Akiva O’Connor, LMFT-Associate
Under the supervision of Monica Marterella, LMFT-S
Hey! I’m Akiva and I can’t wait to meet you.
If you are a teen or adult searching to understand why you are stuck and how to become the person you want to be, you have found the right place.
With experience in helping individuals and couples, we can work together to uncover the lost parts of your life, bring peace to the chaos, come to terms with the past, and prepare for the future. It can be difficult to take the step to reach out and see someone, and I will assist you along that path.
I feel a special calling to work with clients who would describe their lives as feeling like “chaos”. If you have ever done something and asked yourself, “Why did I do that?” or “Why do I always react like this?”, I would love to work with you to answer those questions, and to even find new ways of relating to yourself and your life. With my experience in being a “cool rabbi” (yes, that’s exactly what I was, I have references) and a high school teacher (also known as a “warrior”, thank you), I have a unique ability to be both incredibly approachable and relatable, and to make people laugh, and I love being able to use that to help my clients feel like all is not lost.
My Favorite Things to Work With
If you were to ask me rapid-fire to list off the clients I love working with, it would be marriage counseling/couples, teens, young adults, and clients who are struggling with anxiety, getting stuck in maladaptive patterns, looking to integrate faith into their healing, people who struggle with perfectionism, clients who would consider themselves to be ambitious, and generally clients who are looking to work with someone who is going to be fun and easy to talk to, as opposed to being rigid and clinical and removed. I want to be on your team as we work through whatever it is that is keeping you from being your real self.
For couples: What I’ve seen is that couples often find themselves hemming and hawing, trying to figure each other out and have conversations like they used to. Maybe the spark has gone out on the passion that was once there, or doubt has seeped into the daily routine. If you decide to work with me, we can find those sore spots and bridge the gaps that have formed over time. Even the most successful couples can use a little therapy sometimes. I enjoy working with couples in all stages of relationships, and love to help couples navigate high levels of conflict, and issues such as pornography addiction, infidelity, and other forms of betrayal trauma.
For teens and young adults: Honestly, one of my greatest passions is in helping teens and young adults navigate the rapidly changing world around them. If you feel alone, asleep at the wheel, disconnected from those around you, slave to your technology, or like you are living a lie, reach out. You may be surprised to find what the next chapter has in store for you.
Values play a big role in the work that I do, so be ready to explore those things you hold dear. The most painful thing is when our actions do not align with what we think is right. If this sounds like your story, know you are not alone, and send me a message. I think we’ll be a great fit!