Chris Chandler, MA, LPCC, CSAT, AF-EMDR

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Chris Chandler, MA, LPCC, CSAT, AF-EMDR


Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor #6281
Certified Sexual Addiction Therapist
Attachment Focused EMDR Counselor
(619) 930-9495

I am passionate about helping clients build healthier and more enjoyable lives that are honoring to God and themselves. No matter what you are struggling with, we will actively work to cultivate healthy changes in your life today, heal the painful parts of your past, and strengthen hope and vision for your future.

I am a full-time Licensed Mental Health Counselor with over 15 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and adults in a wide range of contexts. I have extensive experience working with all forms of addictive and compulsive behaviors as well as issues such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, grief/loss, ADHD, OCD, PTSD, and Christian/spiritual direction concerns.


San Diego, CA – Monday, Tuesday and Friday
Online Counseling – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

I have chosen to devote my life work to helping men and women recover from addictive, compulsive, and self-medicating patterns in order to be free to live the abundant life Jesus invites us into. I offer expertise in working with all forms of addictions and compulsions including but not limited to: drugs/alcohol, sex, pornography, love, food, spending, gambling, video games, and codependency. Additionally, I work extensively with the interaction of addictions and mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, and trauma. A majority of the time, if an individual struggles with one of these issues, they end up struggling with several. I address these concerns from a variety of angles including individual, family, couples, and group therapy.

My Goal as a Christian Counselor

My goal is to meet you in whatever you are struggling with and walk with you toward healing, hope, and health. I approach counseling from a client-centered strength-based perspective, tailoring my methods to your unique strengths and needs. I am educated and trained in a wide variety of therapeutic models and I will aim to integrate these in ways that uniquely relate to you.

I think of myself as a personal trainer: I will provide tools and resources that you can use to empower yourself as you cultivate health and freedom. Very often, I will work on goal setting and assign homework to hone the skills learned in therapy. I am an active counselor who will give you regular feedback and direction. I also enjoy using humor and having fun while working together.

As much as possible, it is my goal to provide brief solution-focused therapy to all my clients. I hope to help you get good at life, not at coming to therapy.

What I Offer in Christian Counseling

I believe sustainable, wholehearted change requires addressing all aspects of how God created you (biological, psychological, social, and spiritual).

Improving biological health involves healing and changing anything in your physical body that impacts your overall wellbeing, such as sleep, diet, exercise, biochemistry, physical pain, etc. You can love Jesus with your whole heart and have great healthy relationships and positive views of yourself but if you suffer from low levels of serotonin, chronic pain, or just stay up all night eating gummy worms and drinking Mountain Dew, it is going to make the rest of the healing process more challenging. We will work to help you correct unhealthy behaviors in these areas and build a solid biological foundation to support the rest of your personal healing and growth.

Improving psychological health involves acknowledging and changing unhealthy thought patterns and engaging undesirable emotions more effectively, as well as healing early attachment wounds and/or relational traumas experienced earlier in life. These core wounds are wired so deeply in your lower brain and nervous system that they are quite literally more felt in your body than consciously thought about in your mind. Behavioral changes alone are not likely to heal these deeper wounds that require more experiential rewiring.

Improving social health involves helping you relate to others in more meaningful ways. You will struggle to thrive as long as you are living in relational isolation, abuse, secrecy, incongruence, conflict, codependence, etc. It is imperative for you to learn to live in relationship with others in skillful and effective ways which requires cultivating a great deal of courage, willingness, vulnerability, empathy, attunement, responsibility, assertiveness, boundaries, and healthy communication.

Improving spiritual health involves deepening your belief and commitment to know and follow God. If you have a pulse, you have likely struggled with unpleasant feelings toward God such as fear, doubt, disbelief, anger/resentment, confusion, etc. Spoiler alert: it’s okay. In fact, I am convinced that these are gifts we experience to enjoy deeper intimacy with God. We grow through these spiritual struggles, not apart from them.

My Approach to Treating Addiction as an Intimacy Disorder

“The opposite of addiction is not sobriety; the opposite of addiction is connection.” ~ Yohan Hari

I approach addiction as a relational dis-ease or disconnection from ourselves, God, and others. Addiction is less of a problem to fix and more of a wound to heal. Too often addiction counseling focuses on fixing the negative behaviors of addiction rather than healing the intimacy wounds that drive the behaviors. Relational recovery is all about recovering and restoring our healthy connection with God, ourselves, and others. This starts with sobriety but doesn’t end there.


Testimonials


Chris has been my counselor for the last 4.5 years. I first went to him to help me as I going through a separation and then divorce. He really helped me to focus on my own issues and working on those. He uses many different techniques to help both himself and his clients understand the isues including giving specific books to read as well as deeper personality tests which help him be more effective. He is easy to talk to, follows up when he says he will and always has different great ideas to be tried. Even though he has moved to San Diego I will be keeping up my sessions with him due to how effective I have found him to be.


I have been seeing Chris for nearly 3 years. Working with him has been really helpful, and I appreciate his ability to both hear me and be compassionate as well as challenge me and bring much needed grounding and truth to each session. I also really enjoyed how he balances scripture and theological truth with the brain science to our sessions.


I’ve worked with Chris for 5 years and he has been a very trustworthy, present, professional and honest therapist. I feel very comfortable and safe sharing everything and anything with him. Therapy with Chris has helped me build self-confidence, learn how to sustainably live life sober, and has given me the opportunity of having an intelligent, compassionate, grounded and friendly adult figure in my life throughout my struggles. All I can say is that I got out what I put into it, when I was vulnerable and honest with him he was able to help point me in the right direction relative to my goals. I have enjoyed learning/growing/changing with Chris as my counselor very much.


Chris has a great way of blending deep insight, tools, readings, humor, faith and accountability. I found his approach to be both refreshing and helpful!


Chris has taken a Jesus based, down to earth approach that really meet me where I was. This is not a one size fits all program, it was tailored to me. The work Chris had me do really made me take a part in my healing and he was/is always positive and celebrates the victories with me. Cannot recommend enough!


I’ve really enjoyed having Chris as my counselor. He’s easy to talk to, yet also asks challenging questions that keep me thinking after the session, prompting me to be consciously aware of how I handle difficult situations and circumstances. Counseling isn’t easy, as often times it requires ME to do work that I’ve not wanted to (or even known I should) do, but with Chris’ guidance, I’ve found it to be very beneficial both in the short and long term. Highly recommend.


Chris is a phenomenal counselor. Extremely smart while being very caring, a combination I’ve struggled to find from counselors in the past. I feel like working with Chris has not only led to knowledge/realizations about negative/positive patterns of behavior but also has helped me to be a more humble, others-centered person that can view myself as a valuable person worthy of recovering from my past hurts and mistakes.

Cannot recommend him highly enough


Chris Chandler is an extremely gifted counselor. He’s highly knowledgeable and trained on helping those dealing with addition and relates amazingly well to men of all ages (including young men). I lead a ministry for men dealing with addiction and sexual issues and for those seeking professional care Chris is my primary referral.


Chris is a compassionate yet tireless advocate for mental health especially when it comes to men dealing with shame, secrecy, and/or addictions of any type. In addition, his faith and Christian maturity struck me as genuine, honest, and inviting. I really feel as a man, Chris connects easily with other men allowing them to feel understood and encouraged towards healing.


Chris Chandler is a colleague I deeply respect.. I have referred clients to groups run by Chris and have seen them flourish under his guidance. When you are looking for a referral or continuity of care, be sure to check his availability.


I collaborated with Chris Chandler, MA, LMHC, CSAT, AF-EMDR in the Seattle area trying to help a client who was deeply depressed and suicidal. As a result of his work with Chris, the client made a breakthrough and reported great improvement. Chris has worked to conduct cutting-edge research on sexual addiction, for which I am very grateful.


I can’t even begin to say how incredible Chris Chandler is as a counselor. I worked with Chris for over 2 years and I know I wouldn’t be as far along in recovery if it wasn’t for him. The holistic insight that he has is incredible and I am so incredibly grateful. If you’re on the fence of whether to contact Chris, let me encourage you that it is the right call.


Focus Areas


  • ADHD
  • Anxiety
  • Bipolar Disorder
  • Chemical Dependency
  • Counseling for Teens
  • Codependency
  • Depression
  • Family Counseling
  • Grief Counseling
  • Group Counseling
  • Individual Counseling
  • Men’s Issues
  • Relationship Issues
  • Sex And Porn Addiction
  • Trauma

Dr. Joe Raphael, DrPH, MBA, LMFT

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Dr. Joe Raphael, DrPH, MBA, LMFT


Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #LMFT-77740
(619) 332-4448

With God’s help, we will work together to better understand and resolve the current challenges in your life to give you hope for a more fulfilling and meaningful future in Christ. Some common concerns that my clients share include dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, sleep issues, emotional eating, weight concerns, chronic illness, and more. Whether you’re looking for extra support and guidance through a challenging situation or you’re just ready to move in a new direction in your life, I look forward to partnering with you to achieve your goals.


San Diego  – Mon, Wed and Thu
Irvine – Tue, Fri and Sat
Online Counseling

I offer a highly personalized, faith-based approach combined with specialized training tailored to meet your individual needs. My unique blend of training includes an MBA, a doctorate in Clinical Preventative Care, and a Master’s in Clinical Psychology. With more than 15 years of counseling experience, my ultimate passion is to help you regain your voice and maintain your health. Together we’ll work to get to the root of your concerns, then empower you with the right tools to attain the personal growth you desire.

My Goal as a Christian Counselor

My goal is to educate, equip, and empower you with the tools and resources you need in order to uncover your true potential and lead a life worth celebrating. I want you to reach a point where you know exactly how to overcome the struggles you face and achieve the goals you desire for your life. My hope is for you to gain a deeper sense of purpose as you turn the page to the next chapter and move forward with confidence to face whatever life brings.

What I Offer in Christian Counseling

I offer one-on-one, couples, and family sessions, and work with a wide range of emotional and behavioral issues, providing services that span from therapy for depression and grief to parenting support, couples counseling, and beyond. In session you’ll enjoy a safe, supportive space where you can feel comfortable and free to be yourself. I’m committed to providing a trustworthy environment so you can receive the maximum benefits from your treatment. If you decide that my counseling style or approach is not the best fit for you, I will gladly guide you toward a better option for your individual needs.

My Approach to Christian Counseling

As a Christian practitioner, my goal is to help you grow by focusing on treating the whole person: body, mind, spirit, and relationships. I realize that not everyone comes seeking Christian counseling, and I will not impose any certain set beliefs on you. I would, however, love to follow your lead as we explore how you connect to God, and how and why faith connects your purpose and values.


Testimonials


I highly recommend Dr Joe Raphael of the San Diego Christian Clinic for your psychological & health needs. I’ve known Joe Rafael for 25 years. He impressed me as his teacher and I followed Joe’s professional journey from that point onward. Joe is a stellar clinician dedicated to helping people to live physically and mentally healthy lives. He’s also very like able and shows integrity in all he does. As you can see, I recommend JoeRaphael highly. DrDeborah M Khoshaba, Director of Training and Development, the Hardiness Institute, Inc


Dr. Joe is the best. He is one of the smartest, kindest and most generous individuals I have ever met. He is knowledgeable in many areas. He listens without judging. He has literally saved my life. He has given me direction and the tools to help me make smart decisions and deal with my feelings, that can often get in the way of my success. I would recommend him to anyone!


Dr Joe is a very smart healthcare Practicioner, liked by patients and staff alike. He is very personable and really makes a positive difference in his patients’s lives!


Dr. Joe is personable and though he holds many degrees and has years of experience as a mental health provider, he is relatable. He makes therapy something I look forward to versus something that needs to be done.


Focus Areas


  • Adolescent
  • Anxiety
  • Bariatric Assessment
  • Couples Counseling
  • Depression
  • Executive Coaching
  • Family Counseling
  • Health / Lifestyle Change
  • Individual Counseling
  • Professional Development
  • Personal Development
  • Trauma
  • Weight Loss

Sarah Okugawa

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Sarah Okugawa, MA, LPCC


Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor #LPCC-5073
(619) 332-4448

I am a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor offering Christ-centered therapy to adults, couples, children, teens, and families. Whether you’re dealing with relationship challenges with your spouse or child, depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, or other concerns, Christian counseling can help. As an individual made in the image of God, you have a significant purpose and calling – yet it’s so easy for the troubles and cares of this world to blur our vision. It would be my honor to journey with you as you discover the hope and joy found in living for Christ.



San Diego – Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed and Fri
Online Counseling

Focus Areas


  • Anxiety
  • Counseling for Children
  • Counseling for Teens
  • Couples Counseling
  • Depression
  • Family Counseling
  • Grief and Loss
  • Individual counseling
  • Marriage Counseling
  • Play Therapy
  • Premarital Counseling
  • Trauma Counseling
  • Women’s Issues

I count it a great privilege work with children, teens, individuals, couples, and families by offering a variety of treatment methods including play therapy for children, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Attachment Based Therapy, and Trauma Informed Care, depending on your situation and needs. My desire is for you to take positive steps forward in your personal life and in your walk with the Lord as you seek to learn new tools and techniques to overcome the difficulties you face. Together we will work to establish and implement a plan for your growth based on the goals you share with me in session.

My Goal as a Christian Counselor

My goal as a counselor is to help others move out of whatever is keeping them “stuck.” Many times, we need a third party to help us see things in a different light and process different events. I want others to live a happy and healthy life for Jesus, to know they have a purpose on this earth, and to find their calling in this world.

What I Offer in Christian Counseling

I offer a warm, inviting space where you can feel at ease. With empathy and sincere care, I will meet you where you are and listen to your concerns to determine the best treatment method for your situation. I provide a non-judgmental atmosphere centered in godly principles where you will find guidance to overcome the challenges you face and hope for the future.

My Approach to Christian Counseling

My Christian faith is at the center of who I am as an individual. It provides me with a lens through which I see the world and others around me. Christian counseling allows individuals to share their opinions, feelings, and circumstances with someone who is like minded. It’s easy to get lost in the chaos of this world that has forsaken many Christian principles. By meeting with a Christian counselor, clients can enjoy the benefits of receiving guidance and direction from someone who puts God at the center of their life.