Meet Sheena Yanagisawa Simpson

About Sheena

Sheena is a couples therapist in Marin County, committed to providing a warm, supportive, and non-judgmental space where partners can safely explore their relationship dynamics.

Before becoming a therapist, she spent nearly two decades as a Japanese conference interpreter, honing her ability to listen deeply, discern meaning beyond words, and translate complex emotions into clear, understandable communication. This experience uniquely equips her to help couples bridge emotional and communication gaps, ensuring that both partners feel truly heard and understood.

Growing up in a Japanese American household and being bilingual and bicultural, Sheena brings a culturally sensitive approach that honors each couple’s unique history, values, and communication styles.

Her Approach

Sheena has extensive training in couples therapy, integrating evidence-based techniques tailored to each couple’s specific needs. Her approach is both compassionate and solution-focused—helping clients identify practical steps to overcome challenges while fostering deeper emotional connection and self-awareness.

The right words matter. In therapy, Sheena helps couples express their emotions with clarity, reducing misunderstandings and fostering connection.

Beyond surface-level listening, Sheena attunes to the deeper layers of emotion and unspoken needs in the room. She helps couples unravel the underlying patterns driving their conflicts, translating even the most difficult conversations into opportunities for understanding and reconnection. With a direct yet supportive approach, she balances emotional depth with clear, actionable strategies, ensuring that clients not only feel heard but also gain the tools to shift their relational dynamics.

Whether you are navigating conflict, healing from past wounds, or seeking to strengthen your connection, Sheena will empower you with the insights and skills to create lasting positive change.

Sheena Simpson, AMFT 16160615
Associate Marriage and Family Therapist

Supervised by Kaitlin Soule, LMFT93947

Education & Training

  • Master’s of Education in Marriage and Family Therapy, Touro University

  • Bachelor’s of Arts, University of California, Berkeley

  • Gottman Method Couples Therapy – Levels 1 & 2

  • Emotionally Focused Family Therapy – Level 1

  • Relational Life Therapy – Level 1

  • EMDR Trained, HAP (Healing Through Adaptive Processing)

  • Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT)

With thousands of hours of experience with couples and over 300 hours of specialized training, I am dedicated to providing expert couples counseling.

Therapeutic Approaches I Offer:

  • Gottman Method, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and Relational Life Therapy (RLT): Enhancing relationships through emotional connection and effective communication.

  • Somatic Therapy: Integrating body awareness to heal trauma and stress.

  • Neurobiology: Applying brain science to enhance therapeutic outcomes.

  • Mindfulness: Cultivating present-moment awareness for mental well-being.

  • Relational and Client-Centered: Fostering a supportive and empathetic therapeutic relationship.

  • Polyvagal Theory: Understanding the nervous system's role in emotional regulation.

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Addressing negative thought patterns and behaviors.

  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Combining CBT with mindfulness and acceptance strategies.

  • Psychodynamic Therapy: Exploring unconscious processes and past experiences.

  • Attachment Theory: Understanding the impact of early relationships on current behavior.

  • Internal Family Systems (IFS): Working with different parts of the self to achieve harmony.