LMFT, 25 years of experience
New to Grow
Hi, I’m Tony Watkins, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 25 years of experience helping individuals, couples, and families find healing and hope. My work is rooted in a Christian perspective that values grace, compassion, and the belief that every person is created for connection. I integrate evidence-based approaches such as Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), EMDR, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and the CAMS model for suicidality with a faith-informed perspective. My heart is to provide a safe space where clients can process pain, strengthen relationships, and experience both personal growth and spiritual renewal.
In your first session with Tony, you can expect a warm and welcoming space where you are free to share your story at your own pace. He will take time to listen carefully, learn what brought you to therapy, and begin understanding your goals and hopes for change. Together, you’ll talk through the concerns that matter most to you and begin mapping out a plan for moving forward. Tony’s goal in that first meeting is to help you feel safe, respected, and supported, while giving you a clear sense of how therapy can help you take the next steps toward healing and growth.
What makes Tony’s approach stand out is the way he blends compassion, experience, and proven methods to create therapy that feels both safe and effective. With more than 25 years of experience, he draws from evidence-based models like EFT, EMDR, PCIT, Motivational Interviewing, and CAMS while tailoring each session to the unique needs of his clients. Rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions, Tony works collaboratively—helping clients uncover the roots of their struggles, build on their strengths, and move toward lasting change. His clients often share that they feel deeply understood, gain new hope, and experience real improvements in their relationships, resilience, and overall well-being.
Tony is especially well-suited to serve individuals, couples, and families who are looking for both professional expertise and a safe, compassionate space to grow. He works with clients navigating relationship struggles, the impact of trauma, anxiety, depression, or thoughts of suicide. Parents with young children often seek him out for guidance using Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), while couples turn to him for help restoring connection through Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). Tony is also a strong fit for clients who may feel stuck or ambivalent about change, as he uses Motivational Interviewing (MI) to help people clarify their goals and take meaningful steps forward. Grounded in both evidence-based methods and a faith-informed perspective, Tony is most effective with clients who want to heal past wounds, strengthen relationships, and rediscover hope and purpose.
For over 13 years, Tony has been helping individuals and couples work through the effects of past hurts and relationship struggles using an attachment-based approach. He is trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), a method that helps people understand their emotions and strengthen their closest relationships. Tony’s goal is to create a safe and supportive space where clients can heal from trauma, rebuild trust, and grow stronger connections with the people who matter most.
Tony is certified in the CAMS approach (Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality) and has been using it for more than 15 years to support clients experiencing suicidal thoughts. CAMS is a collaborative method that puts the client at the center of the process, focusing on understanding the unique struggles that lead to suicidal feelings and building a personalized plan for safety, hope, and healing. With deep experience and compassion, Tony partners with clients to reduce their suffering and help them move toward stability, connection, and renewed purpose.
Tony is trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy and has been using it for more than 5 years to help clients work through painful memories and trauma. EMDR is a well-researched approach that uses guided eye movements or other forms of bilateral stimulation to help the brain process distressing experiences in a safe and supportive way. Tony integrates EMDR into therapy to reduce the emotional intensity of traumatic memories, relieve symptoms such as anxiety or flashbacks, and support lasting healing and resilience.
Tony has been a certified PCIT (Parent-Child Interaction Therapy) practitioner and trainer since 2009. With over 15 years of experience, he specializes in working with families who have children between the ages of 2½ and 7. PCIT is a proven, evidence-based method that helps strengthen the bond between parents and children while teaching effective skills for managing behavior. In addition to using PCIT directly with families in therapy, Tony also trains other professionals in this model, ensuring more children and parents benefit from this powerful approach.
Tony has extensive experience using Motivational Interviewing (MI), a collaborative and client-centered approach that helps people explore their own reasons for change. He has used MI with clients across many different concerns, creating a supportive space where individuals feel heard and respected as they consider their goals. MI is especially effective in the treatment of substance misuse, and Tony draws on this method to help clients strengthen motivation, reduce ambivalence, and take practical steps toward healthier, more fulfilling lives.