is central to my work because early relationships shape how we see ourselves, relate to others, and navigate connection, conflict, and vulnerability. These early experiences often influence our sense of worth, our ability to trust, and the strategies we use to feel safe and connected. In therapy, we explore how these relational patterns show up in your current life. This may include people pleasing, perfectionism, difficulty trusting others, fear of abandonment or rejection, emotional withdrawal, anxious pursuit of connection, or repeating familiar relationship dynamics. Rather than seeing these as flaws, we approach them with curiosity, understanding them as adaptive responses that once helped you cope. Attachment based EMDR is the primary way I integrate this work. By combining EMDR’s adaptive information processing model with an attachment lens, we gently process early relational wounds and unmet needs while staying attuned to your present emotional and nervous system experience. This helps clarify how past relationships continue to shape current beliefs, emotions, and behaviors, while also creating space for corrective emotional experiences. As insight develops, we work toward meaningful change by strengthening self trust, improving boundaries, increasing emotional flexibility, and supporting more secure, authentic relationships aligned with your values. My goal is to help clients move from surviving old relational patterns to feeling more grounded and secure within themselves and their relationships, creating lasting change beyond the therapy room.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
I incorporate DBT-informed skills to help clients build practical tools for managing emotions and relationships. These include mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. These strategies support stability and resilience, especially during trauma work. By strengthening coping skills, clients are better able to navigate emotional intensity and engage more effectively in deeper therapeutic processing.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
I use IFS-informed concepts to help clients understand the different “parts” of themselves with curiosity and compassion. Instead of viewing patterns like self-criticism or perfectionism as flaws, we explore their protective roles. This approach helps clients build internal harmony, reduce inner conflict, and support healing by addressing the needs of each part.
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- CaliforniaLicense 124663