Shelby Valladares, ALMFT

Are the rhythms of your home feeling out of sync? As an Associate Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (ALMFT), I specialize in helping couples, parents, and modern families navigate life’s most complex transitions.

Whether you are adjusting to the overwhelming joys and stressors of becoming new parents, working through communication blocks in your marriage, establishing boundaries in a blended family, or managing the heavy shifts of divorce and co-parenting, you do not have to figure it out alone.

My goal is to create a warm, collaborative, and non-judgmental environment where every member of your family feels heard, valued, and understood.

  • Ages 16+

  • Transitioning to adulthood

  • Premarital

  • New families

  • Blended families, divorce & co-parenting

Areas of Expertise:

  • Structural Family

  • Strategic Family

  • CBT

  • SFBT

  • Narrative Therapy

  • Gottman

Types of Therapy:

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Professional Experience

My work is backed by a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from National University and over 1.5 years of dedicated, direct client work.

Beyond my formal education, my approach is deeply enriched by my own lived experiences navigating the unique dynamics of a blended family and the profound transition to parenting.

This combination of clinical training and personal insight allows me to meet you exactly where you are with genuine empathy, practical wisdom, and specialized support tailored to your family's unique journey. self.

Professional Skills

  • Family Systems & Dynamics: Mapping complex family ecosystems, including blended families, co-parenting structures, and multi-generational communication patterns.

  • Evidence-Based Modalities: Utilizing Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and The Gottman Method to identify relational deficits and build secure attachment.

  • Navigating Major Transitions: Guiding families through high-stress life changes, such as new parenthood, divorce, separation, and shifting family roles.

  • Relational Communication Coaching: Identifying and de-escalating communication roadblocks, establishing healthy boundaries, and translating clinical concepts into practical, at-home tools.

  • Trauma-Informed Collaboration: Creating a non-judgmental, safe space where every family member feels validated, heard, and empowered to participate in their own healing process.

Therapeutic Approaches

My therapeutic approach is firmly rooted in systems theory, incorporating evidence-based tools from Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) to The Gottman Method. Rather than just talking about your problems, we will actively map out communication roadblocks and practice practical, real-world tools that you can implement at home starting on day one. We will look at how your entire family ecosystem interacts, helping parents align their styles, strengthening marital bonds, and smoothly managing major family transitions.

Philosophy of Care

I believe that individuals do not heal in isolation, and relationships do not change by accident. My philosophy of care is rooted in a systemic, collaborative framework, treating the family as an interconnected ecosystem where every individual perspective matters and deserves to be heard.