Feel Understood

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I’ve helped repair relationships with couples for years. Learn how couples therapy builds secure relationships, free of charge. Let’s Talk. www.FeelUnderstood.com

California Board of Behavioral Sciences Licensed, and EFT-Trained Couples Therapist. Is your relationship stuck in conflict? Trapped in repeating patterns? Your situation is probably more common than you think. As a therapist licensed by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences and trained in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT), I specialize in teaching couples like you effective communication to enhance support within your relationship. I’m Alejandro Daniel Pina, LMFT, I help partners feel heard. But starting counseling can be scary. Try a free call to help you understand what you both can expect in couples therapy. Check my available times at my Calendly page: https://calendly.com/alejandro-feelunderstood/consultation

Repair past hurts, and learn effective communication to build understanding and care with your partner. I welcome in*******al couples, LGBT couples, and offer premarital counseling, and couples counseling, for all stages of your relationship. Feel Understood Couples Counseling

My background includes three years as a crisis counselor at a national su***de hotline. I've learned that a common theme among those in pain is not feeling understood or seen in the world. While working in Telehealth in California, I'm able to provide online relationship counseling in Los Angeles or Hollywood, virtual couples therapy in San Fransisco or Sunnyvale, virtual couples counseling in San Jose or Chula Vista, all within the same day. I can offer online marriage counseling for a young couple in Mountain View, online LGBT couples counseling in Silver Lake, premarital counseling in Santa Clarita for a recently engaged couple, or online emotionally focused couples therapy for an in*******al couple in Emeryville experiencing cultural differences. Your Free Phone Consultation can be scheduled on my Calendly page if there are available times: https://calendly.com/alejandro-feelunderstood/consultation

Alejandro Daniel Pina, LMFT #122595
FeelUnderstood.com

11/02/2026

The American Psychological Association (APA) has been bought by OpenAI. APA has taken OpenAI’s sponsorship money to endorse the dangerous ChatGPT product that gets people killed, and encourage more LLM and Companion products to be built.

OpenAI is listed as one of the Tier 1 sponsors on the APA's convention website. OpenAI had an exhibitor presence at the APA conference. OpenAI’s Head of Mental Health and Well-Being product policy was on the APA main stage.

The APA website currently lists webinars on how to build “ethically emotionally intelligent” algorithms, instead of supporting Human-Psychologists.

Meanwhile, countless cases are being reported of ChatGPT encouraging su***de.

8 States are suing OpenAI for ChatGPT coaching their users into self-harm and su***de.

The lawsuits state that OpenAI engages in dangerous and unlawful conduct by marketing and pretending that ChatGPT is somehow safe, even though it will actively coach their users into dangerous behaviors by reinforcing delusions.

🤖 ChatBots vs Human-Therapist ♥️

If you’re considering Therapy, look for
The Number One Ingredient:
THE THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIP,
that only a Human-Therapist can provide.

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09/27/2026

FOR COUPLES THERAPY: IS GOTTMAN OR EFT BETTER?

You’ve probably heard the name, Gottman. That’s because John Gottman decided to name his version of Couples Therapy after HIMSELF.

Ever heard of Sue Johnson? Probably not. Sue Johnson gave her innovative couples therapy modality a more inclusive name, Emotionally Focused Therapy.

This might show you their priorities.

Or, maybe it just shows two different marketing strategies. Either way, it’s a symbolic distinction of how the two modalities prioritize the work between partners.

Gottman’s approach focuses on tangible, surface level information and interactions to resolve short-term conflict.

Focus: Practical communication skills, conflict management, and daily habits.

Best for: Couples who want concrete tools, structured exercises.

How it works: Interventions to reduce negative behaviors.

The EFT approach has the therapist discover underlying issues, based on the emotional responses and interactions of the partners, to instil long-term understanding and a lasting healthy relationship.

Focus: Deep emotional bonds and attachment patterns.

Best for: Couples who feel disconnected, lonely, or stuck in painful cycles; sometimes from unexpressed fears, past hurts, or trust issues.

How it works: It looks underneath the arguments to heal the root emotional attachment and rebuild a secure sense of safety.

Are you willing to be open to admit you don’t have all the answers?

Then EFT is for you!

Are you usually avoidant when dealing with more emotional obstacles?

Then EFT is still for you!

Admitting this allows you to learn how to work through your avoidance for the benefit of your relationship.

I’ve been working successfully as a couples therapist for years, I’ve probably seen it all. I'm Alejandro Daniel Pina, LMFT a California Board of Behavioral Sciences licensed and EFT-Trained Couples Therapist.

Book a free call with your partner.
(ONLY FOR CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS)

09/27/2026

WHAT KIND OF COUPLES THERAPY WORKS BEST FOR IN*******AL, MULTICULTURAL COUPLES?

Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy works for anyone willing to be honest with how they feel, or at least ready to learn how to talk about themselves with their partner.

The reason EFT is the most inclusive form of couples therapy is because this approach only focuses on how each partner feels, and we all have emotions, whether or not we want to admit or understand them.

Understanding how a partner feels begins the couples therapy work, couples counseling is not about getting advice from the therapist.

Not receiving direct advice from a therapist can seem off-putting to people of certain cultures and background.

Depending on your background, you may feel more comfortable receiving direction from someone you respect, or someone that is respected in your community.

Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy with Feel Understood will offer some direction.

We will gain a better understanding of what needs to change in your relationship, and what will work better.

But in order to figure that out, partners need to be open to being honest in how they feel, and open to learning how to articulate their feelings.

The plan will be developed together, with the therapist.

I’ve been working successfully as a couples therapist for years, I’ve probably seen it all. I'm Alejandro Daniel Pina, LMFT a California Board of Behavioral Sciences licensed and EFT-Trained Couples Therapist.

Book a free call with your partner.
(ONLY FOR CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS)

09/27/2026

IS IT WORTH IT TO GO TO COUPLES THERAPY?

Couples therapy with an Emotionally Focused Couples Therapist is helpful for couples at any stage of their relationship because we’re always experiencing a dichotomy of emotion that fuels our behavior everyday.

Having a better understanding of our own emotion/behavior dichotomy and our partner’s inner world can give partners a more consistent opportunity at supporting one another.

This kind of understanding will transform a relationship for years to come, no matter what major transitions your relationship might go through.

I’ve been working successfully as a couples therapist for years, I’ve probably seen it all. I'm Alejandro Daniel Pina, LMFT a California Board of Behavioral Sciences licensed and EFT-Trained Couples Therapist.

Book a free call with your partner.
(ONLY FOR CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS)

09/27/2026

HOW OFTEN SHOULD A COUPLE GO TO COUPLES THERAPY?

At the beginning stages of Couples Therapy, it’s important for couples to meet consistently. If there is a crisis, some couples therapy modalities would recommend meeting with a therapist multiple times per week.

For relationships that aren’t in crisis, meeting once a week is standard.

What’s important is not letting too much time pass between sessions.

Emotional interactions between partners in therapy need to be revisited and worked through, avoiding a session, and skipping a week, can cause more damage and harm in the relationship.

Unfortunately, couples that avoid sessions are likely to be avoidant in their own relationship.

The irony is that couples therapy can teach partners the benefits of not being avoidant, only if the avoidant partner doesn’t avoid the session in the first place.

When both partners are avoidant, attending sessions regularly is almost impossible.

Make a commitment with your couples therapist and make a plan for how many sessions in a row you can honestly expect to participate in.

At least a few consecutive sessions could be better than no sessions at all.

I’ve been working successfully as a couples therapist for years, I’ve probably seen it all. I'm Alejandro Daniel Pina, LMFT a California Board of Behavioral Sciences licensed and EFT-Trained Couples Therapist.

Book a free call with your partner.
(ONLY FOR CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS)

09/27/2026

DOES COUPLES THERAPY FOR CHEATING HELP?

At the very least, I can guarantee that couples therapy with Feel Understood will surprise you with a thorough understanding of how infidelity happened in your relationship.

There are so many factors and variables that you will not have considered, and discovering a clearer picture can be a relief.

After this understanding is established, trust needs to be rebuilt; and there is no guarantee that will happen, but it’s absolutely possible.

Rebuilding trust takes repetition and effort, and time.

The repair work that will happen is not just about the infidelity; couples therapy will teach you both how to have a more secure relationship that will prevent any further cheating to occur.

I’ve been working successfully as a couples therapist for years, I’ve probably seen it all. I'm Alejandro Daniel Pina, LMFT a California Board of Behavioral Sciences licensed and EFT-Trained Couples Therapist.

Book a free call with your partner.
(ONLY FOR CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS)

09/27/2026

WHY DO SOME COUPLES PREFER DOING COUPLES THERAPY AT AN OFFICE?

Couples that want to go to an office have a few misconceptions.

It’s important to build a therapeutic relationship with your individual therapist, but couples therapy doesn’t exist to build a relationship with your therapist, it exists to strengthen an intimate relationship with your partner.

Telehealth and online couples therapy is still a relatively new concept, but I believe that future studies will prove that couples who participate in therapy together from their home will have a higher success than couples who venture into an office.

Most couples that have an impulse to do couples therapy in an office are avoidant.

They know that online couples counseling is an option, but that feels too overwhelming for them, and they’d rather take their problems elsewhere.

Ironically, being avoidant is likely their main source of conflict in their relationship in the first place.

I’ve been working successfully as a couples therapist for years, I’ve probably seen it all. I'm Alejandro Daniel Pina, LMFT a California Board of Behavioral Sciences licensed and EFT-Trained Couples Therapist.

Book a free call with your partner.
(ONLY FOR CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS)

09/27/2026

HOW TO REBUILD TRUST

There is no quick solution, but trust can be regained, after past hurts are repaired. That might sound vague, but there is a ton of work that has to be done, the same way you rebuild a broken wall; brick by brick.

Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy is essential at helping couples repair past hurts; it’s not just about apologizing, but truly understanding all the different layers of how a partner was effected.

After the work is done between partners to fully understand the pain caused and have a beneficial apology, then the trust can begin to be rebuilt; and that takes repetition over time.

With enough repetition, after a thorough deep dive with a EFT-trained couples therapist, trust can be regained.

I’ve been working successfully as a couples therapist for years, I’ve probably seen it all. I'm Alejandro Daniel Pina, LMFT a California Board of Behavioral Sciences licensed and EFT-Trained Couples Therapist.

Book a free call with your partner.
(ONLY FOR CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS)

09/27/2026

WHAT IS THE AVERAGE COST FOR COUPLES THERAPY?

An average cost of couples therapy changes dramatically when considering the ultra rich.

People who can afford to pay $700 for a session with television therapist, Dr. Orna Guralnik, from the show Couples Therapy are not the average American. There are couples therapists in Palo Alto that are currently charging $550 per session.

These are extremely expensive and effect the average cost of couples counseling dramatically.

Keep in mind, that couples therapy is a long term commitment, where you’re expected to meet weekly. You can imagine how the session rates for the ultra rich can accumulate to huge costs per month.

When not considering the ultra rich, the average session for couples counseling is much lower, but can still be a difficult commitment on a weekly basis.

Make a commitment with a couples therapist you find beneficial first, after time if you feel your rate is too high, talk with your therapist honestly to negotiate.

Therapists are more willing to offer lower rates once they know you’ve made commitment to the work.

I’ve been working successfully as a couples therapist for years, I’ve probably seen it all. I'm Alejandro Daniel Pina, LMFT a California Board of Behavioral Sciences licensed and EFT-Trained Couples Therapist.

Book a free call with your partner.
(ONLY FOR CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS.)

09/27/2026

OUR RITUAL VS REGAIN VS BETTERHELP

Our Ritual is an online platform marketed to couples to compete in the new era of gig-economy therapists. You’ve probably heard of BetterHelp.

Think of BetterHelp as Uber. BetterHelp owns Regain.

Think of Regain as UberEATS and OurRitual as DoorDash.

These are tech companies competing to make easy money from couples going through difficult times.

Television therapist, Dr. Orna Guralnik, from the show Couples Therapy, is the face of Our Ritual; she is known to charge her clients $700 per session.

Our Ritual, on the other hand, charges only a small monthly fee. Could you imagine Dr. Orna actually working happily as a therapist for the company she is promoting?

Why would a consumer knowingly want to buy a cheaper version of the real thing? Secure attachment and the happiness of a couple’s life can’t be solved by any generic tech company charging small monthly fees, even if that’s a nice idea to believe.

That’s like buying McDonald’s fast food because you think it’s actually nutritious.

I’ve been working successfully as a couples therapist for years, I’ve probably seen it all. I'm Alejandro Daniel Pina, LMFT a California Board of Behavioral Sciences licensed and EFT-Trained Couples Therapist.

Book a free call with your partner.

Address

4620 Hollywood Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA
90027

Telephone

+12137877062

Website

http://feelunderstood.com/, https://calendly.com/alejandro-feelunderstood/consultation, https://www.linkedin.com/in/alej

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