Marriage Counseling and
Relationship Counseling
of Santa Cruz

For individuals and couples
Alan Strachan, Ph.D.
(831) 685-3100

Marriages and relationships are perhaps the most rewarding - as well as the most challenging - issue in many people's lives. In my 25 years as a marriage counselor and relationship counselor in Santa Cruz, I have found that marriage and relationship difficulties are the most common issue that people bring to counseling.

The rewards of a healthy marriage or relationship

From childhood on, relationships are of central importance in people's lives. Healthy marriages and relationships foster trust, support, and emotional intimacy. They deepen our capacity to feel compassion for ourselves and other people. Healthy marriages and relationships give us the opportunity to share our joys and sorrows, our successes and failures. No matter what life brings, we know there is someone to share it with us. Our ability to have close and satisfying relationships is a key ingredient in living a healthy, balanced life. My focus at Marriage Counseling and Relationship Counseling of Santa Cruz is to foster authentic, nurturing and supportive relationships.

The challenge of a marriage or relationship

From my 25 years of experience as a marriage counselor and relationship counselor in Santa Cruz, I know that it can be very challenging to create healthy relationships or a healthy marriage. Marriages and relationships evoke great hope, fear and vulnerability. Because marriages and relationships are so important, the emotional stakes are very high.

Marriages and intimate relationships challenge us to know ourselves and to communicate the truth of who we are under what can be very stressful circumstances. Marriages and intimate relationships also challenge us to truly get to know another person, even if what they share is difficult for us to receive. The process of getting to know ourselves and another person offers us a tremendous opportunity for growth, and a deeper and more meaningful life.

Because marriages and relationships can be so challenging, it can be very beneficial to have the help of a skilled counselor - someone who can help you to identify unhealthy patterns, develop skills, and who can support you in achieving your goals. That is my objective at Marriage and Relationship Counseling of Santa Cruz.

My background as a marriage counselor and relationship counselor in Santa Cruz

I am licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist (MFC 21129), and I have been doing marriage and relationship counseling in my Santa Cruz private practice for 25 years. Marriage and relationship counseling, for both individuals and couples, is one of my core areas of expertise. In addition to many years of practicing marriage and relationship counseling, I also taught communication skills workshops in Santa Cruz and other locales for over 20 years.

How marriage counseling or relationship counseling in Santa Cruz can help

Marriage or relationship counseling in Santa Cruz can help you improve the quality of your relationship, whether you going through a challenging transition, dealing with a crisis, discovering troubling behaviors or traits in your partner, or simply wanting to fine tune an already strong relationship. Marriage or relationship counseling can help you clarify problems, identify solutions, and improve practical relationship skills.

Whether you are in therapy by yourself or with your partner, Marriage Counseling and Relationship Counseling of Santa Cruz can help you:

For Marriage Counseling or Relationship Counseling in Santa Cruz, call
Alan Strachan, Ph.D.
(831) 685-3100

Whatever you can dream, begin it. Boldness has genius,
power and magic in it. ~ Goethe