Families in the area are Navigating Emotional Health so beautifully through the use of San Diego Therapy!

Having practiced as a Marriage and Family Therapist and a part of San Diego Therapy for over ten years, I can see the culture changing when it comes to family life and approaching therapy.

I’m so proud of this city and the emotional health that I see around me.

I’m so impressed with the families in this city and how intentional people are in growing emotionally intelligent children.

The kinds of intake calls that I have received over these past ten years of providing San Diego Therapy has changed dramatically, indicating the shift in how people are approaching emotional health. At first the calls I’d receive were mostly parents calling to request treatment for their children. The ‘can you fix my child’ philosophy, and I would need to spend a lot of time on the phone explaining that I didn’t work with children alone, that I would need to meet with parents first. That parents should want to know who their child was meeting with, and should request updates to their child’s treatment. That parents should interview the therapist first and make sure they felt comfortable about who’s hands they were entrusting their children to.
About five years ago, the requests began to change. Instead parents were calling in asking for family treatment. “Can you help us as a family?”, with parents more than willing to be involved in treatment, and understanding they should attend the first session on their own. When I explained that I always assess a child in the context of their family system, this started to make more sense to parents too, and they easily engaged in the systemic treatment process.
Most recently I’m seeing parents be more proactive in getting help. As many parents consider getting a divorce, they are coming in to consult with me so that they can best prepare their children for the news. Some even come in to get information about how to tell their children, and how it might affect their children, before they make the final decision about their marriage (click here to see related blog articles and Youtube interviews about this issue!) And so this gives me so much hope for the world that we live in. I think that healthy societies are made up of healthy families. San Diego can be a tough city to live in relationally, as far as the culture goes and often times the lack of extended family support. But I, as a family therapist, love being here to help support your families. And I think, San Diego, you’re progressing just beautifully!
It seems that raising children with emotional intelligence has really become a goal for parents, and this is likely because the public is more educated about emotional health. I think that books like ‘Raising Emotionally Intelligent Children’, ‘Parenting from the Inside Out’ and Siegel’s newer book ‘Mind Sight’ have been so helpful in educating the public and giving them practical skills.

I wonder if having a city full of MFT’s has also made a difference. It’s said that you can’t throw a stone in San Diego without hitting a therapist. Perhaps with so many people in therapy crushing the stigma of seeking help, and having so many MFT’s who are passionate about family health, has made a difference in spreading the word about the resources that are available.

I am grateful to my colleagues for the amazing work that they do with families and children. I am blessed by these fellow therapists in the San Diego area for their continued support and inspiration – and love sending recommendations their way!  Lori Underwood Therapy is one of my all time favorite referrals, as she does such effective work in her clinical practice. Mary Cipriani-Price at San Diego Institute for Couples is one of the pillars in the therapeutic community. Mary trained most of us therapists, and has been instrumental in raising up therapists for many years. I also think of amazing powerhouse Jennine Estes and her group of therapists and Associates at Estes Therapy. They are quick to respond and are all so well trained, and have inspired me in the importance of spreading the word about therapy (check out their amazing marketing!) And of course, Jussi Light at New Growth Counseling in Carlsbad is always my top referral source for North Country families! He has so much experience working with families and teens and a skillful & sharp clinician who is not only well-known, but well-liked!

Bethany Noble Lindsay and her partners at Cultivate are serving the community in such a wonderful way. I especially love hearing about her amazing work with teens & young adults in the area! Rebecca Bass-Ching at Potentia Family Therapy , focuses on such important work at providing help to those who struggle with food & body issues. Her message of being all in it together, and the importance of saying goodbye to shame in your life has truly shaped the area for the better. Jennifer Chappell March of Chappell Therapy is a friend & colleague in the EFT field, and runs an effective practice focusing on couples and relationships. She truly excels at providing specialized couples treatment! And Elaine Martens Hamilton at Soul Care House runs the most wonderfully warm practice, with well-trained clinicians that offer help in a wide range of issues. Not only is she an incredible therapist – but an author and offers a podcast as well!

All in all, San Diego Therapy & Families, you are well on your way in being an emotionally healthy city… and you have the most wonderful resources to support you in this endeavor!