Jacqueline Smith MFT

I draw on my education, training and personal life to assist my clients with their challenges.
I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.
I was born and raised in Brazil, and traveled extensively until I settled in California, where I started graduate school in my mid-twenties.
I am fluent in Portuguese and proficient in Spanish.
I have been working in the mental health field since 1994, and as a licensed psychotherapist since 2003.
The breadth of my exposure encompasses a psychiatric hospital, several community mental health agencies in San Francisco, a college campus clinic, outpatient day treatments, elementary schools, a trauma center at Rady's Children Hospital, a group practice and my private practice, where I see individuals and couples.

All of us throughout life have had to cope with stress one way or another.
Talking to friends, reading books that relate to our experience, getting physically active, planning and making lists are some popular ways to cope with distress.
People tend to seek professional help when their capacity to cope is overwhelmed, or they are feeling stuck; when their attempt at handling things is becoming more of a problem than a solution; when they've tried everything but the mental pain and behavior problems persist.

Intimate relationships are special and take such a central part of our lives, yet not all couples develop a robust sense of trust and autonomy.
They may run a household together, or share a bank account, but don't stay connected in a way that allows for "interdependence" -- that sense that "you can count on me and I know you have my back."
This interdependence thrives on many important ingredients: trust, healthy boundaries, flexibility, curiosity, respect, shared goals and good communication.
My approach to couples therapy is collaborative.

If you are considering psychotherapy, I encourage you to schedule an initial consultation session in which you'll have the opportunity to get a feel for how I work, while I begin to learn about your concerns and make an assessment.
It will be during the initial consultation that we will discuss the appropriateness of psychotherapy at this time, and we'll develop a plan for your next steps.
Your plan may include scheduling additional sessions.
The length and frequency of the sessions will also be discussed at this first meeting, and will depend on your level of distress, your preferences, my clinical assessment, your time limitations and financial concerns.