KarenKyleMcMahan.jpg

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #52259, San Francisco Bay Area

I provide couple and Individual Psychoanalytic psychotherapy that is powerful and confidential, creating a supportive and safe environment for exploring your issues.

My intention for my clients is to create either a short term structured approach with clear goals for therapy or long term depth analytic approach for those wanting deeper exploration. My method is to help couples and individuals think and make sense of their concerns. I help explore the deeper causes of distress in your relationships and together think about your present situation, your history, and what gets in the way of happiness and satisfaction. 

I specialize in Couple Therapy and Marriage Counseling, I also help individuals who are experiencing difficulties in their personal relationships. Couples come in seeking repair of betrayal or old hurts, and to uncover frustrating patterns that continue to repeat again and again. Others wish to build a more solid foundation or explore whether they want to stay together. 

In my clinical approach, I provide modern talk therapy for mood, trauma, and relationship issues. I am trained in Psychoanalytic Couple Psychotherapy, Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy for Couples (AEDP) and Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) methods to help couples and individuals.

 

SPECIALTIES

  • Individual Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (meeting 2-4 times weekly)

  • Couples Therapy (short term and long term)

Issues

  • Sex and Intimacy Issues

  • Infidelity and Affairs

  • Restoring Trust, and High Conflict

  • LGBTO Couples and Gender Issues

  • Depression and Anxiety

  • Loss

 
 
 

EDUCATION

TRAININGs

2019-2021
PPTP Program - SFCP Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy for Individuals

with Beth Steinberg, PhD, Adam Goldyne, MD, et al.

2017-2018
Psychoanalytic Couple Psychotherapy Group (PCPG) - Year 2 Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy for Couples

with Shelley Nathans, PhD, Rachel Cooke, PhD, Julie Friend, PhD, Milton Schaefer, PhD, et al. 

2016-2017
Psychoanalytic Couple Psychotherapy Group (PCPG) - Year 1 Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy for Couples
with Leoera Benioff, PhD, Shelley Nathans, PhD, Julie Friend, PhD, Milton Schaefer, PhD, Rachel Cooke, PhD, et al. 

2015-ongoing
Psychoanalytic Couples and Individual Consultation
with Shelley Nathans, PhD and Leoara Benioff, PhD

2014-2015
EFT Core Skills Training
with Rebecca Jorgensen, PhD

2014
Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples Externship
with Sue Johnson, PhD and Rebecca Jorgensen, PhD

2012-2013
AEDP Essential Skills
with Karen-Pando Mars, MFT et al. 

2011-2012
AEDP Core Training for Couples
with David Mars, PhD

2011
Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy Externship
with Diana Fosha, PhD

2010-2016 (ongoing)
Couples Consultation Group
with Michael Klein, PhD

2009-2012
Gestalt Therapy
with Lu Grey, MFT, Gieve Patel, MFT, and Frank Rubenfeld, PhD

DEGREES and LIcense

2008-2013
California Institute of Integral Studies
Post graduate PhD program earning a doctorate in Depth Psychology

2013
Founder of San Francisco Marriage and Couples Center
In 2013, my colleagues and I founded San Francisco Marriage and Couples Center, Inc. to provide clinical trainings for therapists and treatment for both couples and individuals.

2012-2013
Co-Founder of Bay Area Gestalt Institute
My colleagues and I founded Bay Area Gestalt Institute to provide a community and to explore the study and practice of Gestalt Therapy.

2007
California Institute of Integral Studies 
Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
State of California #52259 


My passion continues in the study of psychoanalytic theory of Freud, Bion, Winncecott, and Klein. My interests expand to the dreamwork and depth of Jungian psychoanalytic theory, to the modern EFT and AEDP attachment approaches of Sue Johnson, PhD and Diana Fosha, PhD that we have today.