Holistic Jungian therapist specializing in trauma and relationships
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
In my journey, I have learned that the roots of our disharmony must be identified – we must become aware of the underlying causes of our problematic issues before we can recover our authentic self.
In addition to doing individual therapy, I am an adjunct at a university where I teach Psychology and I am a court-recognized expert on sexual assault and child abuse. In this role, I do Forensic Psychology consultation work with attorneys who represent court-dependent minors. I look closely into the lives of people harmed, both physically and emotionally, within the context of the family. Victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, the maltreatment of children, and the elderly – vulnerable people who were harmed instead of protected by the family system. I am keenly aware of the negative impact, generationally, of this childhood exposure to family chaos and trauma.
These experiences led me to intensely examine underlying motivations and to the advanced study of a psychological theory—family systems theory. I have learned that while justice is an important component of healing, it is not the whole picture.
Authentic recovery must include awareness, responsibility, courage, and forgiveness. I help my clients discover for themselves these vital components of authentic healing.
On a personal level, I enjoy nature and outdoor activities – the beach, hiking, bird-watching, and camping.
I would like to include a note to our modern-day warriors – today’s public servants – those individuals who must daily share the pain of others- up close – our first responders. You may find yourself having significant impairment in your social or occupational areas of functioning, or you may have the need to process a stressful event you have experienced. If you begin experiencing increased emotional arousal (anger, irritability, fear, depression) in daily events, you may be experiencing acute stress response. There are critical components involved in coming to terms with acute or post-traumatic stress, and I would be honored to help you recognize and implement these steps. I have been there.
To anyone considering therapy, no matter the source of their emotional pain, authentic healing involves understanding the fundamental processes of life and using the principles inherent in that understanding. Once the roots of our disharmony are identified—awareness—we can employ the principles of responsibility, courage, and forgiveness to recover genuine emotional health.
My clients have taught me that they prefer practical, goal-driven therapy. Because of this, I like to use solution-focused and Cognitive Behavioral theories in my work. Many of my past clients have reported that they prefer these theories. They prefer improving negative symptoms during treatment via solution-focused therapy and setting clear, concise, and realistic goal-setting concepts found in Cognitive Behavioral treatment.
Thank you for taking the time to read about me. I wish you the emotional health needed to live the life you dream of. In considering me as a therapist for yourself, I can’t overstate my gratitude to you for allowing me to serve you in this way.
Licensed · Professional · Cancel Anytime
Andrea McLellan is a licensed marriage and family therapist practicing in California with 14 years of clinical experience. She approaches emotional and relational difficulties by tracing them back to their roots and helping people become aware of the underlying causes that keep them from recovering their authentic selves.
In addition to individual therapy, Andrea teaches psychology as an adjunct at a university and serves as a court-recognized expert in cases of sexual assault and child abuse. Her forensic psychology consultation work involves collaborating with attorneys who represent court-dependent minors, and she examines the lives of people harmed physically and emotionally within family systems. She has particular experience with victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child maltreatment, and elder abuse, and she understands how childhood exposure to family chaos and trauma can affect subsequent generations.
Those experiences motivated Andrea to study family systems theory in depth. While she values justice as part of healing, she also emphasizes that true recovery requires awareness, responsibility, courage, and forgiveness. She guides people through recognizing those elements and applying them to rebuild emotional health.
Andrea favors practical, goal-driven interventions. She frequently uses solution-focused strategies together with Cognitive Behavioral methods to reduce negative symptoms during treatment and to set clear, realistic goals. She reports that many clients prefer this combination because it targets immediate concerns while building longer-term skills.
Andrea also offers a special invitation to modern-day warriors – today’s public servants and first responders – who regularly encounter others’ pain. If increased emotional arousal such as anger, irritability, fear, or depression begins to interfere with social or occupational functioning, Andrea can help identify and implement the steps involved in coming to terms with acute or post-traumatic stress. She speaks from personal experience in this area.
Outside of her professional life, Andrea enjoys nature and outdoor activities including the beach, hiking, bird-watching, and camping. She appreciates the opportunity to support others in regaining the emotional health needed to pursue the life they envision.
Many people ask whether therapy delivered remotely can really help. For common concerns such as stress, anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, or navigating life transitions, online therapy has been shown to be comparable in effectiveness to traditional in-person sessions.
One major advantage is flexibility – individuals can meet with therapists in the way that best fits their lives, whether by video, phone, live chat, or in-app messaging. This variety of options makes it easier to maintain continuity of care and to fit sessions into a busy schedule.
All participating professionals are licensed, and you have the option to switch therapists if you feel another clinician would be a better fit. For many people, remote therapy offers an accessible, adaptable way to address common mental health and relationship concerns while working with qualified therapists.
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