Some time ago, I wrote an open letter to pastors in the Sacramento area.   I want to share that letter with you because I think it best describes my services and my methods.

Dear Pastor,

I am a Marriage, Family and Child Therapist, licensed by the State of California (MFT License 6381), with a Master of Science degree in Counseling.  I have provided counseling to individuals and families since 1974.  I have been a part-time instructor of Psychology at American River College for 30 years.

I strongly believe in the importance of affirming Christian marriage and family values.  As a wife and mother of three adult children and grandmother of two, I have deep empathy and understanding of the many challenges that families face today.

I believe that a Christian family that shares love, intimacy and positive communication, is an important foundation for both church and community.  As a Christian, family-oriented therapist, I am commited to helping families in crisis.  I have extensive experience and skills in group therapy, stress management, pre-marital and couples therapy.

In addition to working with couples and families, I provide pre-marital counseling to couples utilizing Inventories for Premarital Counseling (Couple and Family Map, [Prepare/Enrich], by David Olson of the University of Minnesota).   

The in-depth counseling I provide will encourage couples to build on their strengths and assist them in dealing with their growth areas.  I find that it is important for them to deal with their individual issues and problems, which might affect a healthy, strong and intimate relationship.  My experience tells me that it is important for a couple to recognize and overcome individual issues and problems from their past experiences. 

I encourage couples to continue investing their time and effort in enhancing their communication and conflict resolution skills.  According to the feedback from couples I have counseled, they enjoy a stronger marriage with healthy family relationships.  I also emphasize the importance of attending and being actively involved in church activities.

I am available to provide counseling to individuals and couples to better equip them to successfully face the challenges of marriage and family life.

Sincerely,

Mary Samaan, MFT