MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY TRAINEE IN PRACTICUM AT Western Institute for Social Research
kcheifetz@axismunditherapy.org
510.543.1330
TELEHEALTH
Supervised by Natalie Webster, LMFT #126065
I work with couples who care deeply about one another but find themselves caught in painful, repeating cycles of conflict, distance, or miscommunication. You may love each other and still feel lonely. You may keep having the same argument. One of you reaches, the other pulls back. Over time, the cycle can start to feel bigger than both of you.
Using Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT), I help partners slow down reactivity, understand what each person is protecting underneath conflict, and create new experiences of safety and responsiveness. We focus less on who is right and more on what each partner longs for beneath the defensiveness, shutdown, or escalation.
Many couples I work with struggle with attachment wounds, long-term stress, or the lingering effects of trauma that shape how they show up in moments of closeness and conflict. These patterns are not character flaws. They are survival strategies that once made sense. In our work, we make those strategies visible and build new ways of responding to one another that feel safer and more connected.
My background in acupuncture informs the way I listen. I pay attention not only to words but to what happens in the body and in the emotional space between you. In addition to EFCT, my work is informed by relational psychodynamic therapy, parts work, somatic awareness, and trauma-informed practice. I am currently training in EMDR and may integrate it when appropriate.
I value honesty, warmth, and real connection. Therapy works best when both people can show up as themselves. Together, we work toward clearer communication, increased emotional regulation, and a stronger, more secure bond.
I welcome couples of all identities and lived experiences and offer therapy in both English and Spanish.
Specialties:
:Couples Therapy
Repeating Conflict Patterns
Communication Breakdown
Emotional Distance & Disconnection
Rebuilding Trust After Hurt or Betrayal
Anxiety in Relationships
Difficulty Expressing Needs
Overfunctioning & Resentment
Attachment Wounds
Trauma Impacting Relationships
Modalities:
Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT)
Attachment-Based Therapy
Relational Psychodynamic Therapy
Parts Work (IFS-Informed)
Somatic Therapy
EMDR (Currently in Training)
Anti-Oppression & Social Context-Informed Practice
Contact Us
Starting is easy! Use the form on the right to begin our conversation. We'll start with a free, 30 minute consultation to see if we're a good match. If we're not, for any reason, I'll provide you with other referrals that may be a better fit - my commitment is to your well-being first!