Alejandro Daniel Pina, LMFT, MS
Couples Therapist
My background includes three years as a crisis counselor at a national suicide hotline. I've learned that a common theme among those in pain is not feeling understood or seen in the world.
I’m a male marriage counselor licensed by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences and trained in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) by the ICEEFT.
I utilize my EFT training in sessions with couples at different stages of their relationship and I offer premarital counseling. Im an Inclusive Therapist providing LGBTQ Affirming and Latinx Therapy, and I work with interracial couples who may struggle with cultural differences.
I work with: millennials, parents, teachers, artists, entertainment professionals, LGBTQ+ community, biracial, Latinx, BIPOC, business owners, post grads, & families.
I appreciate the interconnected collective philosophy of Carl Jung, and I value the understanding of couple pairing within Imago couples theory.
We are all on a spectrum of different diagnosable traits and behaviors. Getting an understanding of where we are on the spectrum can help guide us toward the most productive choices for our lives.
Excerpt from my Interview with Canvas Rebel Magazine
Can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?
"I’m a licensed marriage and family therapist with a masters of science in counseling psychology. This was a very long process that leads to a really tough and frustrating clinical exam. Before you even qualify to take it, you have to complete 3,000 supervised hours of work; which included necessary hours for different types of therapy sessions. I had not planned on specializing my work with couples, but in order to qualify for the license you’re forced to kind of give it a shot!
It’s really important when looking for an online couples therapist, or any kind of couples therapy, that you work with someone that has specific couples training on their resume. I can tell you that I was kind of making it up based on the little schooling that was offered regarding couples work for a counseling psychology masters program.
If you do work with an Associate who is not Licensed, then check to see if their supervisor is specifically trained in a couples therapy orientation. Unfortunately, my supervisor was definitely not!
I’m really grateful that I found my way to the Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy model and training. The classes that I’ve taken have been invaluable in the work that I do today. I’m a completely different therapist than who I was while getting my hours and I’m proud of the work that I do.
An Emotionally Focused Couples Therapist will help you discover a deeper understanding of your experience, then help you express yourself to your partner more productively. We might feel we have our partner figured out, but we have to be open to figuring ourselves out to understand why we get caught in cycles. We are not here to judge arguments.
We are here to help you express yourself to your partner so that they can hear you. And you both need to be heard so that you can both support one another."
“My husband and I got so much out of working with Alejandro. We are closer than we have ever been and are more equipped to communicate with each other effectively. You have to put in the work of course but Alejandro is an excellent guide. I highly recommend him.”
5-Star Yelp Review
Read More Reviews From Couples Here
Sessions are 50 Minutes
For Individuals:
Email me: Alejandro@FeelUnderstood.com
Text anytime: 213-787-7062
For Couples Counseling:
Entering couples therapy with uncertainty can be scary.
I’m glad to offer a free 10-minute phone consultation to talk about what to expect in couples counseling.
Feel Understood is rated 5 Stars on Yelp
- Best Online Marriage Counseling Reviews
- Best Virtual Couples Counseling Therapy in California
Read Reviews From Couples Here
He's sincere. And thorough. And real. I initially envisioned finding a good therapist to be a long and arduous process--but meeting with Alejandro made it pretty simple. The work has been so meaningful.
I was in a dark place during the time of our sessions, and despite me having trauma related to men, I felt like I could show emotions in front of him and receive a lot of positive reinforcement. He helped me reach more than just a diagnosis, but a new understanding of myself that I apply today.
Alejandro Pina has been my counselor in mental health for just over a year now, he has helped me feel understood and sane in my growth as a woman and in my process to understanding the world around me.
I came to him tangled in emotions and fears I couldn't unknot, and through his thoughtful questions, patient ear, and astute understanding, our sessions have profoundly helped me trust, find ease and confidence, open myself to others, and better understand and care for myself.
5 Star Yelp Review -
Individual Therapy
Alejandro's compassion and ability to hold space for others is totally disarming. His energy is warm, grounded and connected; his approach both kind and straightforward.
Every session is supportive and safe but also really challenging which i didn't really know that i needed. Beyond being able to feel 100% supported in saying whatever is on my mind and what i'm struggling with, Alejandro has a tremendous skill at coaxing out deeper, sometimes hidden feelings that i struggle to access, let alone articulate.
5 Star Yelp Review -
Individual Therapy
Alejandro is my first ever therapist and I'm considered lucky to find the right one in the first try. He is genuine and is very supportive. He really holds you accountable as far as doing the hard work. He was able to give me tools that helped me connect and find clarity.
His insights were sharp and skillful, and often left me aware of perspectives that brought me peace of mind, inspiration, and a better understanding of myself and those around me, while seeing better paths through places I'd felt stuck. I definitely recommend working with him!
TeleHealth
A wonderful benefit of working in Telehealth as a Licensed Couples Therapist in California is I'm able to provide online couples therapy in Los Angeles or Hermosa Beach, virtual couples therapy in San Fransisco or Emeryville, virtual couples counseling in San Diego or Chula Vista, all within the same day. I can offer online marriage counseling for a young couple in Mountain View, online LGBT couples counseling in Los Angeles, premarital counseling in Santa Clarita for a recently engaged couple, or online emotionally focused couples therapy for an interracial couple in Irvine experiencing cultural differences.
What matters most is that you are in the same room with each other for our sessions. I'm an inclusive therapist and welcome couples from mixed backgrounds, in interracial relationships, and offer LGBT Couples Counseling and Latinx Therapy. Happy to meet with you soon to help you and your partner feel understood.