Sarah Straus, LPCC #13975

I’m a licensed therapist based in San Diego, CA, specializing in couples and relationship therapy. I use evidence-based approaches—including the Gottman Method and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)—to help partners reconnect, rebuild trust, and communicate more effectively. Whether you're raising young kids, preparing for a family, or feeling distant during major transitions, I offer structured, supportive therapy to help you grow together. I have advanced training in couples work, teach couples therapy as an adjunct professor in an MFT program, and bring both clinical and personal experience to this work. As a Navy spouse of 24+ years and a mom to teenagers, I understand the stress that family life, relocation, parenting, and long separations can place on a relationship. My own experience with the Gottman Method helped strengthen my marriage during those exact challenges—and it’s what now guides my work with other couples. In addition to relationship work, I also support individuals navigating identity shifts, parenting burnout, trauma, neurodivergence (ADHD/ASD), and recovery. My predoctoral internship focused on diagnosing autism spectrum disorders and ADHD, and I’ve worked in residential settings supporting clients with substance use and co-occurring trauma. My dissertation explored transitional-aged youth exposed to fentanyl. I bring a relational, trauma-informed lens to therapy, drawing from the Gottman Method, EFT, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and psychodynamic care. I tailor treatment to the couple or individual sitting in front of me—never one-size-fits-all. Whether we’re meeting in my warm and inviting Rancho Bernardo office or through secure telehealth across California, you can expect integrity, collaboration, and a deep respect for your goals and lived experience.