Josh Hetherington, LMFT

I'm trained as a Marriage and Family Therapist. I became a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, LMFT, in 2000. I've dedicated my professional life to working with individuals, couples and families on understanding what keeps them stuck and then removing the barriers. This process is collaborative and requires a give and take. I take steps to get feedback from the people I work with to help me understand what is helping, and what is not.

It is always a privilege to get to know people and develop an understanding of who they are and what makes them choose to act. I am always interested to get to work with people who are similar and different from me. I'm LGBTQIA affirming and value culture, race and gender as critical parts of all of our identities. I strive to be antiracist and work to find my own blind spots.

Relationship counseling often leads to understanding vulnerabilities. How do we all manage our fears, our anxieties, our shame and guilt? What place is there in our lives for these aspects of our humanity? Understanding vulnerability with compassion and curiosity is at the heart of psychotherapy. I strive to help clients enhance curiosity and compassion for the most extreme and costly parts of themselves. It seems counter-intuitive, but through this understanding and acceptance, change is possible.

I am also dedicated to building the community of helping professionals. I supervise students and professionals and am always excited to meet with other therapists and students to hear about their work and to share my experiences. This community is essential to the longevity of our work.

AAMFT-APPROVED SUPERVISOR

Marriage and Family Therapists have a unique professional opportunity. We are the only discipline that provides a critical training for supervisors. This distinction allows us to take time and focus on supervision in ways that other disciplines don’t. I began supervising MFTs as a supervisor in training (SIT) in 2001. Since then, I’ve supervised individuals and/or groups every year. It’s an exciting professional experience for me. I try to supervise at least one new MFT grad student each year, if possible, and to supervise at least two post-grad, unlicensed associates here at CCRC. This gives me a chance to work with people at the very start of their careers, and then at the point where they’re stepping out of school and into the professional world. The needs are different.

For new therapists who are just starting to do their work, and getting comfortable with sitting across from  clients, I try to help them manage their stress and focus on making a connection. So much of what makes therapy good happens in those early contacts with clients. New therapists usually have an abundance of heart and energy that serves them well, but may need some direction when it comes to interventions and case conceptualization.

When working with the post-grad associates, I like to focus on developing a trust of their own instincts. Often clinicians at this stage of development are trying to figure out if they can trust themselves or if they still need direction. I’ve been lucky to supervise a group of talented therapists here at CCRC who have been able to largely develop a trust of their own instincts. It’s been a privilege to watch that development over the years.

Supervision remains one of my favorite professional pursuits. I’m happy to be able to supervise good therapists and to continue the legacy of the LMFT profession. If you are interested in working with me, send me a message and we can look at our options. I’m always happy to connect with therapists, even if I’m not able to help directly.