Dr. Arlene O'Connor
Clinical Psychologist
949-916-0340
Helping your family Thrive
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Psychotherapy Services
Couples Therapy
Intimate relationships are challenging, especially with respect to sustaining intimacy over the long haul. Marital distress is the single most common reason people seek any type of therapy. It undermines family functioning and is strongly associated with depression, anxiety disorders and substance abuse. A satisfying intimate relationship is a powerful antidote to stress, isolation and unhappiness. Couples therapy can help you and your partner sort out your problems and build a stronger relationship. Whether you are in the middle of a crisis, going through a difficult transition, or discovering unlikable behaviors about each other, couples therapy can be a tremendous source of support and growth. Having a trained, objective therapist helps you work through anger, resentment, hurt and disappointment. Seeing couples emerge from a difficult situation feeling more connected, intimate and committed than they ever thought possible is very gratifying to me.
I will help you figure out 1. The kind of life and relationship you and your partner want to build together 2. The kind of partner you aspire to be in order to build the kind of relationship you want to create and 3. We’ll identify the obstacles to becoming the kind of partner you want to be.
Your pain, sadness and disappointment can stop. You can have a happy and satisfying marriage!
Family Therapy
Has your home become a battle zone? Is your blended family a source of conflict and stress? Or perhaps your children seem more like strangers? Families can be torn apart by illness, divorce or other problems that create conflict and stress. Family therapy can help you talk about and resolve problems in a safe context.
Family therapy sessions focus on recognizing and acknowledging each person’s thoughts, feelings and behavior within the context of their families. You will examine your family's ability to solve problems and express thoughts and emotions. You may explore family roles, rules and behavior patterns in order to spot issues that contribute to conflict. I will help you identify your family's strengths and weaknesses. My goal in family therapy is to strengthen you, the parent, and help family members work collaboratively toward more effective solutions to their problems. Family therapy can help your family survive challenging times and deepen the bonds to prevent future ruptures.
Individual Therapy
In individual therapy, I work with men and women struggling with an array of issues. Some people seek help for specific symptoms such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders or substance abuse. Some struggle with adjustment problems following losses such as death, divorce, unemployment, illness or a move. Still others look for help sorting out troubling issues of ambivalence or dissatisfaction in facing life’s many choices.
I use an integrative approach to psychotherapy that combines the best aspects of attachment based, interpersonal, emotion focused and cognitive behavioral therapies into a cohesive model. The therapy is focused more on the present than on a lengthy exploration of the past. My goal is to help you gain insight and awareness of the conscious and unconscious thoughts, feelings and reactions that repeatedly play out in your life and relationships and that keep you from living the life you envision.
In therapy I will encourage you to develop a clear vision of 1. The kind of life and relationships you want to create 2. The kind of person you aspire to be and 3. The potential obstacles to achieving and maintaining your goals.
For more than 20 years, I have focused on studying the most advanced, empirically based methods for providing effective therapy and help people live a more intentional and satisfying life. In my practice I strive to provide you with a welcoming, non-judgmental and safe place in which to explore the obstacles you are facing now.
Couples Therapy – I will help you repair your relationship with your spouse by restoring emotional intimacy and creating stronger, safer, and more responsive connections.
Family Therapy – I help families resolve a wide array of problematic behaviors and relationship ruptures to develop satisfying attachments and promote the healthy development of their children.
Individual Therapy – I work with adults and adolescents on problems that significantly affect their lives and prevent them from attaining important personal or professional goals.
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