Do you ever feel alone and overwhelmed when facing life decisions? This could involve a relationship, your work/career, the aging process, or anything else that creates anxiety and stress for you. I can help.
Of course, you will want to know my educational and licensing background: I received a Batchelor’s degree in Psychology from California State University, Northridge in 1987 and a Master’s degree in Marriage, Family and Child Therapy in 1989 from California Family Study Center (now known as Phillips Graduate University). After completing a 3000-hour internship, I took my state written and oral examinations and, in 1992, I received my license from the State of California as a Marriage and Family Therapist.
You will also want to know my counseling background: During my internship, I worked with clients who expressed dissatisfaction with parts of their lives and a desire to make their lives better. Most of their discontent was due to problems in various types of personal and work-related relationships, and we worked together to alleviate feelings of anxiety and stress. During my internship, I also spent some time training in a psychiatric hospital setting, in a drug/alcohol abuse center and in a facility for abused children.
Once my internship was completed, I had a small private practice in West Los Angeles. Eventually, I met my now-husband, moved to Palm Desert, and had a small private practice there until we moved to Santa Barbara. In addition to a private practice in Palm Desert I worked in a hospital there facilitating groups which focused on issues with major depression. My husband’s work took us to Santa Barbara, and I changed my license status to inactive so I could help him in his business.
After five years in Santa Barbara, my husband retired, and we moved to Auburn in Northern California where I worked for over twenty years in real estate. Although I did not work as a counselor since we moved from Palm Desert, I continued to rely on my education and experience as a counselor in both my personal and work-related relationships. In addition, I have used those tools as I have faced my own aging process.
Now that I am in my own “winter years,” I have had a strong desire to be of help once again to people who want to make their lives better. I am confident that my 60+ years of life experience along with my education and previous counseling experience give me what is needed to help others with their relationship issues, motivation, self-esteem, confidence, and coping with life changes.
Finally, you will want to know what my approach to counseling is: I rely on a combination of Person-Centered, Cognitive, and Behavioral theories. I am patient, empathic, and non-judgmental. My objective is to create a safe space where you can discover how to make your life better. Together, we will work on defining and understanding “your story.” You will provide the content by telling me “your story.” What is working. What isn’t working. Your goals. Your expectations for counseling. Your story will include your joy, your sadness, your anger, and your fear. I will focus on your feelings as well as your thoughts and your behaviors so we can figure out how these things may contribute to your unhappiness, disappointments, frustrations, and life dissatisfaction. I will help you identify feelings that you can’t. I will help you identify any detrimental thoughts and behaviors. Sometimes I will ask for clarification to make sure I understand. Sometimes I will probe to help expand the content of “your story” and help you edit it as needed to create clarity. You will decide if/when your goals change and when counseling should come to an end. Although ‘your story’ will continually change throughout all your life, you will decide when you are ready to work on “your story” on your own. When that time comes, you will let me know so that we can start the process of ending our work together. I will tailor our work together so that it meets your unique and specific needs.
Taking the first step to sign up for therapy can take courage and I am proud of you for getting started! I look forward to joining you for a little while on your journey to a happier, more contented life.
Additional areas of focus: Grief, Anger management, Career difficulties, Depression, Abandonment, Aging and geriatric issues, Body image, Caregiver issues and stress, Codependency, Commitment issues, Communication problems, Dependent personality, Divorce and separation, Emptiness, Family problems, Forgiveness, Guilt and shame, Isolation / loneliness, Life purpose, Midlife crisis, Money and financial issues, Self-love, Women's issues, Workplace issues
CA LMFT 29176
These quotes represent just a few of the many positive reviews that we have received for Connie St. James. We don't pay anyone to provide their review and they are all made voluntarily. Some people's experience receiving therapy with BetterHelp might be different.
Connie St. James is a wonderful therapist with great skills in behavioral analysis and general therapy. But moreso than that, she is deeply compassionate, deeply caring, and you can immediately feel that she genuinely wants what’s best for you. I’m very new to therapy, and during the process where I was browsing doctors in my area I had oftentimes found dismissed or dismayed when I was rejected due to my insurance, distance, or generally not fitting with the doctor in question. But with Connie, I feel seen, treated, and genuinely believed in, and that makes all the difference.
Written on Oct 17, 2024 after therapy with Connie for 3 months on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, trauma and abuse, grief, intimacy-related issues, sleeping disorders, self esteem, anger management, compassion fatigue, and adhd
Connie is helping me identify behaviors that impact my sense of self worth. She is a great listener, patient, and provides me with items to reflect on between sessions. I am so happy to have met her!
Written on Sep 23, 2024 after therapy with Connie for 2 weeks on issues concerning stress, anxiety, relationship issues, intimacy-related issues, self esteem, and coping with life changes
Connie is amazing and such a great listener. She has helped me gain some insight on areas of my life I did not see before.
Written on Sep 17, 2024 after therapy with Connie for 1 month on issues concerning stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, eating disorders, self esteem, career difficulties, coping with life changes, and adhd
Connie is a very good listener and actively works to assist in achieving my therapy goals. She has provided me with a whole new way of looking at life and I cannot thank her enough for her help. I would recommend her to anyone!
Written on Aug 06, 2024 after therapy with Connie for 1 month on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, and coping with life changes
Connie's sweet, genuine, non judgmental suppotve concern allows me to openly express myself and my issues.
Written on Feb 18, 2024 after therapy with Connie for 4 weeks on issues concerning depression, stress, anxiety, self esteem, and coping with life changes