Dr. Manny John Gonzalez

I am an experienced licensed psychotherapist with 39 years of clinical practice experience both in community mental health and private practice. I treat individuals who present with a range of emotional issues including life transitions, anxiety, grief and loss, depression, adjustment disorders, and maladaptive interpersonal and relational problems. One of my specialties is the treatment of men as they navigate through different phases of life, developmental challenges, intimacy and connection, loss, role demands, and emotional conflict. I am also an academic, clinical researcher, and clinical supervisor.

As a psychodynamically-informed therapist, my approach to therapy is based firmly on the notion that life can have a purpose even in the face of suffering and that individuals can find meaning in life by examining their attitudes, choices, and actions—and that there is a relationship between the past and present. Exploring the past and its impact on present experiences can offer individuals the opportunity to live healthier lives, and increase their sense of self-esteem, ability to engage in more satisfying and authentic relationships, and an increased confidence in personal abilities while developing a healthier understanding of self and others. The exploration of the past—within the context of the present—also assists individuals to recognize and tolerate a wider range of positive and negative emotions.

Through the process of self-reflection and self-examination, and the use of the relationship between therapist and patient, it is my goal to assist patients in discovering and pursuing their unique sense of meaning and purpose in life. Life is complex, challenging, and—at times—chaotic, but via an empathic stance, I will assist and journey with patients to find their role in life and to identify a plan for the development of adaptive internal and external coping resources necessary for optimal emotional functioning