3 Best San Francisco Divorce Therapists
When you've made the difficult decision to separate or divorce, the path forward can feel overwhelming and emotionally devastating.
Divorce therapy offers compassionate, expert guidance to help you navigate this major life transition with dignity, reduce emotional trauma, and protect your family's well-being, especially when children are involved.
At California Couples Counseling, we understand that ending a marriage doesn't have to mean ending all respect and care for one another. Our specialized divorce counseling approach helps couples separate consciously and healthily.
Here, we introduce you to our expert divorce therapists who can guide you through this challenging process in an intentional way.
Highly recommended San Francisco divorce therapists
Best for high-conflict divorce situations: Tammie Makely
Best for support with co-parenting: Georgina Crisanto
Best for LGBTQ+ couples navigating separation: Jennie Lopez
Why trust us?
Our therapists have specialized training in relationship-focused modalities, including the Gottman Method, that can help couples separate with minimal emotional damage. We take a conscious uncoupling approach, using relationship science to support partners in separating intentionally while still operating from a foundation of mutual respect.
How we selected
Here, we've showcased our therapists with expertise in divorce and separation. These clinicians combine expertise in individual trauma healing and couples therapy to provide comprehensive support during this major life transition. Plus, they each have their own unique, additional specialty areas to make sure that you and your partner get highly tailored care.
Meet the therapists
Tammie Makely, LMFT
Best for high-conflict divorce situations
| Good fit for: | Not a fit for: |
|---|---|
| Divorce following infidelity or betrayal | Court-mandated therapy |
| Co-occurring issues, including substance abuse | Medication-assisted addiction treatment |
| Online sessions | In-person sessions |
Offers divorce counseling: ✓
Clientele: Adults
Location: San Francisco, CA
Virtual therapy?: Yes
Tammie specializes in helping high-conflict couples navigate divorce when emotions are running particularly high. Her expertise in anger management and affair recovery helps partners process intense feelings while working toward a separation that minimizes ongoing conflict and emotional damage to all family members.
Offers divorce counseling: ✓
Clientele: Adults
Location: San Francisco, CA
Virtual therapy?: Yes
Georgina specializes in helping divorcing couples transition from married partners to effective co-parents. Her approach focuses on building a foundation for continued respect, trust, and communication to set partners up for long-term co-parenting relationships that prioritize their children’s stability.
| Good fit for: | Not a fit for: |
|---|---|
| Parents | Court-mandated therapy |
| Couples unsure of whether they want to separate | Therapeutic supervised visitation |
| Online sessions | In-person sessions |
Georgina Crisanto, LMFT
Best for support with co-parenting
Jennie Lopez, LMFT
Best for LGBTQ+ couples navigating separation
| Good fit for: | Not a fit for: |
|---|---|
| LGBTQ+ relationships | Court-mandated therapy |
| Trauma-informed therapy | Addiction care |
| Online sessions | In-person sessions |
Offers divorce counseling: ✓
Clientele: Adults
Location: San Francisco, CA
Virtual therapy?: Yes
Jennie specializes in LGBTQ+ affirming therapy for individuals and couples, including those navigating separation. She understands the unique challenges LGBTQ+ partners face during divorce, including identity concerns, family rejection, and community dynamics. Jennie also offers EMDR for help processing any trauma associated with the relationship ending.
FAQs about divorce therapy
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A divorce therapist helps people navigate the emotional, practical, and relational challenges of ending a marriage. Unlike traditional couples therapy that aims to save the relationship, divorce counseling focuses on helping you separate as amicably as possible, establish co-parenting arrangements, and process the grief and life changes that come with divorce.
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Divorce therapy is helpful when:
You're committed to separating but want to do so with minimal harm to yourselves and your family,
You need help establishing co-parenting arrangements,
Emotions are running too high to communicate effectively, or
When you want professional support processing the grief and life changes that come with divorce.
If you’re unsure whether you want to separate, we also offer discernment counseling, which is a structured process that helps couples gain clarity about whether they want to stay together or part ways
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Our approach draws on evidence-based, relationship-focused methods like the Gottman Method. We focus on conscious uncoupling, helping couples separate with dignity and respect. We’re passionate about supporting partners in preserving their children’s well-being, establishing health communication patterns, and helping each individual in the relationship adjust to this major life transition.
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No couple is the same, so expect sessions to be tailored to your unique needs, whether you’re navigating co-parenting, find yourself in a high-conflict situation, or are unsure about what your next steps are.
Couples often work on processing emotions related to the marriage ending, developing effective co-parenting communication skills, creating child-focused separation plans, and building resilience for their new life chapter. The timeline varies based on your specific situation and needs.
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Begin with a free consultation call where we'll discuss your situation, explain our approach, and answer any questions you might have. If we decide to move forward, we’ll schedule your first appointment and begin the process of conscious uncoupling.