IFS Therapist in Novato, CA | Parts Work & Trauma Therapy

IFS therapy works for anxiety in Novato and North Marin residents because it addresses the internal part generating anxiety directly rather than managing its symptoms from the outside. The anxious part developed for real reasons -- it learned that vigilance was necessary and has been running that program ever since, regardless of whether current circumstances warrant it. IFS gets curious about what that part is protecting, what experience taught it to stay on high alert, and what would need to be true for it to trust that it can relax. That direct engagement produces relief that coping strategies, mindfulness, and cognitive approaches provide only partially. Learn more about IFS therapy.

EMDR therapy for PTSD and trauma in Novato works by processing the specific experiences stored in the nervous system as active threat rather than historical memory. Novato has a significant military and veteran presence through its proximity to Hamilton Field, and the trauma presentations common in that population -- hypervigilance, avoidance, emotional numbing, intrusive memories -- respond particularly well to EMDR because the approach works at the neurological level where those responses are stored rather than requiring extensive verbal processing of difficult material. More on how EMDR works for PTSD.

Telehealth therapy in Novato addresses the most consistent barrier to mental health care in North Marin -- the distance from the concentration of providers in southern Marin and San Francisco. Sessions happen from home, Wednesday through Friday, with a licensed LMFT specializing in IFS and EMDR. For Novato residents, the practical reality of driving down 101 to an appointment and back adds significant time to what should be a manageable weekly commitment. Removing that barrier is often what makes consistent attendance achievable rather than aspirational. Most clients notice meaningful change within 12 to 20 sessions.

IFS reaches the internal parts driving anxiety and relationship patterns at a level that insight-oriented therapy often does not -- engaging each part directly rather than examining patterns from the outside

EMDR processes trauma and stuck experiences at the nervous system level, producing change where years of talking about the same material has not

Online therapy for Novato and North Marin residents means no commute down 101, no drive into southern Marin -- sessions from home on a schedule that fits actual life

Marcus works with adults 18 and older -- anxiety, depression, trauma, burnout, grief, relationship patterns, and life transitions

Private pay with superbills for PPO reimbursement -- $210 for 45 minutes, $280 for 60 minutes

Free 15-minute consultation before any commitment

The consultation is 15 minutes -- a direct conversation about what you are dealing with, what you have already tried, and whether IFS and EMDR are the right fit for your specific situation. No forms, no obligation. If working together makes sense, the first full session maps the internal parts most active in creating the difficulty and begins building a direct working relationship with them. Sessions are 45 or 60 minutes via secure telehealth video, Wednesday through Friday.

IFS sessions involve turning toward specific internal parts with curiosity rather than judgment. The anxious part, the self-critical part, the avoidant part, the part that carries old pain from earlier experiences. Rather than discussing these parts from a narrative distance, IFS builds a direct relationship with each -- understanding what it is protecting and what it needs. For Novato clients dealing with anxiety or trauma that has not responded to previous approaches, this direct engagement with the internal system is often what produces movement.

EMDR sessions are structured around specific experiences or clusters of experiences the nervous system has not fully processed. The bilateral stimulation -- eye movements or tapping -- activates natural processing in a way that allows stored threat responses to update. For Novato veterans, first responders, and anyone whose anxiety or PTSD has roots in specific traumatic experiences, EMDR often produces significant change in fewer sessions than insight-oriented approaches typically require because it works at the neurological level rather than the narrative one.

Getting started is simple. Click the button below to schedule a free 15-minute consultation, or use the contact form to reach out with questions. I typically respond within 1-2 business days.