Hi, I'm Fanshen.
A Berkeley-based relationship and sex therapist helping California couples and individuals move out of disconnection and into real, lasting change.
I work with couples of all kinds — married, dating, partnered, polyamorous, queer, straight — and with individuals who want to do this work on their own. Whatever shape your relationship takes, what matters here is that you want it to feel different.
You are here because something in your relationship isn't working well right now. Perhaps it's subtle, perhaps it's urgent. Either way, I encourage you to trust yourself, trust that you're here now for a reason, and take that next step and reach out now.
I bring a grounded, compassionate presence to this process — supporting honest conversations and the kind of change that actually holds.
Honest, warm, and rooted in what actually works.
What's important to you is that you do not waste your time or money and that you work with a therapist who actually helps you make lasting change. That is what you will find here. The approach may or may not matter to you, but in case it interests you, here are some ways my work is informed:
I am a certified Gottman trained couples therapist and draw from Emotionally Focused Therapy, Internal Family Systems, attachment theory, and somatic practices. But more than any single modality, I bring myself: a real human who has done — and continues to do — this work.
I believe lasting change comes from honesty. From being willing to look at what's underneath the conflict. From practicing new ways of relating until they become natural. That's the work we'll do together.
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW #25004), California
- Masters in Social Work, San Francisco State University
- Advanced training in Attachment Theory, Somatic and Cognitive Behavioral Therapies, Sex Therapy, and Somatic Coaching
Advanced training in the school of life.
The feeling of this work.
Quiet, grounded, and honest. A few visual anchors of what our space together feels like.
We came to Fanshen at one of the toughest moments in our marriage, unsure if we would make it another year. Through all of our sessions — love, understanding, forgiveness, and growth flourished.
Let's start with a free conversation.
A 20-minute consultation so we can see if we're a fit — and so you can get a feel for how I work.