Genevieve Saenz (She/her)

My approach with couples is direct and engaged. Through laugher, play, and warm regard for all stories in the room we uncover authentic connection. Generally couples work is brief and outcome focused.

When working with grief, I tend to invite clients to sit with me in whatever they are feeling. Grief turns your world upside down and inside out, you don’t have to navigate through it alone.

More like identity shift! Change is a natural part of life, if we can gain perspective we can begin to hear our own voice again.

My training as a marriage and family therapy means that I think of the world in systems and my approach is rooted in systems theories. I have worked with couples, families, and groups using the theoretical approaches of Yalom, The Gottmans, Sue Johnson, and others.

Carl Rogers got it right. 1. Congruance 2. Empathy And 3. Unconditional Positive Regard are my three main tools. I was fortunate enough to do indepth studies of Person-Centered theory with many of the students of Natalie Rogers.

My degree is in counseling psychology with a focus on expressive arts therapy. I studied and practice; dance/movement therapy, somatic experiencing, poetry therapy, art therapy, music therapy, play therapy, and drama therapy. Creativity is a fotce for healing.

My approach in couples or relationships work is to offer techniques, skills, rehearsals, and clarification tools as a way to create more closeness and intimacy. Relational work can be quite intense and challenging for clients because the potential for growth is multiplied when the growth happens in tandem. I do recommend sometimes that folks do individual counseling first before coming to couple’s work.

I am neurodivergent myself and so I end up working with many people who are trying to reconcile having an AdHD brain in a very neurotypical facing world. Self-Compassion is the best medicine for feeling different or othered, and it is possible to reconcile all the parts of yourself. Let’s embrace the mess together!