John O'Donoghue, LCMHC, LMFT — Therapist in California

Hi there, I'm John!

I help people navigate family and relationship issues, workplace and career challenges, and life transitions. I also work with grief and loss, blended family dynamics, stress, coping with difficult personalities, depression, anxiety, procrastination, guilt, anger, PTSD, highly sensitive people, and existential concerns.

My focus

I work well with relationship issues, anxiety, and depression. I prefer working with adults ages 25 and up, including highly sensitive people navigating family conflict, life transitions, grief, stress, anger, guilt, procrastination, social anxiety, and existential questions.

My approach

I create trust through unconditional, non-judgmental support. Whether you seek longer-term therapy to uncover patterns or brief, solution-focused work, we'll tailor sessions to your goals. I draw from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Humanistic approaches, and holistic methods to help you heal and find peace.

My communication style

I create an atmosphere of unconditional, non-judgmental support and open-minded exploration. Clients describe me as open, understanding, compassionate, creative, humorous, and empathetic. You can expect warmth, curiosity, and a collaborative space where you feel truly heard.

My journey to mental healthcare

I became a therapist in midlife after experiencing major life changes, transformations, and loss. These experiences deepened my empathy and compassion. I believe suffering can be a powerful teacher when we find the courage to be vulnerable with ourselves and others.

My goals for you

I use a unique approach to goal setting that helps you discover your true heart's desire and how to achieve it. My method differs from traditional approaches to habit formation and maintenance, focusing on what genuinely matters to you and creating sustainable change.

Our first session

I often invite clients to relax and describe themselves as if writing a story about their life, sharing the central conflicts and key figures. This helps me understand your world, your relationships, and what brings you to therapy in a natural, narrative way.

I identify as...

Male
Caucasian or White
Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Spiritual, Taoist, Unitarian Universalism

Expertise

Treatment approaches

Acceptance and Commitment (ACT)

Humanistic

Solution Focused Brief (SFBT)

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)

Gottman Method

Imago Relationship Therapy

Motivational Interviewing

Object Relations

Parent-Child Interaction (PCIT)

Psychoanalytic

Schema Therapy

+ 15 more

Therapy types

Individual Therapy
Couples Therapy
Family Therapy

Ages served

Adults

Practice

Accepted insurance providers

Aetna
All Savers
Allegiance
Allied
Anthem

+ 56 more

Languages spoken

English

Education

Master's in Counseling (MC) in Counseling and Therapy from Sofia University / Institute of Transpersonal Psychology and a Master of Arts (MA) in Psychology from New School For Social Research.

Sessions

60 minutes

Virtual sessions

John O'Donoghue