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Matthew Wettlaufer, LMFT - California Therapist at Grow Therapy

Matthew Wettlaufer

Matthew Wettlaufer

LMFT
4 years of experience
Virtual

I am drawn to working with clients who are dealing with adjustment issues: life transitions, changes, and loss, at any stage of life. I also work with clients dealing with mild to moderate depression and anxiety, existentialist questions over life purpose and meaning, LGBTQ and POC experiences around discrimination and trauma, the interest in developing a positive and personal spirituality, and as an adjunct support in fostering abstinence around substance use issues (therapy does not replace 12 step work, but it can be a powerful form of support for individuals in recovery). I have also worked a lot with clients grappling with codependency, setting boundaries, and developing self-esteem. I like to take an eclectic approach that uses solution-focused and CBT therapy for present day situations, psychodynamic theory for past childhood losses and trauma, and art therapy for exercises in between therapy appointments that can be processed in session. I am a gay man, with a husband and son; I'm 33 years sober and have 20 years of experience working in the visual arts, plus a doctorate in philosophy. I used to play hockey and love hiking (I am open to clients who might like to try ecotherapy interventions). Spiritually I am more or less a "spiritual existentialist" who attends Quaker meetings and loves the beauty of the Catholic rosary and Buddhist mantras. I was also trained as a classical pianist and love Bach, Hindemith, Mahler, Copland, and Carl Nielsen.

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

The first session involves some business issues such as reviewing the limits of confidentiality, discussion of the risks and benefits of therapy, etc. Once the business part is done, I get the opportunity to find out what brings you to therapy and we can start to talk about what your goals are for treatment.

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

Compassion, life experience, good listening skills, problem-solving, connecting the dots in a client's story, empathy, and unconditional positive regard. I try very hard to meet the client where they are.

About Matthew Wettlaufer

Identifies as

Specializes in

LGBTQ
Self Esteem
AnxietyCareer CounselingChild or AdolescentDepressionGriefSpirituality

Serves ages

Licensed in

Accepts

Appointments

Virtual

My treatment methods

Solution Focused Brief Treatment

Solution-focused therapy and psychodynamic therapies work well together for clients, offering resolution both for the client's history and for their present-day circumstances. Examples of interventions that are solution-focused would be having the client imagine what their life would look like without the problem (visualization, which could include art therapy exercises) as a blueprint of what to work for in therapy, a treatment plan. Coping and scaling questions help along the way to show the client how they have improved over the course of several sessions. The overall scope of therapy is to move the client from a feeling of hopelessness and loss to one of optimism and expectation.

Experiential Therapy

My use of experiential therapy is in the realm of art therapy--I have 20 years of experience working in the visual arts and have found that many art therapy interventions are highly effective in helping clients problem-solve and move forward through obstacles. Art therapy work helps clients connect the dots on what the issue is that is blocking them from a joyous life.

Psychodynamic

Many of my clients reach a point in their lives where the patterns of behavior they've learned in childhood for coping with pain, loss, and trauma no longer work for them as adults. This often includes codependency, among other self-defeating behaviors. Adults who were victimized as children by their care givers and other adults often wind up victimizing themselves today through toxic relationships, soul-destroying jobs, missed opportunities to achieve their dreams, and an overall sense of emptiness. Doing inner child and family of origin work can help clients heal and resolve issues from the past so that they can be present for and content with their lives today.

Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)

Through mirroring back to clients, I often offer thought-checking to see if their statements make sense in light of actual facts--these reality checks often show the client that the situation they're describing is not black or white, not catastrophic, and it helps to illuminate areas where the client has actually taken back their power and found their voice and strengths.