Couples therapists in Santa Cruz, CA

Do you carry the weight of your responsibilities home? Does it impact your relationships, your sense of peace, or your ability to recognize yourself beneath the demands of daily life? Growth and healing take courage, and I admire your willingness to prioritize your well-being.

My practice focuses on three areas:

• Individuals in high-pressure helping and public service professions, including first responders and those working in EMS, Fire, Law Enforcement, Corrections, Dispatch, Judicial settings, Healthcare, Mental Health, and Education. My dual Master’s degrees in Marriage and Family Therapy and Trauma & Related Conflict, combined with lived experience, allow me to offer a culturally informed understanding of the unique challenges these roles carry. Together, we address operational stress, strengthen resilience, and support sustainable well-being.

• Adults navigating identity, authenticity, creativity, and life transitions, including LGBTQ+ individuals and those seeking to reconnect with themselves, clarify their values, and build lives that feel meaningful and aligned.

• Older adolescents and emerging adults preparing for graduation and the transition into college, vocational paths, or adulthood as they explore who they are, what matters to them, and how they want to move through the next chapter of their lives.

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My Training

I am a licensed clinical psychologist and a graduate of the PGSP–Stanford Psy.D. Consortium, a program known for its rigorous academic training and emphasis on evidence-based care. There, I received instruction and mentorship from some of the leading clinicians and researchers in the country. My practice draws on specialized training and extensive experience in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for couples, and comprehensive psychological assessment.

My Approach to Therapy

My clinical approach is focused, compassionate, and results-oriented. I work actively with clients to identify what’s holding them back, and to build the tools and insight needed to move forward with clarity and confidence. For individuals, I use CBT to help shift unhelpful thought and behavior patterns. For couples, I use EFT to deepen emotional connection, improve communication, and restore trust. Whether I’m working with a client facing anxiety, burnout, or relationship conflict, my aim is always the same: to help you reconnect with your strength, values, and capacity for meaningful change.

My Professional Background

Before becoming a psychologist, I served as a U.S. Marine Corps officer, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Leading diverse teams in high-stress environments taught me how to connect across differences—with people of all backgrounds, beliefs, and personalities. That experience continues to shape my work today. I bring a grounded, nonjudgmental presence to therapy, and I take seriously the responsibility of earning each client’s trust. My passion—both then and now—is helping individuals become the strongest, most authentic version of themselves.

I'm an open minded individual and welcome any topics in treatment

Pamela Hughes received her Undergraduate Degree in Psychology and her Masters Degree

in Clinical Psychology from Vanguard University, Costa Mesa, California.

Pamela has worked with individuals, couples and families improving their relationships

using the Collaborative Communication Skills as an Instructor. Pamela specializes in Addictions, ADHD, Family Systems and Hoarding.

Being a therapist and helping people overcome feelings of isolation and conflict is one of my life's greatest joys. I specialize in helping individuals, families, and couples work through depression, anxiety, grief, and relationship issues. I also provide critical assistance through domestic violence and rape counselling. It is important to me to help patients along on their journey through professional, evidence based counselling.

I am a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT 123208. I worked as a teacher and decided to go back to school and continue my education, to enable me to work with families, couples and individuals in a therapeutic setting. My focus is family, marriage and couples counseling. I have experience working with families that have unconventional lifestyles. In addition, I have experience working with couples, teens, groups and children. I have worked with the school district as a mental health counselor, as well as conducted group therapy in all settings. I am trained in Gottman Method for Couples and Bariatric Assessment certified.

•Couples Counseling •Specialization in Gottman Method and Sex Therapy. Individual Adult, Tween & Teen Counseling •Anger Management, ADHD, ADD. Certified Bariatric Assessments. Supervision for Interns. Family Therapy, and court appointed therapist for Reunification Therapy.

I believe that each individual has a purpose and that sometimes we need assistance in finding our purpose. Let me help you find your own purpose or regain focus on your life's path to feeling satisfied in the life you are living. I am available via online or in person and licensed in California and Arizona.

I am a licensed clinical social worker, with over 10 years of experience in working with adolescents and adults with major focus on anxiety and depression. I am determined to help you find a balance in your life where you can learn to prioritize your mental health. Prioritizing yourself can be hard, so congrats for taking that first step.

I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Dance from San Francisco State University and my Master’s degree from Antioch University in Santa Barbara. I am a licensed therapist with over 15 years of experience supporting individuals and families as they navigate life’s complexities.

My practice focuses on trauma, ADHD, and mood disorders, while also providing support for parenting challenges and relationship stress.

I am currently accepting new clients. Great to meet you. If you have been carrying anxiety, depression, or that heavy feeling of not quite being like yourself, we can work through it together. I offer virtual therapy that meets you where you are, with care that feels compassionate, practical, and grounded in real life. My goal is to help you feel more like yourself again and build a path toward a brighter, more fulfilling tomorrow.

Hello, I am glad you are here. My goal is to offer a safe welcoming space where you can be yourself without fear of judgement. I believe everyone deserves to be heard with kindness, respect, and compassion. Together, we'll move at a pace that feels right for you as we work toward the life you want to create.

Hi I'm Eleanor! I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in California and New Mexico. I am passionate about empowering people to build self-trust and self-acceptance. Most of my clients come to therapy because they want to make a change or cope with a change that they did not choose.