Aliya Fonseca

I'm a licensed marriage and family therapist in El Cajon, and most of the people I work with come to me around relationships and depression — a marriage that's gotten stuck in the same argument, a family navigating divorce, or that heavy, flat feeling that's been sitting on you for months. I work with individuals, couples, and whole families, from young children through adults and older adults. My focus isn't on labeling what's wrong with you. It's on growth and healing, and getting you back to a life that feels like it's moving again. I offer evening and Saturday appointments, because I know the people who most need therapy are often the ones with the least room in their schedule.

My approach is practical and solution-focused — we'll identify what you want to be different and work toward it directly, using tools from cognitive behavioral therapy and DBT. I'll be active in our sessions; I'll ask questions, offer perspective, and give you things to try between visits. But I hold all of that alongside a deep belief that you are the expert on your own life. You know your values, your family, and what you need better than I ever could. My job is to bring the clinical skill and the empathy, and to take your goals seriously rather than substituting my own.

Mostly, you can expect to talk and be heard. I'll ask what brought you in now, what you've already tried, and what you want life to look like on the other side of this. If you're coming as a couple or family, I'll make sure everyone gets airtime — no one gets cast as the problem. By the end, we'll have a shared sense of what we're working on and a plan for how we'll get there. You don't need to arrive with the right words for it. Showing up is enough.