Ann Marie McKnight, LMFT
Therapist in Sacramento & Online
pronouns: she/her
Availability: Tuesdays-Saturdays (including evenings)
Who I Help:
Adults & Couples
Relationship Communication, Connection, Sex & Intimacy in 50’s and beyond
Families
Parents & Adult Children finding ways to connect and heal
Folks Needing Healing During
Grief & Bereavement: Death of a loved one, traumatic grief, and facing death & dying
Moving On After Break Ups or Divorce
Depression & Loneliness
Adults who were emotionally neglected as children
I help individuals and couples move through the hardest and most lonely times of their lives.
You can experience more fulfillment in your life and relationships! I’m here to support you.
I’m the type of therapist who works best with people who are moving through a loss of someone or something very important. I will help you feel accepted and supported as you move towards peace & connection.
Loss hits us many times throughout life and while there are many types of loss (death of a loved one, loss of trust, loss of identity or health, a break up or divorce), what I have learned in my time as a family therapist and hospice worker is that loss takes us to the depths of our loneliness and pain.
During this time, I will sit with you in connection–I will not push you to feel better or give you quick tips for change.
At times we can feel overwhelmed, afraid, and alone; struggling with how to cope, resolve or move forward. It can feel like we’ve been let down by people we care about again and again.
You do not have to go it alone! There are ways through the pain, new ways to cope, new ways to love ourselves–and we don’t have to settle for the same hurting relationship dynamics we’ve experienced through out our lives.
My first goal in getting to know you is understanding you!
I want to hear about your experiences, your feelings. I want to bring light to those strengths and skills you have inside.
You want life to feel meaningful again –and it can.
I believe that that our most important relationship is our personal relationship with ourselves.
Learning how to ‘befriend ourselves’ is essential and supports all other relationships we encounter. I will encourage you to develop and practice self-care rituals to nurture, balance and enhance your mental and emotional wellbeing.
As we work together, we will discover ways for you to gain a deeper understanding of yourself and your life as well as how to develop self-compassion.
We will expand your capacity to deal with uncomfortable emotions and events to enhance your ability to stay grounded in your truth and communicate your needs directly.
In my spare time I enjoy going on walks, taking bike rides, being in nature, practicing yoga, baking for others, traveling, spirituality, exploring cultures, historical documentaries and listening to music.
My areas of expertise are:
Grief, Loss and Bereavement
Therapy can be helpful when things don’t work out, Grief and Loss are common reasons people seek supportive counseling. Whether you have lost a someone through death, are caring for a terminally ill loved one, dealing with a disability, or are experiencing a ‘metaphorical loss’ such as; the end of a relationship, job change, missed opportunity or an unfulfilled goal or dream, therapy can help you to deal with complex thoughts and feelings related to loss.
My background in Hospice, Death Midwifery and Bereavement as well as my personal life experience of caring for and tending to multiple loved ones facing death has afforded me a unique ability to understand, guide and support others with their anticipatory or current grieving process.
Anxiety and Depression
In our modern world with smart phones and the ability to see, explore and be disrupted by data, solicitations and requests 24 hours a day, it is understandable that more of us are experiencing increased stress levels and demands which if left unchecked can lead to us to developing problems with anxiety and depression.
Let’s work together to uncover your stressors and strengths by co-creating strategies to reduce your symptoms, rebalance your mind, energize your spirit and get yourself into a more balanced place.
Trauma and Life Events/Transitions
If you have been abused, assaulted, or witnessed a Traumatic Event, you may be experiencing difficulties in your relationships and personal functioning. Life events/transitions can bring up uncertainties, fears and disappointments which can often create disruptions in your daily life, challenging your beliefs, the way you view yourself and the world in which you live in.
Together we will face these trying situations and develop ways to broaden your capacity to cope, manage and heal yourself. By doing so, you will move forward emerging stronger, wiser and calmer.
Formal Credentials
License
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, #134025: Licensed to practice psychotherapy in California
Education
M.S., Counseling: California State University, Sacramento
B.A., Psychology: California State University, Sacramento
Love Heal Grow Residency Trainings in Progress
Gottman Method Couples Therapy: Level I
Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (Hold Me Tight Program)
Gottman Couples Therapy: Level 2
Gottman Couples Therapy: Trauma and Infidelity
Modern Sex Therapy Institute: Addressing Common Sexual Concerns in Individuals and Couples
Modern Sex Therapy Institute: LGBTQIA Affirmative Therapy
Modern Sex Therapy Institute: Alternative Sexualities/Non-Traditional Relationships
Anti-Racism & Culturally Affirmative Care, Diversity & Resiliency Institute of El Paso
