About Christopher Faris, LMFT

Who Am I:

I am a licensed marriage and Family Therapist (MFT#77127) and I have worked with numerous individuals, couples and families dealing with issues such as grief, anxiety, depression, difficult relationships, substance abuse, and spiritual issues.  I feel privileged to do this work and take great amounts of joy in it.  

I am passionate about helping people find peace, move towards healing, and grow in maturity and love.  I have current and previous experience working as a Pastor, Student Affairs professional at Pepperdine University, as an adjunct Professor at Azusa Pacific University in the Graduate program for Clinical Psychology, and in various counseling settings in Los Angeles and Orange County. 

I received my graduate clinical training from Pepperdine University, and also have an undergraduate degree in Biblical Studies.  I am in private practice in Costa Mesa, California, and am passionate about the arts, especially music and film.

How I Work:

Therapy is a safe, confidential space where individuals can explore their own thoughts and feelings, hurts and pains.  Research informs us that the greatest catalyst of change occurs out of the strength of the therapeutic bond between client and therapist.  It is in the context of a caring, empathic, therapeutic relationship that I find my clients growing and becoming empowered as they deal with issues deeply affecting their relationships with others, their families, and themselves.

While I integrate several approaches to help my clients achieve their goals, I primarily use EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing).  As an EMDR certified therapist through the EMDR International Association, I help individuals who are dealing with the residue of traumatic experiences.  This is expressed in individuals through high levels of anxiety, panic, and depression who generally feel flooded by their thoughts and feelings.  

EMDR is a type of therapy which helps people heal from trauma by targeting the individual's distressing memories and reprocessing them in a safe, confidential space through a combination of talk therapy and eye movements. This powerful technique has helped many people overcome the pain of trauma from various types of abuse, life and death incidents, and other distressing experiences.

I also integrate elements of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help individuals understand how their thoughts and feelings influence one another.  Clients are given practical tools to process their experiences and understand more about themselves.  Many of my clients find that exploring their family of origin and understanding their attachment bonds is a fruitful means of processing relational patterns and understanding how they experience love.  This often helps individual's understand how they engage in relationships with others, themselves, and even God.  The length of therapy can be short or long term, whatever works best for the client.  

If you are interested in setting up an appointment, please call 866 684-6530 or email me at cfariscounseling@gmail.com. Be advised that the phone number does not receive text messages. Before starting therapy, I offer an initial no cost 15 minute consultation to learn about your counseling needs and see if we are a good fit to work together. If not you will be given additional referrals to other therapists.

I look forward to the opportunity to work with you!

Fees:

Therapy cost is $200 per 50 minute session

Unfortunately I do not take insurance, however I do provide a bill which has all necessary codes to submit for reimbursement (assuming your plan cover my services as an out of network provider).

Most treatment plans necessitate weekly sessions at the outset of therapy but are adjusted to meet the needs of the client throughout the course of therapy. Based on your reason for counseling, we will discuss this in further detail in session.