We have been blessed to host IFS Trainers and Senior Lead IFS Trainers from the IFS Institute for our retreats & courses. Our list of course presenters includes:

Toni Herbine-Blank
Toni Herbine-Blank Founder Intimacy From the Inside Out (IFIO)
Pam Krause
Pam KrauseSenior Lead IFS Trainer
Kay Gardner
Kay GardnerSenior Lead IFS Trainer
Kim Paulus
Kim PaulusSenior Lead IFS Trainer

Q: Are the IFS courses offered by Collective Self Energy the same as the IFS Trainings offered by the IFS Institute?

No. Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 IFS training programs offered through the IFS Institute provide comprehensive training and experience in the IFS therapeutic model. Upon completion of each level of training thru the IFS-I, participants are prepared to work as IFS therapists, having gained a breadth of knowledge and understanding about the way in which IFS enhances their lives, the lives of their clients, and others. Other IFS events and activities – such as IFS courses offered through Collective Self Energy – are generally shorter and/or serve as very basic introductions to aspects of the IFS model. The courses offered through Collective Self Energy are intended to inform therapists, coaches and medical providers about the model by providing them with a basic introduction to the model, while they wait to get into a Level 1 training program through the IFS Institute. We designed our intro courses specifically to support and empower those who are patiently waiting to get into a Level 1 Training. We do offer some courses that are facilitated by Lead IFS Trainers and are thus approved thru the IFS-Institute. These courses are for those who have taken a Level 1 training thru the IFS Institute, and CE credits for IFS certification will usually be offered in these cases. Please inquire.

A Note To IFS Trainers

If you are an IFS Trainer, we would be honored to host a retreat or a course for you. It is our deepest intention to take care of everything, so all you have to do is show up and facilitate. We will take care of everything else for you, from start to finish – including handling registrations & payments, securing accommodations and providing CEU’s.
If you would like us to help host you for an in-person retreat or course in California, Costa Rica, Hawaii, Mexico, Brazil, Italy or France, please click the button below, or reach out to sioux@mcaft.com to inquire. We would LOVE to host you!

Abel Martinez, Associate Marriage & Family Therapist

AMFT #113157     abel@mcaft.com     650-297-3400 x4

Location: Los Altos   |   Fee: $170

Modalities: Cognitive Behavioral, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Trauma Informed, Play Therapy, Puppet Play, Family of Origin, Art Therapy, and Psychodrama

Specialties:

Child, Teen & Transitional Age: Depression, anxiety, maladaptive behaviors, isolation, transition to adulthood fears, acculturation challenges

Adult: Individual, couples, addiction, depression, anxiety, anger/violence, acculturation challenges, male identity issues

Background:
Throughout the last 26 years working in Mental Health, I have honed my skills in connecting with the most vulnerable of our society. My time with Uplift Children and Family Services provided me the opportunity to work with traumatized, children, teens & adults with severe behavioral challenges, as well as socioeconomic and generational trauma. My work with Refugee Foster Care and Family Reunification forged a gentle, trauma informed approach to therapy…READ MORE

Andrea Throndson, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist 

MFT #103006       Andrea@mcaft.com       650-297-3400 x6

Location: Palo Alto, CA     |     Fee: $200

Modalities: Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Trauma Informed

Specialties: Adults and teens navigating anxiety, depression, grief, addiction, alcoholism. Couples. Family therapy. Co-parenting. Parents who have children with anxiety, addiction, emotional challenges and/or special needs.

Andrea brings a wealth of experience supporting teens, young adults and adults struggling with anxiety, grief, depression and addiction. Andrea offers Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) for teens and adults, and has completed Marsha Linnehan’s 16 week DBT Foundational Course. Andrea also has extensive training and experience supporting people and families dealing with alcohol and drug addiction at the Addictions Institute in Menlo Park. She worked for several years at Kara (Grief Support Services) and has extensive training and…READ MORE

Erin Todhunter, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist

MFT #130218       erin@mcaft.com       650-297-3400 x7

Location: Los Altos, CA      |      Fee: $200

Modalities: Internal Family Systems, Trauma Informed, Person-Centered

Areas of Special Interest:

CHILDREN & TEENS: Anxiety, OCD, stress, overwhelm, peer challenges, adjustment to school, self identity, grief & loss and life transitions.

ADULTS: Couples, anxiety, OCD, depression, relationship / communication challenges, life transitions, grief & loss, parenting support, maternal anxiety / depression, maternal loss.

Erin believes strongly in the value of therapy as a way of addressing unresolved issues, getting unstuck and finding new and better ways of being in relationship with oneself and others. Her theoretical orientation is influenced by Internal Family Systems and is rooted in person-centered, humanistic, attachment and psychodynamic principles and … READ MORE

Jalene N. Salus, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, Certified Integrative Health Counselor

MFT #45363       jalene@mcaft.com        650-297-3400 x 10

Location: Los Altos & Half Moon Bay      |     Fee: $200

Modalities: Internal Family Systems, Trauma Informed, Mindfulness-Based Somatic Therapy, Mindful Health & Wellness, Resiliency Based

Specialties: Children, Teens and Adults. Parents, Couples and Families.

Focus: Stress Resilience. Motherhood / Parenthood, Grief, Loss & Life Transitions. Integrative Nutrition, Work-Life Balance, Women’s Wellness.

Jalene is a genuinely warm and compassionate therapist committed to providing quality care to children, teens, adults, couples, and families. Jalene has a special interest in resiliency, which reflects her unwavering belief in each individual’s profound … READ MORE

Jennifer Merrill, Licensed Social Worker

LCSW #29484         jennifer@mcaft.com         650-297-3400 x12

Location: Los Altos, CA   |     Fee: $200

Modalities: Internal Family Systems, Trauma Informed, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Specialities: Children, adolescents, parents, and young adults. Life transitions, identity formation, grief and loss, stress or worry about school or career paths, anxiety, depression, and supporting those coping with a current crisis or wanting to heal from past traumas.

Jennifer believes that the therapist – client relationship is a central part of the healing process, and that the therapist plays a critical role in creating a safe and trusting…READ MORE

Julie Yoo, Associate Marriage & Family Therapist

AMFT #118178     julie@mcaft.com     650-297-3400 x15

Location: Los Altos   |    Fee: $170

Modalities: Internal Family Systems, Person-Centered, Psychodynamic, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Family Systems, Emotionally Focused Therapy.

Specialties: anxiety, academic stress, depression, identity issues, launching into adulthood, life transitions, relationship issues, immigration and acculturation issues, women’s issues, trauma….READ MORE

Linda Meyer, Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW #96165      Linda@mcaft.com      650-297-3400 x11

Location: Los Altos & Half Moon Bay    |     Fee: $200

Modalities: Internal Family Systems, Trauma Informed, EMDR, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Areas of Special Interest:

CHILD & TEENS: Child and Adolescents, Grief and Loss, Trauma and PTSD, Healing from Sexual Abuse, Building Self-Esteem, Coping Skills, Stress, Worry, Anxiety

ADULTS: Grief and Loss, Trauma and PTSD, Healing from Sexual Abuse, Parenting Support, Building Self-Esteem, Coping Skills, Stress, Worry, Anxiety

Linda is passionate about helping clients resolve dissonance between beliefs and experiences, restore interpersonal relationships to wholeness and create empowerment by strengthening internal and external …READ MORE

Lisa Macias, PhD, Psychologist

Psy #32178    lisa@mcaft.com     650-297-3400 x9

Location: Los Altos & Half Moon Bay   |   Fee: $280

Modalities: Internal Family Systems, Trauma Informed, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT)

Specialties:

Adolescents and Emerging Adults: Anxiety, peer / school adjustment, health behaviors, trauma, depression, and substance use.
Adults and Couples: Couples dynamics, anxiety, depression, trauma, substance use, parenting, life transitions, and aging.

Lisa has more than 20 years of experience working in the education and mental health fields supporting adolescents, adults, and families. …READ MORE

Shannon Gustafson, Associate Marriage & Family Therapist

AMFT #109016      shannon@mcaft.com       650-297-3400 x3 

Location: Los Altos, CA   |   Fee: $170

Areas of Special Interest: Complex Trauma, PTSD, Anxiety & Panic Disorder, Depression, Religious & Spiritual Issues, Identity & Self-Esteem Development, Sexual Assault, Childhood Sexual Abuse, Domestic Violence, LGBTQA+

Modalities: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Person-Centered, Trauma Informed, Play Therapy, Object-Relations/Psychodynamic, Family Systems… READ MORE

Shruti Nair, APCC, Associate Professional Clinical Counselor

APCC #8499    shruti@mcaft.com     650-297-3400 x14

Location: Los Altos, CA   |   Fee: $170

Modalities: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (M-BCT), Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, Internal Family Systems

Areas of Special Interest:

Child & Teen: Anxiety, phobias, academic stress, social challenges, low self esteem, identity issues, acculturation, behavioral challenges, defiance, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD / ADHD), special needs with a range from mild learning disabilities to severe developmental challenges, autism-spectrum disorders, trisomy 21

Adults and Couples: Couples, anxiety, depression, phobias, personality disorders.

Shruti is a warm, intuitive, and multilingual therapist with experience in working with clients diverse in age, color, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic backgrounds. …READ MORE

Travis Shubeck, PhD
Available beginning February 2023

RPA #94026469  travis@mcaft.com   650-297-3400 x5

Supervised by Lisa Macias, PhD, Psy # 32178

Location: Teletherapy Only | Fee: $200

Areas of Focus:

Object Relations/Psychodynamic, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Trauma-Informed, Play Therapy, Person-Centered

Children and Adolescents: Trauma, Emotional Regulation, Stress/Anxiety, Anger, Academic Adjustment, Health / Self-Care

Adults: Individual, Couples / Parents, Trauma, Shame, Parenting Support and Empowerment, Interpersonal Communication, Health / Self-care

Travis brings a collaborative and warm approach when working with clients from various socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds. READ MORE

“Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller