Sean Hodson
Associate Marriage & Family Therapist
AMFT #158218
sean@mcaft.com
650-297-3400 x33
Registered Associate Marriage & Family Therapist
Supervised by Lisa Macias
Locations: Los Altos | San Jose
Fee: $170
Areas of Focus:
Adults and Couples: Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, Complex Trauma, Grief, Loss & Transitions, Anger Management, Relationship Issues, Family Conflict, Marital and Premarital, Codependency, Body-Image, Attachment, Parenting Support, Adjustment to Parenthood, Perfectionism, Self-Esteem & Self-Confidence, Personal Growth, Addiction & Recovery, Stress, Burn-out, Career Transitions & Life Direction
Children and Teens: Emotional Regulation, Tantrums, Anxiety / Performance Anxiety / Social Anxiety / Separation Anxiety, Depression, Peer Challenges, Identity Formation, Trauma, Neurodiversity, ADHD, Athletes / Optimal Performance
Modalities:
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Existential Psychotherapy, Family Systems, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Gestalt Therapy, Person-Centered
Overall Description:
Sean’s work is guided by curiosity, and a belief in each person’s capacity to grow through connection, insight, and emotional understanding. He is passionate about helping people build and nurture their most meaningful relationships—including the one they have with themselves. He believes that we’re wired for connection: we thrive when we feel grounded in who we are and have secure, engaged relationships with others. But in a culture that often praises independence—“I can handle this alone”—it’s easy to lose touch with our own needs and the people who matter most. Over time, that disconnection can leave us feeling stuck, lonely, or unsatisfied with how life is going. This often shows up as the hallmark labels of depression, anxiety, dissociation, attention problems, emotion regulation problems, and other descriptions of how humans are struggling, or not thriving as they wish they would.
Sean works with children, teens, adults, couples, and families. Finding the way back to balance, connection, and a deeper sense of purpose can look different person to person, so Sean draws from a range of therapeutic approaches and tailors his work to each person’s unique goals and life stage. His approach is grounded in systems thinking, attachment science, and polyvagal theory. This means he looks at how people interact within their families, communities, and larger environments; how we’re naturally wired for connection in relationship with important others; and how our mind and body communicate during moments of safety or stress. By weaving these perspectives together, Sean helps clients uncover patterns, build stronger relationships, and create lasting, meaningful change in their lives.
He continues to train in several modalities, including Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for couples and individuals, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Existential Psychotherapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and integrating somatic interventions. If these names don’t sound familiar, that’s totally okay—the important part is that Sean takes a holistic and flexible approach, meeting clients where they are and finding what works best for them.
Experience:
With a deep passion for athletics, Sean has spent years coaching and mentoring youth, collegiate, and professional baseball players, helping them cultivate confidence, focus, and resilience both on and off the field. As a former athlete himself, he understands the pressures that athletes face during their formal playing careers and as they transition into their next phases of life.
Sean has also worked in the K-12 system in both general and special education classrooms, where he developed a sensitivity to the diverse challenges that young people face in the modern, rapidly changing world. As a systems thinker, Sean understands the complexities that both students and parents navigate within the educational system.
Sean has previously worked in post-secondary education settings, providing therapy and psychoeducation to college students. Through this work, he developed skills in both longer-term individual therapy and brief, solution-focused support for individuals and groups. He was also able to support people in various stages of adulthood and from diverse cultural backgrounds.
While Sean continues to identify as a student himself — a lifelong learner — he also teaches and mentors graduate students, helping them find their footing as future therapists. Teaching, and later supervising, is a high priority for Sean and central to his vision for the remainder of his career as a therapist.
Education:
- MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling - Palo Alto University
- BS in Psychology and Social Action - Palo Alto University
Training:
- Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) - Externship
- Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT) - Essentials; Levels 1 & 2
Professional Affiliations:
- ACA - American Counseling Association
- ICEEFT - International Centre of Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy