My Approach To Therapy

I am accessible, responsive, and engaging, meaning I won't just sit and stare at you, leaving you to feel alone in the room.  Rather, I am a present, active part of meetings, sometimes gently leading, sometimes following, and always collaborating. I bring compassion, curiosity, and warm authenticity to the work of therapy, which helps my clients establish trust and safety, get in touch with all parts of themselves, and learn how to get their needs met. I know that our lives and our relationships can make sense, and they can come back from dark and desperate places when we are given what we need. When we receive emotional support that is validating and reflective, healing and growth naturally occur. I welcome all people equally. I want you to come as you are no matter who you are, where you come from, who you love, or how you soothe yourself.

In addition to the clinical training I completed at the New York University School of Social Work, through Certification training and supervision in Emotionally Focused Therapy, and over 15 years of experience in direct practice, I have continued post-graduate training in a variety of evidence-based approaches to psychotherapy, which inform my client-centered style. In industry-lingo, I am:

• relational - working with the real and imagined relationship between therapist and client in a nurturing way 
• experiential - privileging moment-by-moment experience in session rather than on what's outside the room
• emotion-focused - making sense of cues, feelings, physiological response, thoughts, and action tendencies
• systemic - focusing on the larger context of our individual behaviors and how we internalize our environment
• attachment-based - understanding of the importance of secure relationships with caregivers and spouses
• self determination-informed - inclusive of autonomy and competence needs in addition to relationships
• healing-oriented - starting from understanding the underlying psychological phenomenon to behavior as signals to natural righting tendencies held core within the body: we do everything we do for a reason that aims for health
• dialogically-informed - tolerant of uncertainty and "figuring it out" together
• sex-positive, body-positive, LGBQ-TGNC affirming, Anti-racist, kink-friendly

I have found myself most at home with two different approaches to psychotherapy: Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP), both integrative/unifying and empirically supported treatments for interpersonal/relationship distress and mental health problems. I have earned certification as an Emotionally Focused Therapist and Supervisor, and continue to engage in advanced professional study, supervision, and training through formal ICEEFT approved activities, and am a "Level 3" AEDP Practitioner working towards Certification. EFT offers couples, families and individuals a scientifically-supported therapy / counseling experience that can predictably reach the core of our common emotional and relationship problems and needs, and AEDP offers individuals depth and support towards harnessing the goodness, healing and growth within us all waiting to be set in motion to be "better than fine."


In addition to EFT certification and ongoing training, and extensive AEDP training and supervision, I have also studied and integrated (where compatible) perspectives and interventions from other models of psychotherapy and couple/family therapy that I have received a mixture of study, supervision, and training in.  These include:

• Training and Consultation
  • Gottman Method Couples Therapy (Level 2)
  • Discernment Counseling (Certified through Doherty Institute)
  • Systemic and Integrative Sex Therapy (AASECT approved through Beuhler Institute)
  • Transformational Couple Therapy (formerly AEDP for Couples - current consult with David Mars)
  • Motivational Interviewing (Level 1)
  • Harm Reduction Psychotherapy (1-year group consultation with Andrew Tartarsky)
  • Modern Psychoanalysis (1-year group consultation with Mark Sehl)
• Study
  • Functional Analytic Psychotherapy
  • Solution-Focused Therapy
  • Dialogic Practice (related to "Open Dialogue")
  • Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy (IBCT)
  • Narrative Therapy
  • Experiential Dynamic Therapies (i.e. ISTDP, APT, DEFT)
  • Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Intimacy From the Inside Out (IFIO)
  • Community Reinforcement Approach and Family Training (CRAFT)
  • Somatic Experiencing
  • Focusing

​I am endlessly interested in a wide variety of theories about human life, love, health and approaches to healing and growth. I see personal and professional development as an ongoing process and an ethical imperative as a therapist and a Clinical Social Worker. My clients can be assured I will always strive to provide the best possible therapy experience that I can. I am a anti-racist, LGBTQ-affirmative, sex & body positive, and culturally-responsive clinical social work practitioner. Whether in couple therapy, marital therapy, family therapy, individual psychotherapy or supervision/consultation, I will take the needs of you, your identity and your relationships seriously, and will always treat you with respect.

To learn more about EFT, please go to ​http://www.iceeft.com/index.php/about-us/what-is-eft or visit my page on Emotionally Focused Therapy. To learn more about AEDP, please go to http://www.aedpinsitute.org or visit my page on Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy

Call 919-228-9729 or email referrals@jamesmccrackenpsychotherapy.com for a brief consult or to set up an appointment.
​Let's work together to get your needs met.