Brian Oduguwa
I am Brian Oduguwa, a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), board-approved clinical supervisor. I work with adults, couples, and families who feel disconnected, stuck in recurring patterns, or are navigating major life transitions. My focus includes relational therapy, anxiety, trauma, mood disorders, men's issues, and identity development.
You can look successful on the outside and still feel stuck within. Together, we change the patterns and build more secure relationships.
Many of my clients are successful on the outside but feel overwhelmed, uncertain, or unfulfilled within. Using a collaborative, trauma-informed approach, we identify the dynamics driving your distress, strengthen communication and self-awareness, build practical coping skills, and create lasting change. Whether you are facing relationship struggles, emotional pain, or uncertainty about your next step, therapy offers a space to gain clarity and move toward the life and relationships you want. I offer in-person and telehealth sessions and accept most in-network insurance plans.
First session
During the first session, you can expect a structured, collaborative, and trauma-informed assessment. My primary goal is to create a secure space where you feel understood and emotionally safe. We will explore what brought you to therapy, your current concerns, relevant personal and relationship history, and what you hope will change. For couples, we will begin identifying the negative interactional cycles that fuel disconnection, and I will hear from each partner while observing how you communicate. I will also explain how I work, what therapy may look like, and how confidentiality and privacy are handled. Before we finish, you will have a clear understanding of my active therapeutic approach and a preliminary roadmap for our work together, so we are aligned on the goals needed to reach your desired outcomes. You may leave with a clearer sense of what is driving your difficulties and, sometimes, a practical tool to try right away. There is no pressure to share more than you are comfortable with. We will move at a pace that feels safe for you.
Strengths
As a relationship specialist, my approach is active and directive. I do not sit back and watch conflict unfold; I step in to help clients shift unhelpful patterns in real time. My foundation is the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), which allow me to assess relationship strengths precisely while uncovering the attachment needs beneath the conflict. I also integrate trauma-informed care, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills for emotional regulation, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for values-based presence, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to reframe thought patterns that fuel resentment and withdrawal. My process is structured yet flexible, tailored to your needs, and grounded in both science and compassion. I prioritize emotional safety, pacing, and culturally responsive care to help you build secure, lasting connections. Whether the objective is repairing trust, improving communication, or building greater emotional stability, I combine practical, evidence-based tools with meaningful insight to support lasting outcomes.
Ideal clients
My ideal client is someone who feels stuck, disconnected, or overwhelmed and is ready to understand the patterns behind their struggles. Many are high-functioning and successful on the outside but feel uncertain or unfulfilled within. I work well with couples who still care about each other but find that conversations turn into arguments, trust has been strained, or emotional distance has replaced closeness. I also support individuals working through anxiety, trauma, mood concerns, identity questions, or major life transitions. The clients who benefit most are open to honest reflection, willing to practice new skills between sessions, and committed to building healthier relationships with themselves and others. You do not need to have everything figured out, and you do not need both partners to feel equally ready. A willingness to begin is enough.
Treatment methods
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
ACT helps you stop fighting your difficult thoughts and feelings and start moving toward what matters most to you. In sessions, we identify your core values, such as being a loving partner, a present parent, or a person who lives with integrity, and use them as a guide for decisions. You will practice simple mindfulness skills to notice stress, anxiety, or painful emotions without being controlled by them. This is especially helpful in tense moments with a partner, when you want to respond thoughtfully instead of reacting out of fear or frustration. Together, we will turn your values into small, realistic actions you can take between sessions. The goal is not to eliminate hard feelings but to build a life and relationships that feel meaningful, even when things are uncomfortable.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
CBT is based on the idea that our thoughts, feelings, and actions are connected. When we get stuck in unhelpful thinking, such as assuming the worst, taking things personally, or believing "I always fail," it can fuel anxiety, low mood, resentment, and conflict. In sessions, we work together to notice these thought patterns, examine whether they are accurate or helpful, and develop more balanced ways of seeing the situation. For couples, this might mean pausing before assuming a partner's intentions. I will also offer practical exercises to try between sessions, like tracking thoughts or testing new responses, so you can see change in everyday life. Over time, many clients find they feel calmer, communicate more clearly, and respond to stress in ways that better reflect who they want to be.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
EFT focuses on the emotional bond between partners. Most couples are not stuck because they stop caring, but because they fall into a repeating cycle: one person pursues or criticizes while the other withdraws or shuts down, and both end up feeling alone. In sessions, I help you slow down these moments and recognize the pattern together, so the cycle becomes the problem instead of each other. We then explore the softer feelings underneath the anger or distance, such as fear, hurt, or a longing to matter. As partners learn to share these needs and respond with care, trust and closeness can be rebuilt. EFT also helps individuals understand how past experiences shape the way they seek connection and protect themselves in relationships.
Gottman method
The Gottman Method is built on decades of research into what makes relationships succeed or struggle. We begin with a thorough assessment of your relationship, which may include questionnaires and individual conversations, to identify your strengths and the areas that need attention. From there, I teach practical skills you can use right away: starting difficult conversations gently, calming yourself during conflict, managing disagreements without hurtful patterns like criticism or defensiveness, and repairing after an argument. We also focus on strengthening friendship, appreciation, and shared meaning, because these form the foundation for lasting connection. If trust has been damaged, such as by betrayal or secrecy, this method offers a structured path for rebuilding it. Sessions are active, and you will often practice new skills together in the room so they feel natural at home.
Cognitive Processing (CPT)
CPT is a structured approach for people recovering from trauma. After a painful or frightening experience, it is common to become stuck in beliefs such as "it was my fault," "I can't trust anyone," or "I'm not safe." In CPT, we gently explore how the experience changed the way you see yourself, others, and the world, and examine whether those beliefs are accurate or have been shaped by what happened. You decide how much detail to share, and we move at a pace that feels manageable. Using guided worksheets and conversation, we develop more balanced perspectives that can ease guilt, shame, fear, and distrust. Many clients notice fewer distressing symptoms and a renewed sense of safety, confidence, and connection with others.
Location
Virtual sessions