Robert Jackson, MA, LMFT

Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT)

San Francisco, CA

Becoming a Therapist

The arc of my career has been as a catalyst to support positive changes in people and the world.

I became a therapist to help others reach their full potential.

I have strong leadership skills and compassion that allows me to be a guide for others on the path to healing.

My Mission

I’m passionate about creating healing relationships with clients to assist them in overcoming unhelpful patterns due to their past difficulties and traumatic experiences.

Key Qualities as a Therapist

I create and maintain strong relationships with my clients as it's the most important aspect of therapy.
I have a calm and steady presence. People describe me as being a "rock."
I'm intuitive. I listen to my "inner voice," which guides me on the best approach to take with each client.
I'm genuine, compassionate and non-judgmental.
I have a high capacity for empathetically attuning myself to clients.
I'm skilled as both an individual and couples therapist.
I respect clients ability to make their own decisions about their lives

Psychotherapy Experience

I have a broad range of experience including several community health settings, at the San Francisco Marriage and Couples Center and now in private practice. I have worked with youth, adults, seniors, couples and families. This work has led me to specialize in seeing couples and men individually.

Relevant Experience and Education

I earned a Masters of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology from the The Wright Institute in Berkeley. I gained experience in Community Mental Health in both Marin and San Mateo Counties. Prior to launching my private practice, Robert Jackson Therapy, I saw clients through the San Francisco Marriage and Couples Center and Grateful Heart Holistic Therapy Center.

Training in Experiential Modalities

Emotionally Focused Therapy

Completed all trainings and supervision be an ICEEFT Certified Emotionally Focused Couples Therapist (EFCT) – EFCT is a structured approach to improving relationship dynamics by focusing on emotional connection between partners. Developed by Dr. Sue Johnson, it is grounded in attachment theory and seeks to help couples identify and change negative emotional patterns that create disconnection and conflict.

Completed Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT) Level 1 – EFIT focuses on helping individuals understand and transform their emotional experiences to foster healing and growth. The therapy helps people explore their emotional patterns, especially those rooted in attachment needs and early relationships.

Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP)

Met requirements to be a Level 1 AEDP Therapist having completed AEDP Immersion. AEDP helps individuals process emotional pain and trauma by fostering a deep, healing connection between therapist and client. It focuses on the healing power of emotions and emphasizes the importance of positive emotional experiences.

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

Completed several IFS trainings – IFS views the mind as made up of different “parts,” each with its own perspectives, feelings, and roles. These parts interact within an individual’s internal system, and the goal of IFS therapy is to help the person heal by fostering harmony and understanding among these parts.

Polyvagal Theory

Completed trainings on Polyvagal Theory for healing trauma – Polyvagal Theory, developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, is a neurobiological framework that explains how the autonomic nervous system (ANS) responds to stress and trauma. This theory is particularly relevant for understanding trauma, as it provides insight into how the body and mind react to and recover from traumatic experiences.