--- title: "Couples Therapy in El Cerrito, CA | Online Sessions with Fanshen" description: "Online couples therapy for El Cerrito residents. Weekly 50, 75, or 90-minute sessions. Cancellation policy 24 hours. 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You'll receive a link before each session and join from a private space at home — no app downloads or special equipment beyond a device with a camera and a stable internet connection." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do I need a special app or platform?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "No. The video platform runs in your browser. I'll send a link a few minutes before our session — you click, and we begin." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is this covered by insurance?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "I'm an out-of-network provider. I can provide a superbill you can submit to your insurance for potential out-of-network reimbursement. I'd encourage you to call your insurance and ask about your out-of-network mental health benefits." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How long does it take to see results?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Most people begin to feel something shift within the first several weeks — a little more clarity, a little less alone in it. Real, lasting change is a longer arc, often months of consistent weekly work. I'll be honest with you about what I see along the way." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is your cancellation policy?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "My cancellation policy is 24 hours. Sessions canceled with less than 24 hours' notice are charged in full." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can you see clients in El Cerrito?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. I see clients in El Cerrito and across California via secure video sessions. There's no need to come to an office — sessions happen from wherever you're comfortable in El Cerrito." } } ] } ] --- [![Fanshen Thompson, LCSW](/assets/logo-mark-DCWEUPFA.png)Fanshen Thompson LCSW ](/) [Home](/)[About](/about) Services Specialties [Approach](/approach/gottman-method)[Notes](/blog)[FAQ](/faq)[Resources](/resources) [Book a Free 20-Minute Consultation](/contact) 1. [Home](/)› 2. [Services](/services)› 3. [Couples Therapy](/services/couples-therapy/berkeley)› 4. El Cerrito ONLINE THERAPY · SERVING EL CERRITO, CA # Couples Therapy in _El Cerrito_ Reconnect, repair, and grow together — without leaving home. Weekly 50, 75, or 90-minute sessions · Secure video sessions · Serving El Cerrito residents and clients across California [Book a Free 20-Minute Consultation](/contact)[Learn more about my approach →](/about) THERAPY FOR EL CERRITO COUPLES ## Couples therapy that meets El Cerrito where it lives. El Cerrito sits at the East Bay's family-friendly edge — affordable enough for young families, connected enough for working professionals, and quiet enough that the pressures of relationships can build invisibly. Many El Cerrito residents are stretched between commute, parenting, and the financial reality of staying in the Bay Area, and that stretch shows up in partnerships and inner lives in ways that are worth attending to. Online therapy is ideal for El Cerrito families. Sessions after school drop-off, during your work-from-home day, or in the evening once kids are settled — no need to leave the neighborhood, no driving down to Berkeley or Oakland after an already long day. ## About Couples Therapy Couples therapy that meets you where you are — in the relationship, in your life, and in your home. I work with couples navigating disconnection, conflict, intimacy challenges, life transitions, and the slow drift that happens when partnership is on autopilot. Together we slow down, get curious about what's actually happening between you, and rebuild the connection from the ground up. When one of you is riding BART into the city and the other is holding down everything at home, evenings can shrink to logistics. Meeting together on video — after the commute, once the house is quiet — makes Gottman-informed couples work possible without carving out a third location in your week. ### What to expect - An initial 90-minute intake where I meet both of you and we map what's going on - Weekly sessions of your chosen length — 50, 75, or 90 minutes - A blend of structured tools (communication, repair, attachment work) and open exploration - Real homework between sessions — the work doesn't happen only in the room - A pace that follows your lead — I'm here to support, not push ### Common reasons people come in - — Communication patterns that feel stuck or escalate quickly - — Loss of emotional or physical intimacy - — Major life transitions — parenthood, career shifts, blending families - — Trust ruptures, including affairs and betrayals - — Resentment, distance, and the feeling of being roommates - — Differences in sex drive, desire, or sexual expression SESSIONS Weekly 50, 75, or 90-minute sessions - All sessions held online via secure HIPAA-compliant video - Cancellation policy: 24 hours - Currently accepting new El Cerrito clients [Book a Free 20-Minute Consultation →](/contact) ### Why online sessions are a good fit for El Cerrito El Cerrito is a commuter's city at heart. Two BART stations — El Cerrito Plaza and del Norte — carry much of the town into San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley each morning, and by the time you're back up the hill in the evening, driving to yet another appointment is the last thing you want. Online therapy fits that rhythm: a session from your own home in the hills or the flats near San Pablo Avenue, without adding another leg to an already long day. El Cerrito is also genuinely small — about 26,000 people who cross paths at the Plaza, the Natural Grocery, and along the Ohlone Greenway. In a town this size, some people simply prefer not to sit in a local waiting room. I don't have an office in El Cerrito, and that's the point: I'm a California-licensed therapist offering secure video sessions to people who live here, wherever in the state life takes you. - No travel time across Hillside, Downtown El Cerrito, El Cerrito Plaza area - Sessions fit into work-from-home schedules - Privacy and discretion — sessions from your own home - Available evenings and select weekend hours ABOUT FANSHEN ## A relational, depth-oriented therapist serving California. I'm Fanshen Thompson, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in California. I work with couples, individuals, and partnerships navigating intimacy, identity, and the slower work of becoming. 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. My practice is online and serves clients across California. The work is honest, grounded, and paced to what you can actually carry. [Read more about Fanshen →](/about) ## Frequently asked questions ### How do online sessions work? We meet over a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform. You'll receive a link before each session and join from a private space at home — no app downloads or special equipment beyond a device with a camera and a stable internet connection. ### Do I need a special app or platform? No. The video platform runs in your browser. I'll send a link a few minutes before our session — you click, and we begin. ### Is this covered by insurance? I'm an out-of-network provider. I can provide a superbill you can submit to your insurance for potential out-of-network reimbursement. I'd encourage you to call your insurance and ask about your out-of-network mental health benefits. ### How long does it take to see results? Most people begin to feel something shift within the first several weeks — a little more clarity, a little less alone in it. Real, lasting change is a longer arc, often months of consistent weekly work. I'll be honest with you about what I see along the way. ### What is your cancellation policy? My cancellation policy is 24 hours. Sessions canceled with less than 24 hours' notice are charged in full. ### Can you see clients in El Cerrito? Yes. I see clients in El Cerrito and across California via secure video sessions. There's no need to come to an office — sessions happen from wherever you're comfortable in El Cerrito. OTHER SERVICES FOR EL CERRITO RESIDENTS [ Individual Therapy in El Cerrito Online sessions for El Cerrito residents. ](/services/individual-therapy/el-cerrito)[ Sex Therapy in El Cerrito Online sessions for El Cerrito residents. ](/services/sex-therapy/el-cerrito) COUPLES THERAPY IN NEARBY CITIES [ Couples Therapy in Albany Online sessions for Albany residents. ](/services/couples-therapy/albany)[ Couples Therapy in Richmond Online sessions for Richmond residents. ](/services/couples-therapy/richmond)[ Couples Therapy in Berkeley Online sessions for Berkeley residents. ](/services/couples-therapy/berkeley) Begin ## Ready to start? Let's talk. Book a free 20-minute consultation. We'll talk about what's going on and whether working together feels right. No pressure, no commitment. [Book a Free Consultation →](/contact) ![Fanshen Thompson, LCSW logo](/assets/logo-mark-DCWEUPFA.png) Relationship therapy for people who are ready for real change. Licensed Clinical Social Worker · LCSW #25004 [](https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/971893) Affiliations ![Gesher Community Care affiliate provider](/__l5e/assets-v1/7e4684e6-648d-48d4-892e-5c8678e89c88/gesher-community-care.png) Online Therapy Sessions held via secure video for clients across California. Hours Tue–Fri, 9am–6pm PT Contact [fanshen@fanshenthompson.com](mailto:fanshen@fanshenthompson.com)[Book a Free 20-Minute Consultation](/contact) [](https://www.linkedin.com/in/fanshen-thompson-lcsw-672425216/)[](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086164215212)[](https://pin.it/5enxDfD) Explore - [About](/about) - [Therapy](/therapy) - [Therapy for Couples](/therapy/couples) - [Therapy for Individuals](/therapy/individuals) - [Sex Therapy](/therapy/sex-therapy) - [Coaching](/coaching) - [Notes](/blog) - [FAQ](/faq) - [Resources](/resources) - [Relationship Therapy in Berkeley](/relationship-therapy-berkeley) - [Find an Online Sex Therapist](/how-to-find-an-online-sex-therapist) - [Contact](/contact) Specialties - [Infidelity & Affair Recovery](/specialties/infidelity-affair-recovery) - [Desire Discrepancy](/specialties/desire-discrepancy) - [Sexual Shame](/specialties/sexual-shame) - [Communication Breakdown](/specialties/communication-breakdown) - [Anxious Attachment](/specialties/anxious-attachment-couples) - [Parenting Conflict](/specialties/parenting-conflict) In crisis? If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call or text [988](tel:988) (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or call [911](tel:911). This site is not a substitute for emergency care. [Privacy](/privacy.html)[Terms](/terms.html)[Cookies](/cookie.html)[Disclosures](/disclaimers.html)[Good Faith Estimate](/good-faith-estimate.html)[Accessibility](/accessibility)[Cookie Settings](/cookie.html) Contacting this practice does not establish a therapist–client relationship. Individual outcomes vary. Nothing on this site guarantees a specific clinical result. © 2026 Fanshen Thompson, LCSW. All rights reserved. Photography by Allison Busch Website by [Automaus.ai](https://automaus.ai) Your privacy matters Functional cookies are required. Analytics and marketing cookies are off by default — you choose. 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