Larry O’Connor, LMFT

Individual and Couples Therapy

I’ve never related to the idea that therapists are paid to listen to people’s problems or to be their friends. I don’t experience my work as dealing with people’s problems so much as understanding their experiences—how they see themselves, their relationships, and the circumstances of their lives.

From that understanding, I try to offer observations, perspectives, and insights that might be useful. I listen, ask questions, and look for strengths and abilities that people may not recognize in themselves. My approach is active, informal, and collaborative.

I don’t see therapy as simply dispensing advice or applying theories to people’s lives. I see it as a professional relationship in which we’re both actively involved, bringing different experiences and perspectives to understanding what’s happening and what might be done about it.

I take my work seriously, but that doesn’t mean therapy needs to be solemn. Humor, curiosity, and the occasional disagreement can all have their place.

Couples Therapy

Relationships involve an ongoing balance between being connected to another person and maintaining a sense of oneself.

Couples often approach their differences as problems to be resolved through compromise. But compromise isn’t always enough, particularly when it means that one or both partners feel they must surrender something important about themselves.

I work with couples to understand the patterns that develop between them, improve communication, and recognize the individual needs, expectations, and differences each person brings to the relationship.

The goal isn’t necessarily to eliminate differences, but to find ways of living with them that allow both partners to maintain their individuality while strengthening their connection.

Areas I Work With

• Relationships and Couples Counseling
• Separation, Divorce, and Co-Parenting
• Depression and Anxiety
• Identity and Life Direction
• Life Transitions
• Men’s Issues and Relationships
• Sexual Performance Anxiety
• Addiction and Substance Use

Getting Started

Finding a therapist involves more than credentials and experience. It also involves finding someone you feel comfortable talking with and whose judgment you trust.

If you’re considering therapy, we can discuss what brings you in, what you’re hoping to accomplish, and whether working together makes sense.

Larry O’Connor, LMFT

San Francisco, California

Phone: (415) 225-3032

Email: larryoconnormft@gmail.com