The framework for change.

Hi there! I’m Rafael Cazares, LMFT.

I created my practice for those who feel like they are constantly navigating different worlds while trying to build a life they were never given a map for. Many of the people I work with are currently in survival mode, exhausted by the effort of carving their own path. Others have achieved success but find themselves at a crossroads, feeling lost about where to go next. As a Latino male therapist, I am passionate about helping the BIPOC community and men move from the heavy lifting of just getting by to a place where they can finally feel at home in their own lives.

My approach is shaped by a former career in Information Technology. While I no longer manage servers, I remain a systems thinker at heart. I help individuals and couples identify the generational patterns and emotional blocks that keep their relationships and professional lives feeling stuck. By using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as our foundation, we work to understand the internal and external systems that govern your world. We focus on dismantling the expectations that no longer serve you so you can begin to author a future that is entirely of your own design.

I bring my full personality and warmth into every session because I believe the deepest work happens when therapy feels human. I understand the challenge of balancing being a partner and a parent while trying to make time for yourself. Because I am a stay at home father during the day and a therapist in the evening, I offer weekend and evening availability to meet you in the quiet hours when you are actually free to focus. You have already done the hard work of building a life. Now I am here to be a steady partner as you dismantle the blocks that keep you from being truly known and build a legacy you can actually enjoy.

The Four Core Areas of My Work

• The Mind and Psychological Flexibility:

  Using ACT as our foundation, we identify where your mind gets stuck in cycles of overthinking or avoidance. We train your brain to stop fighting your thoughts and start moving toward what truly matters. Mental health is found in the ability to stay present and take action even when life is difficult.

• The Body and Biological Safety:

  Because anxiety and complex trauma live in your nervous system long after the events have passed, I focus on how your body carries the weight of your history. By addressing physical symptoms like chest tightness, chronic restlessness, or irritability, we work to move your system back to a place of internal safety and calm.

• The Connection and Relational Health:

  I map how your personal history impacts your current relationships so we can build new ways of connecting that foster intimacy instead of defensiveness. By integrating EFT-informed principles and the Gottman Method, we move beyond the habit of performing strength and toward a secure bond where you can finally be fully known by those you love.

• The Context and Socio-Cultural Roots:

  You do not exist in a vacuum. You are a product of the heritage, education, and environments that shaped you. I honor the socio-cultural context of your life as we look at how external expectations and systemic pressures impact your well-being. This allows us to bridge the gap between your history and your future so you can feel consistent in every space you enter.

The Integrated Toolkit

While Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is the foundation of our work, I believe in providing you with practical tools for your daily life. I integrate skills from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT) to give you a concrete toolkit for real-time relief. This ensures you have the skills to manage the present while we do the deeper work of evolving your future and securing your legacy.

Clinical Expertise

• Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT #150588)

• M.S. in Counseling, California State University Northridge

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT):

  • ACT BootCamp®: Intensive clinical immersion trained by the founder and leading developers of the model.

  • Contextual Consulting: Advanced group supervision focused on the mastery and application of Contextual Behavioral Science.

• Relational & Couples Specialization:

  • Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT): Completed 4-Day Externship.

  • Gottman Method Couples Therapy: Completed Level 1 & Level 2 Training.