Christopher Bateman

LMFT
Accepting Clients

Couples therapist in La Jolla helping partners reconnect, rebuild trust, and break the patterns keeping them stuck. EFT & Gottman-informed.

Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in La Jolla, CA

Services
  • Individual
  • Couples
  • Family
  • Adolescent/Teen

About My Clients

I work best with couples who are tired of having the same fight and ready to understand what's really driving it. My clients are often smart, motivated people who care deeply about their relationship but feel stuck in patterns they can't seem to break on their own. I also work with individuals navigating anxiety, identity, and relationship challenges and with couples who want faith integrated into their care. In-person in La Jolla and telehealth throughout California.

My Background and Approach

I've been a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist for over 20 years, with a background in pastoral care that shapes how I think about relationships, meaning, and healing. My work is grounded in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and Gottman-informed approaches, two of the most extensively researched methods in couples therapy. EFT helps couples access the deeper emotions and attachment needs beneath their conflict, while Gottman provides practical communication and repair tools. Together they create change that lasts. I work with couples at every stage, from those in acute crisis to those simply wanting to grow closer. I also specialize in affair recovery, premarital counseling, and faith-integrated care for Christian couples. My style is calm, direct, and genuinely collaborative. I believe most couples don't need to be fixed, they need to be understood. When both partners feel truly heard, something shifts.

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

I believe that every person has the capacity for growth and healing and that the therapeutic relationship itself is one of the most powerful catalysts for change. I bring my faith background into my work not as a doctrine but as a foundation of genuine care, humility, and hope. I am committed to creating a space where all clients feel welcomed, respected, and truly seen regardless of background, belief, or where they are in their journey.

Techniques I Use

Specialties
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) Family Systems Gottman Method Couples Therapy
Other Techniques
  • Attachment Theory
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Couples Counseling
  • Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
  • Family Systems
  • Gottman Method Couples Therapy
  • Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
  • Motivational Interviewing
  • Solution Focused Brief Therapy
  • Person-Centered (Rogerian)

Issues I Treat

Specialties
Anxiety Marriage Counseling Men's Issues
Other Issues
  • Anger Issues
  • Attachment
  • Burnout
  • Codependency
  • Depression
  • Divorce
  • Family Conflict
  • Grief or Loss
  • Relationship Issues
  • Self-Esteem
  • Spirituality
I offer online counseling in the following states:
I have experience with the following
  • Christianity
  • Judaism

At A Glance

  • Experience: 21 years of practice
  • Languages: English
  • Rate: $225 - 225/session

Info

Email Christopher
627 Genter Street
La Jolla, CA 92037

Reach out to Christopher