Dr. Rita Garcia, PhD, LMFT-D, CST

I approach therapy through a collaborative and relational lens, working with clients to understand their challenges within the broader context of their relationships and lived experiences. Drawing from collaborative therapy and systemic sex therapy, I partner with clients to explore how family dynamics, early life experiences, and past traumas shape present-day concerns, particularly in intimacy, authenticity, and communication. Together, we uncover unconscious patterns that influence choices and relational dynamics, fostering deeper connection and self-awareness. I support individuals and partners in navigating intense symptoms of anxiety and depression, and guide them through significant life transitions—such as career shifts, divorce, or entering college—with compassion, curiosity, and a commitment to shared meaning-making.

For sexual concerns, I integrate my training as a marriage and family therapist with sex therapy, using an approach called systemic sex therapy. Systemic sex therapy is beneficial because it looks at sexual issues within the larger context of clients' relationships, cultural backgrounds, family systems, and personal histories. Rather than isolating sexual concerns as individual problems, systemic sex therapy views them as interconnected with other aspects of clients' lives. This approach helps clients understand how factors like communication styles, relationship dynamics, family beliefs, and cultural expectations all play a role in their sexual experiences and challenges. As a result, clients gain a deeper, more holistic understanding of their sexuality, fostering healthier relationships and personal growth.

Seeking therapy is a meaningful and courageous first step. You're beginning a journey of change and growth that may bring about positive shifts within yourself or deepen connections in your relationships. Welcome to this path forward. You will never be seen as the problem; the problem is the problem, and there are always strategies for understanding underlying emotions and maintaining our struggles.