About Me
Robert Jackson, LMFT
Providing Therapy in California and Washington State via Secure Telehealth
I came to therapy by a different route than most.
My first career was in engineering, where I spent years learning to understand how complex systems work: why certain patterns repeat, where things break down, and what it takes to create lasting change. That systems thinking still shapes how I approach my work with clients today.
Before becoming a therapist, I also spent nearly two decades at Canal Alliance in Marin County, working alongside the Latino immigrant community in education, technology, and economic development. That experience gave me a deep appreciation for the ways that life circumstances, culture, and family history shape how people feel and relate to others, and it continues to inform how I listen.
My Training and Credentials
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) licensed in California, Washington State and Idaho. I am also a Certified Emotionally Focused Couples Therapist (EFCT), a designation that goes beyond licensure and requires advanced training, supervised practice, and a formal review process. EFT is one of the most well-researched approaches in couples therapy, and this certification reflects my deep commitment to doing this work at a high level. Many therapists who describe themselves as using EFT have not completed the full certification process.
For my work with individuals, I am a Level 2 AEDP Therapist and an IFS-Informed Therapist. These are well developed, experiential approaches that go beneath the surface of symptoms to address the emotional patterns and past experiences that continue to shape how people feel and relate today.
I serve as CE Coordinator for NCCEFT, the Northern California Community for Emotionally Focused Therapy and I participate in two ongoing clinical consultation groups, one with Certified and Advance Trained EFT Therapists and another with seasoned therapists representing a variety of clinical viewpoints. Staying current and accountable to peers in this field matters to me.
How I Work
Therapy with me tends to move on two tracks at once. One track addresses what feels urgent right now: the anxiety, the overwhelm, the conflict that is making daily life harder. The other track works at a deeper level, looking at the emotional patterns and earlier experiences that keep showing up, in relationships, in how you respond to stress, in how you feel about yourself.
I work experientially, which means we do not just talk about what is happening. We slow things down and work with it directly, in the session, in relationship with me. That is where real change tends to take hold.
I am both intuitive and grounded in evidence-based practice. Clients often tell me they appreciate that sessions feel genuine and real, not clinical or scripted.
Who I Work With
I work with individuals navigating anxiety, difficult past experiences, and emotional patterns that keep repeating in their lives and relationships. I also work with couples who feel stuck in cycles of conflict, distance, or disconnection.
Within couples work, I bring particular experience working with:
Couples navigating the impact of ADHD, diagnosed or not
Couples recovering from betrayal or infidelity
Couples where addiction is present and being managed
Male couples
I welcome adults of all backgrounds: men and women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and BIPOC communities. Whatever brings you here, I aim to offer a grounded, thoughtful space where real change can begin.
What a First Conversation Looks Like
If you are considering therapy and want to get a sense of whether we might be a good fit, the first step is a free 15 to 20 minute consultation by Zoom. There is no commitment involved. It is simply a chance to talk briefly about what is going on, ask any questions you have, and see how the conversation feels.
You can book directly on my calendar here: Schedule a Free Consultation
Experience & Education
I earned my Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from The Wright Institute in Berkeley. My early clinical training included community mental health work in Marin and San Mateo Counties, where I supported clients from diverse cultural backgrounds and life stages. That experience deepened my appreciation for how context and history shape people's inner lives.
Before establishing my private practice, I provided therapy at the San Francisco Marriage and Couples Center and Grateful Heart Holistic Therapy Center, where I worked with individuals, couples, and families navigating a wide range of challenges. That breadth of experience across community mental health, specialized couples work, and private practice has shaped my clinical focus and led me to specialize in working with individuals and couples.
I continue to invest deeply in advanced training, which you can read more about in the section below.
Professional Training & Clinical Approach
My work as a therapist is grounded in ongoing advanced training in evidence-based, attachment-focused, and experiential therapies. I believe effective therapy requires both strong clinical structure and a deep understanding of emotional experience, relationship patterns, and attachment needs.
I specialize in working with individuals and couples navigating emotional disconnection, recurring conflict, trauma, anxiety, and relationship distress.
My core areas of training include:
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for Couples
I have extensive training in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT), an evidence-based approach shown to help couples of all orientations reduce conflict, rebuild trust, and create stronger emotional bonds. EFT focuses on identifying the negative cycles partners get stuck in and fostering more secure emotional connection.Attachment-Based & Trauma-Informed Therapy
My training includes trauma-informed and attachment-based approaches that support clients working through relational trauma, chronic emotional patterns, shame, and difficulties with emotional regulation.Experiential Therapy Approaches
I incorporate AEDP (Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy) and Internal Family Systems (IFS) to help clients access emotions safely, process difficult experiences, and develop greater self-compassion and internal stability.Neurodiversity-Affirming Therapy
I have specialized training in working with ADHD, autistic adults, and neurodivergent couples. My approach emphasizes understanding differences in communication, emotional regulation, and sensory experience rather than viewing neurodiversity as something to be fixed.Ethics & Ongoing Professional Development
I participate in continued education, consultation, and ethics training to ensure high standards of care and responsible clinical practice.
My approach integrates structure, emotional depth, and collaboration, helping clients feel both supported and challenged as they work toward meaningful and lasting change. Get a comprehensive list of trainings here.
Let’s Work Together
If something on this page resonates, I'd encourage you to reach out. Many people who contact me aren't sure yet whether therapy is right for them, or whether I'm the right fit. That's completely okay — the consultation is designed exactly for that.
The first step is a free 20-minute conversation where we can talk briefly about what's bringing you here, I can answer any questions you have about how I work, and we can get a sense together of whether working with me makes sense for you. There's no pressure and no obligation.
I look forward to hearing from you.
