OUR COUNSELORS
Meet Empathi's
Therapists
Work face-to-face with one of our highly-trained therapists.
We meet with couples and/or individuals to provide customized support.


We're Figs and Teale, the founders of Empathi.
We’re also husband and wife, so working on relationships is not just a job, it’s our way of life. We’re dedicated to making sure everybody gets the support they need.
Schedule a free, confidential consultation today.
One of our highly qualified counselors will learn what’s happening with your relationship, then come up with a support plan to meet your particular needs.
Meet the Empathi
Team
Figs is the creator of the Empathi method and the certification process for Empathi coaches. He's also Chief Empathi Officer, husband, dad, wounded-healer and was featured on NPR's All Things Considered as a champion for healthy relationships.
Figs' life's mission is to help couples feel more connected.

Teale is a wife, mother, artist and passionate advocate for love relationships. She has a special focus on cultural sensitivity, parenting, and how to prevent and repair affairs and other relationship injuries. Teale loves working with people to facilitate their greater sense of self-acceptance and capacity to experience joy and connection.

A gentle man who walks the talk, a loyal long-time partner in a committed relationship. Ford is a certified teacher and senior trainer in iRest, helping train other therapists in this somatic healing practice. He is also certified in yoga therapy and SHEN therapy for emotional healing. Ford's passion is helping clients find fulfilling connection with themselves and in their relationships.

Karen is skilled at helping couples understand the painful cycle of conflict they’re stuck in and guiding them back to safety, connection, and love. She is known by her clients for offering direct and honest feedback with love, warmth, and humor. Karen specializes in working with couples and individuals dealing with relationship issues. She is trained in Gottman Couples Therapy and has intensive training in EFT for Couples.

As an individual and couples therapist, Lauren collaborates with clients in the brave work of tuning into underlying feelings to facilitate authentic connection and a sense of being more fully alive. Lauren brings openness, curiosity, and genuineness to her therapeutic work and is sensitive to each client’s unique needs and life experiences.

Relationships are a mirror, portal, and cauldron to Joanna, who believes a little bit of work can lead to transformative relief within a relationship. She is a skilled supporter who has personal experience with monogamous, polyamorous, and open relationships.
Joanna is trained in a range of therapy approaches, but most of all, she is known for bringing mindfulness and an attitude of gratitude to her work with clients. Formerly a political advocate, Joanna now advocates for people like you, seeking the love they desire.

Supervised by Teale Taxis, LMFT#100084
Ben is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and CATC Certified Addiction Treatment Specialist. Ben has extensive experience and passion for helping individuals and couples overcome painful habits and patterns, in order to move into lives of greater joy and fulfillment.
Ben first owned a life coaching company in Santa Barbara, California where he worked to help people develop, clarify and achieve their goals. Going on to become a licensed psychotherapist Ben has passion for both helping people achieve their outer goals in the world and to heal and grow their emotional lives so they can experience new levels of personal freedom, fulfillment and love.

It’s tough to see couples who really love each other fall apart just because they don’t have the insight they need to make it work. That’s why Iliana works heart-to-heart with individuals and couples, in English or in Spanish, to help them deeply connect to themselves and others.
Using the Emotionally-Focused Therapy model, Iliana leads individuals in navigating their inner world and helps partners understand and see each other so that they can rebuild the trust, safety, and love they both long for.

Supervised by Fiachra Figs O’Sullivan, LMFT #79062
Relationships have the ability to present us with challenges, and for this reason they also have the ability to be our greatest teachers and catalysts for growth.
A student of life and of her own partnership spanning over a decade, Justin is a lover of music, nature, food, learning and connection.
She enjoys working with couples from diverse backgrounds and of diverse configurations to uncover the cycles that generate conflict and disconnection between them. She utilizes an EFT attachment framework to help couples fundamentally shift their perspectives in order to experience a deeper sense of safety, freedom and connection with one another.

Supervised by Teale Taxis, LMFT#100084
Ali is a warm, compassionate, and loving therapist. She is an expert in working from an Attachment lens with all types of couples and families as well as parent-child relationships. Ali got her master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy (‘97), her doctorate in Psychology: Marriage and Family Therapy (‘18), and has continued her life-long love of learning with postdoctoral master-level training as an Emotionally Focused Couples (EFT) therapist.
Ali is also a parenting educator and for over 30 years she has worked with families with someone who identifies as LGBTQIA+ and all the issues relating to coming out, questioning your gender/sexuality, as well as dealing with the disenfranchised grief one may have when a loved one comes out.

Supervised by Fiachra Figs O'Sullivan, LMFT #79062
EMDR-trained Marriage and Family Therapist and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner. Happily married father of two. Raphael loves helping people get more intimately connected by helping them work through emotional and traumatic blocks. His own long-term relationship has been aided greatly by Emotionally Focused Therapy and he wants to share the benefits of being more insightful, honest, and compassionate in relationships.
Raphael has worked with several different configurations of relationship with the focus on creating security, care and safety. By helping couples relate to each other more effectively, it has ripple effects on their children; friends; extended community. The stronger we are together, the easier the travails of life are to face.

Kristin Herbert enjoys collaborating with couples and individuals as they work to understand their patterns, expand their sense of agency, and build lives and relationships that are coherent with their values and priorities.
With profound respect for the universal importance of belonging and feeling understood, Kristin supports people as they learn to use their emotions to guide them into deeper, more secure connections with themselves and one another.

Supervised by Teale Taxis, LMFT #100084
Sean believes in the power of connection. His work with couples, families, individuals, and children is inspired by his experience with Emotionally-Focused Therapy, Internal Family Systems, and Somatic/Mindfulness practices. Sean's clients appreciate his ability to provide a safe environment to explore their challenges, identify old patterns, and discover new strategies to cultivate the balance, love, and connection they deserve to have in their lives. Sean is also a loving husband, proud father, and outdoor enthusiast.

Supervised by Teale Taxis, LMFT #100084
Vulnerability is the greatest asset we have for building personal and interpersonal resilience. That’s why Olga is committed to offering a safe, compassionate, and nonjudgmental therapeutic environment where those she helps can achieve their goals and grow into their personhood.
Olga specializes in using EFT in new ways with couples to foster a long-lasting and secure attachment in an attentive, collaborative space. Here, partners can explore their emotions and behavioral triggers, attaining a greater understanding of themselves and each other.

Supervised by Teale Taxis, LMFT #100084
Osha is passionate about supporting couples and individuals in nurturing their strengths, and discovering areas where growth is possible. His holistic approach to therapy aims to empower you to make peace with past traumas, clear obstacles in the pursuit of happiness, and become more fulfilled in life!
Osha’s areas of specialization include working with trauma, anxiety, depression, substance use, couples and relationship issues, spirituality, sexuality, life decisions, health, and holistic wellness.

Supervised by Fiachra Figs O'Sullivan, LMFT #79062
Figs’ life’s mission is to help couples feel more connected.
Certified in EFT for couples



Supervised by Fiachra Figs O’Sullivan LMFT #79062

Supervised by Teale Taxis, LMFT #100084











Fiachra "Figs" O'Sullivan
COUNSELOR
Certified EFT Practitioner, LMFT #79062
Figs is the creator of the Empathi method and the certification process for Empathi coaches. He’s also Chief Empathi Officer, husband, dad, wounded-healer and was featured on NPR’s All Things Considered as a champion for healthy relationships.
Figs’ life’s mission is to help couples feel more connected.

Teale Taxis
COUNSELOR
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #100084
Teale is a wife, mother, artist and passionate advocate for love relationships. She has a special focus on cultural sensitivity, parenting, and how to prevent and repair affairs and other relationship injuries. Teale loves working with people to facilitate their greater sense of self-acceptance and capacity to experience joy and connection.

Ford Peck
COUNSELOR
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in San Francisco #116677
A gentle man who walks the talk, a loyal long-time partner in a committed relationship. Ford is a certified teacher and senior trainer in iRest, helping train other therapists in this somatic healing practice. He is also certified in yoga therapy and SHEN therapy for emotional healing. Ford’s passion is helping clients find fulfilling connection with themselves and in their relationships.

Karen Gordon
COUNSELOR
Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in California #9560
Karen is skilled at helping couples understand the painful cycle of conflict they’re stuck in and guiding them back to safety, connection, and love. She is known by her clients for offering direct and honest feedback with love, warmth, and humor. Karen specializes in working with couples and individuals dealing with relationship issues. She is trained in Gottman Couples Therapy and has intensive training in EFT for Couples.

Lauren Williams
COUNSELOR
Licensed Clinical Social Worker in San Francisco #103508
As an individual and couples therapist, Lauren collaborates with clients in the brave work of tuning into underlying feelings to facilitate authentic connection and a sense of being more fully alive. Lauren brings openness, curiosity, and genuineness to her therapeutic work and is sensitive to each client’s unique needs and life experiences.

Joanna Calabrese
COUNSELOR
Associate Marriage and Family Therapist in California #125355
Supervised by Teale Taxis, LMFT #100084
Relationships are a mirror, portal, and cauldron to Joanna, who believes a little bit of work can lead to transformative relief within a relationship. She is a skilled supporter who has personal experience with monogamous, polyamorous, and open relationships. Joanna is trained in a range of therapy approaches, but most of all, she is known for bringing mindfulness and an attitude of gratitude to her work with clients. Formerly a political advocate, Joanna now advocates for people like you, seeking the love they desire.

Ben Murphy
COUNSELOR
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #87265
Ben is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and CATC Certified Addiction Treatment Specialist. Ben has extensive experience and passion for helping individuals and couples overcome painful habits and patterns, in order to move into lives of greater joy and fulfillment.
Ben first owned a life coaching company in Santa Barbara, California where he worked to help people develop, clarify and achieve their goals. Going on to become a licensed psychotherapist Ben has passion for both helping people achieve their outer goals in the world and to heal and grow their emotional lives so they can experience new levels of personal freedom, fulfillment and love.

Justin Schreiner
COUNSELOR
Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #118938
Supervised by Teale Taxis, CA MFT #100084
Relationships have the ability to present us with challenges, and for this reason they also have the ability to be our greatest teachers and catalysts for growth.
A student of life and of her own partnership spanning over a decade, Justin is a lover of music, nature, food, learning and connection.
She enjoys working with couples from diverse backgrounds and of diverse configurations to uncover the cycles that generate conflict and disconnection between them. She utilizes an EFT attachment framework to help couples fundamentally shift their perspectives in order to experience a deeper sense of safety, freedom and connection with one another.

Iliana Paola Domínguez
INTERNATIONAL COUNSELOR
Licensed Psychologist in Mexico
Supervised by Fiachra Figs O’Sullivan LMFT #79062
It’s tough to see couples who really love each other fall apart just because they don’t have the insight they need to make it work. That’s why Iliana works heart-to-heart with individuals and couples, in English or in Spanish, to help them deeply connect to themselves and others.
Using the Emotionally-Focused Therapy model, Iliana leads individuals in navigating their inner world and helps partners understand and see each other so that they can rebuild the trust, safety, and love they both long for.

Dr. Ali Dubin
COUNSELOR
PsyD, CPC, Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #106098
Supervised by Fiachra Figs O’Sullivan LMFT #79062
Ali is a warm, compassionate, and loving therapist. She is an expert in working from an Attachment lens with all types of couples and families as well as parent-child relationships. Ali got her master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy (‘97), her doctorate in Psychology: Marriage and Family Therapy (‘18), and has continued her life-long love of learning with postdoctoral master-level training as an Emotionally Focused Couples (EFT) therapist.
Ali is also a parenting educator and for over 30 years she has worked with families with someone who identifies as LGBTQIA+ and all the issues relating to coming out, questioning your gender/sexuality, as well as dealing with the disenfranchised grief one may have when a loved one comes out.

Raphael Barker
COUNSELOR
Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, LMFT #123865
EMDR-trained Marriage and Family Therapist and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner. Happily married father of two. Raphael loves helping people get more intimately connected by helping them work through emotional and traumatic blocks. His own long-term relationship has been aided greatly by Emotionally Focused Therapy and he wants to share the benefits of being more insightful, honest, and compassionate in relationships.
Raphael has worked with several different configurations of relationship with the focus on creating security, care and safety. By helping couples relate to each other more effectively, it has ripple effects on their children; friends; extended community. The stronger we are together, the easier the travails of life are to face.

Kristin Herbert
COUNSELOR
Associate Marriage and Family Therapist in California #124146
Supervised by Teale Taxis, LMFT #100084
Kristin Herbert enjoys collaborating with couples and individuals as they work to understand their patterns, expand their sense of agency, and build lives and relationships that are coherent with their values and priorities.
With profound respect for the universal importance of belonging and feeling understood, Kristin supports people as they learn to use their emotions to guide them into deeper, more secure connections with themselves and one another.

Sean Neesley
COUNSELOR
Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #126334, APCC #9783
Supervised by Teale Taxis, LMFT #100084
Sean believes in the power of connection. His work with couples, families, individuals, and children is inspired by his experience with Emotionally-Focused Therapy, Internal Family Systems, and Somatic/Mindfulness practices.
Sean’s clients appreciate his ability to provide a safe environment to explore their challenges, identify old patterns, and discover new strategies to cultivate the balance, love, and connection they deserve to have in their lives. Sean is also a loving husband, proud father, and outdoor enthusiast.

Olga Alayev
COUNSELOR
Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #124377, APCC #9305
Supervised by Teale Taxis, LMFT #100084
Vulnerability is the greatest asset we have for building personal and interpersonal resilience. That’s why Olga is committed to offering a safe, compassionate, and nonjudgmental therapeutic environment where those she helps can achieve their goals and grow into their personhood.
Olga specializes in using EFT in new ways with couples to foster a long-lasting and secure attachment in an attentive, collaborative space. Here, partners can explore their emotions and behavioral triggers, attaining a greater understanding of themselves and each other.

Osha Brodsky
COUNSELOR
Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #126457
Supervised by Fiachra Figs O’Sullivan, LMFT #79062
Osha is passionate about supporting couples and individuals in nurturing their strengths, and discovering areas where growth is possible. His holistic approach to therapy aims to empower you to make peace with past traumas, clear obstacles in the pursuit of happiness, and become more fulfilled in life!
Osha’s areas of specialization include working with trauma, anxiety, depression, substance use, couples and relationship issues, spirituality, sexuality, life decisions, health, and holistic wellness.
We're here to help
Schedule a call now and we’ll find the right
Empathi therapist for your needs!
Join the Empathi Team
Think you have what it takes to practice The Empathi Method? We want to meet you!
Read our therapist's reviews
Meet Your Empathi Monsters
These adorable creatures will be with you every step of the way as you navigate our supplemental relationship tools. Are you a Jo? Are you a Pat? Discover it with the Empathi Quiz!
Jo
EMPATHI CREATURE Relentless Lover
Jo is an imaginary being in service to you and your partner, to reflect back relationship behaviors in a fun, engaging, and non-threatening way. Jo embodies the set of human emotions, judgments, and strategies commonly used by people with the emotional bonding style we call the Relentless Lover. By providing an external focus for you and your partner in the Empathi Exploration Quiz, Reports and Courses, Jo hopes you will be able to see your relationship behaviors with more clarity and self-compassion.
Pat
EMPATHI CREATURE Reluctant Lover
Just like Jo, Pat is an imaginary being in service to your relationship, although from the perspective of the common emotional bonding style we call the Reluctant Lover. Pat also reviews your answers to the Empathi Exploration Quiz and helps reflect back ways of being in love, because sometimes it is easier to see ourselves from an outside perspective. Pat has a deeply poignant way of illustrating relationship behaviors—and might even help you have a good laugh or two at yourself!