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 Polly S. Matsuoka, M.A., MFT
Education:
- B.S. in Human Development, UC Davis
- M.A. in Counseling Psychology, Santa Clara University
- Licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist, November, 1996
Specialized Training:
- 14-month Cohort Training with Dr. Daniel Hughes in Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, 2001-03
- Theraplay Training, 2005
Current Professional Activities:
- Private Practice in affiliation with Hope Counseling Center of Silicon Valley
- Adjunct Instructor, Graduate Psychology Department, Bethany University, Scotts Valley
- Clinical Supervisor, Almaden Valley Counseling Center
Areas of Focus:
- Individual, Couple, Child, and Family Counseling
- Child Assessment
- Child Play Therapy
- Parent Coaching and Support
- Attachment-Focused Family Therapy
- Support for Foster and Adoptive Families
- Pre-Engagement and Pre-Marital Counseling
- Cross Cultural Couple and Family Counseling
- Therapy for MFT Students, Trainees, and Interns
Inspiring, equipping, and empowering parents to raise secure and thriving children is my passion. If you are parenting young children and have concerns about their emotional, social, or spiritual development, how your child's physical growth and development are impacting his or her relationships or functioning, or you are worried about your child's behavior at home, at school, or in other community settings, I would be happy to provide support. I can do that in the form of parent coaching, child assessment, child play therapy, or parent-child sessions with a focus on strengthening the bond between you and your child to resolve problems, facilitate growth, and develop a strong attachment that will provide the foundation for healthy development and satisfying family life. With experience as a preschool teacher, elementary and middle school counselor, parenting educator, and over 12 years as a child and family therapist, I can help you navigate the ages and stages, challenges and transitions that you face as a parent, whether those are part of normal family life, or due to special needs of your child, or trauma or loss experienced by your child or another family member.
I am trained in Dr. Daniel Hughes' approach to attachment focused family therapy, and have provided therapy to foster and adoptive families using his principles. I also incorporate Theraplay activities into my work with families who have very young children experiencing challenges in the area of attachment.
For couples, I am available for pre-engagement or pre-marital counseling, as well as ongoing couple counseling for both married and unmarried couples. Pre-marital or married couples may benefit from the use of the Prepare or Enrich Inventories. Each inventory is an online and computer scored couple inventory that provides information to the couple about areas of agreement and disagreement, and couple strengths and growth areas. I am trained and experienced with the Prepare/Enrich inventories and can use these instruments in a series of 3 or 6 sessions, or as the beginning to a longer process of preparation for marriage or ongoing marital counseling.
I have a special interest, and am experienced, in cross-cultural couple and family relationships, and am familiar with the specific issues and challenges, as well as the great rewards that are part, of building couple and family relationships with individuals from different parts of the globe, and also with individuals of the same culture but of different generations in regards to their family's residency here in the States. I can identify and build on the strengths you bring to your couple relationship from your own family and cultural background, as well as provide assistance in looking ahead to potential areas of difficulty due to familial and cultural differences in areas such as communication, role expectations, daily life, and parenting and extended family relationships.
For those preparing to work in the field of Marriage and Family Therapy, I am currently a supervisor of MFT trainees and interns as well as a graduate instructor in a Counseling Psychology program, so I know the process you are going through! I have provided individual therapy to MFT students and interns and work to make that affordable as you complete your training. If you are looking for therapy as you prepare to become a therapist, I would welcome the opportunity to be a part of your support network.
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