Steve Strickholm, LMFT

My background and approach is a bit atypical, so here you go:  I spent 4 years in graduate school, ending up with two Master's degrees in both Psychology and Sociology.  As part of my training, I spent 3 months at the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland, but over time understood my path not to be so much with personal psychology (we create or own all of our experience), but more with depth psychology (we are deeply connected to a dimly lit life path and the universe in many ways, which includes what Jung called synchronicity).  

I've published in one of the Jungian Journals and worked with very experienced Jungian therapists.  I'm also trained in Reiki 1 and 2, although we won't be doing any hands-on or distance healing in our sessions.  However what has shaped me the most has been my life experience.

I should mention that I got my LMFT license over 30 years ago.  For more than a decade, I worked with young adults with life-long disabilities - mental illness and mental retardation - helping them find and keep jobs and housing in the community.  That was incredibly rewarding work.  From there I transitioned to working with business professionals, helping them overcome the spiritual, emotional and other challenges that were keeping them from reaching their goals.  Then my life got interesting . . .

Over 10 years ago my younger brother (who was mentally ill) went into cardiac arrest and became fully paralyzed after a bad reaction to high-blood pressure medication.  He had what is called "locked-in syndrome" - unable to move in any way, unable to communicate even with eye movement, while still remaining full conscious.  I helped my parents keep him in a hospital room in their house, which included 24/7 nursing care.  We loved him and cared for him with complete commitment until he passed away over a year ago.

So here is my philosophy:  The universe was created for and is infused with love.  Fulfilling that within ourselves and others is our primary role in life.  Yes we have all had trauma and bad experiences in our life.  But I will quote Ram Dass who said, "To fully live in the present, you must give up all hope for a better past."  I know we must work through our past to be alive in the present, but that is not where we should dwell.  My experience teaches me that a person who has a vision and hope for their future, can be ruled not by the scars of the past, but by the clarity and energy they put towards their future.  If this makes sense to you, maybe we should talk.

• M.A. Psychology, University of California at Santa Barbara
• M.A. Sociology, University of California at Santa Barbara

• Adults
• Couples
• Families

• ADHD
• Anxiety
• Autism
• Behavior Disorders
• Cancer
• Caregiver Stress
• Childhood Trauma
• Chronic Illness
• Divorce
• Family Conflicts
• Family Systems
• Family/Peer Relationship Issues
• Grief and Loss
• Healthy Coping Strategies
• Homeless Families
• Infant/Child Loss
• Interpersonal Relationships
• Life Changes
• Neurodivergence/Neurodiversity
• Parenting Support
• People with Disabilities
• Self-Esteem
• Stress Management
• Vulnerable and Aging Adults

• Depth Psychology / Jungian
• Dream Work / Individuation
• Long-term Disability of Family Members

• Aetna
• United Healthcare/Optum

• Male
• Female
• Buddhist
• Christian
• Hindu
• Secular and Non-Religious
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
• White
• Black and African American
• Hispanic and Latino
• Asian
• Native American
• Pacific Islander
• Gay
• Heterosexual