LMFT, 15 years of experience
Hi I’m CJ a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) that focus' on working with individuals, couples, and families who aren’t just looking to feel better they’re looking for something real. Not peace that comes from avoiding conflict, but the kind that comes from being fully seen, heard, and understood even in the mess. Most of us develop habits and defenses to get through life. Some serve us, others start to block us. My job is to help you see the difference, get curious about where they come from, and decide which ones you’re ready to let go of. We live in a world that rewards performance and discourages authenticity. This work is about slowing down, cutting through the noise, and reconnecting with what matters so you can live in alignment with who you really are, not who you've been told to be.
Our first session is about viewing the landscape of who you are. You don’t need to have the perfect words or a polished story. You just need to show up as you are. I’ll ask some questions to get a sense of what’s bringing you in, what’s getting in the way, and what you’re hoping will be different. The intention is not to solve everything in an hour. It’s about starting to name what matters, where you’re stuck, what you’ve been carrying, and what kind of change you’re looking to bring into your life. By the end of it, you’ll likely have felt a sense of something that drives so many of our actions: what it’s like to be seen, heard, and understood maybe for the first time. This sets the table for the real work to begins.
My approach is both person-centered and evidence-based. I draw on practices like CBT, DBT, and motivational interviewing to support clients in navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, and major life transitions. At the core of our work is a collaborative process of gaining self-awareness and developing the skills needed to regulate emotions, challenge unhelpful thought patterns, and shift behaviors that no longer serve you so you can make choices that align with your truest self.
Our goal is to create small, consistent shifts just 1% at a time to better identify and respond to triggers, regulate mood, and examine the core beliefs that shape your understanding of who you truly are, both the empowering and the limiting ones. To get down to the core of who you are and who you desire to be.
CBT becomes a tool, not a rule. As we explore your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, we work side-by-side to piece together what feels aligned with your lived experience and what might be shaped by patterns, beliefs, or narratives that no longer serve you. It’s not about fitting into a framework—it's about using CBT to support your understanding and growth in a way that is uniquely yours.
In Christian Counseling, I hold space for faith to be an integrated part of the therapeutic journey—without agenda, pressure, or assumption. I take a non-directive approach, meaning I don’t come in with answers, but rather sit with you as we listen together for what’s being revealed. What is true for you is honored and held with the same weight as any theological or spiritual insight.
DBT offers powerful tools for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness—but we use them in a way that honors your pace and your truth. My role is not to fix or direct, but to sit beside you, helping to hold the tension between acceptance and change. Through reflection and collaboration, we explore what parts of your experience are grounded in truth, what may be shaped by suffering, and what skills can support the life you want to build.