Hi, I’m Colleen Stone. For more than 30 years, I’ve had the privilege of walking alongside people through some of life’s most challenging seasons. Again and again, I’ve seen how much capacity people have to heal, grow, and create meaningful change, even after heartbreak or profound change.
If you’ve found your way here, you may be holding everything together on the outside while privately feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure of what comes next. Perhaps a relationship is changing, a divorce is unfolding, or a major life transition has left you questioning who you are now and where you want to go from here.
You don’t have to navigate this season alone. My role is to give you space to slow down, feel understood, and make sense of what is happening beneath the surface. From there, we can reconnect with the strengths and wisdom that can help you move forward.
Therapy with me is warm, honest, practical, and collaborative. Together, we’ll work through what has been painful while helping you create a life that feels more connected, meaningful, and true to who you are.
Experience that matters
Since opening my private practice in 1994, I have worked with individuals, couples, and families navigating relationship challenges, divorce, grief, family conflict, and major life transitions. My work has centered on helping people make sense of difficult experiences, strengthen important relationships, and create meaningful change in their lives.
My work has also extended beyond traditional weekly therapy. Over the years, I have developed and facilitated relationship workshops, educational seminars, retreats, and private intensives for people who want focused time and support to work through a particular challenge or deepen their relationships.
I have also served as a mediator, child custody evaluator, and expert witness within California’s family court system. That experience gave me a close understanding of the emotional impact divorce, custody disputes, and ongoing family conflict can have on both adults and children. It continues to inform the way I support clients who are navigating complicated family relationships and major changes.
Today, my practice focuses on helping adults and couples work through relationship challenges, recover from divorce, and navigate significant life transitions. I bring decades of clinical experience to this work, along with a warm, practical approach and a deep respect for each person’s individual story.
Education and credentials
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, California, License #38392
- M.A. in Counseling Psychology, University of San Francisco, 1992
- B.A., College of Notre Dame, Belmont, California, 1986
- White House Counseling Center, San Juan Unified School District, 1991–1993
- Private practice, 1994–present
- Facilitator of relationship workshops, educational seminars, retreats, and private intensives
- Presenter for government agencies, private businesses, judicial officers, and court-appointed mediators
- Mediator, private child custody evaluator, and expert witness in California family court matters
- Member, California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)
My approach to therapy
I believe therapy works best when it reflects the person sitting across from me. Your experiences, relationships, strengths, and goals all shape what you need, so our work together will be tailored to where you are and what you want to change.
Sometimes therapy begins with helping you get through a difficult season. You may need support calming an overwhelmed nervous system, making an important decision, or finding ways to function when life feels especially heavy. As things begin to feel more manageable, we can look more deeply at the patterns, beliefs, and relationship dynamics that may be keeping you stuck.
My approach is warm, collaborative, and practical. I draw from attachment-based therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, family systems, the Gottman Method, mindfulness, and other evidence-based approaches depending on what will be most helpful for you. I also incorporate emotional regulation strategies and practical tools you can use outside of our sessions.
The goal is to help you understand yourself more deeply, strengthen the relationships that matter most, and make choices that reflect your values and the life you want to create.
Let’s begin
Whatever has brought you here, I believe this season is one chapter in a much larger story. You do not have to know exactly where you are going before taking the first step.
Sometimes what you need is a safe place to pause, breathe, make sense of what is happening, and begin moving forward with intention. Wherever you find yourself today, healing is possible, relationships can grow stronger, and meaningful new beginnings can emerge from even the most difficult seasons.
I believe every person has the capacity to heal, grow, and create a life that reflects who they truly are. If you are ready to take that first step, I would be honored to walk alongside you.
I invite you to schedule a complimentary 15-minute consultation. Together, we can talk about what is bringing you here and whether I am the right person to support you as you begin creating the life you desire.