San Diego Couples Therapist & Individual Psychotherapist
Compassionate and Transformative Therapy for Meaningful Change
Individual Therapy
Go beneath the symptoms to understand the patterns, emotions, experiences, and inner conflicts keeping you stuck—and develop a freer, more grounded way of living.
Couples Therapy
Break painful cycles of conflict, distance, resentment, and disconnection while building greater emotional safety, understanding, intimacy, and connection.
Premarital Counseling
Build a stronger foundation for marriage by exploring communication, conflict, intimacy, expectations, values, family patterns, and the kind of relationship you want to create together.
Religious Trauma Therapy
A compassionate space to work through religious trauma, spiritual abuse, shame, fear, faith transitions, and the emotional impact of painful religious experiences.
Discernment Counseling
For couples when one partner is leaning toward leaving and the other wants to preserve the relationship. Slow the decision down, understand what brought you here, and gain greater clarity about what comes next.
Online Therapy
Convenient, private teletherapy for individuals and couples located in California, allowing you to engage in meaningful therapy from the comfort of your own space.
Hello! I’m Dr. Mark Karris
Are you feeling lost, stuck, anxious, disconnected, overwhelmed, or unsure how to move forward?
I offer a compassionate, trauma-informed, and depth-oriented approach to therapy for individuals and couples seeking healing, clarity, and meaningful change.
As an experienced therapist, university professor, best-selling author, and researcher, I bring both clinical expertise and deep care to the therapy process. My work is grounded in attachment theory, trauma-informed care, and emotionally focused approaches to healing.
What I Bring to the Work
My training includes:
- Internal Family Systems, Level 1 Trained
- Certified Discernment Counselor
- Attachment-Focused EMDR, trained through Laurel Parnell’s model
- Certified Transformative Couples Therapist in David Mars’s TCT approach
- Extensive training in Emotionally Focused Therapy
- Level One training in Stan Tatkin’s PACT model
- Teaching experience in ISTDP, ACT, and graduate-level trauma studies
While these approaches inform my work, therapy is not simply about techniques or credentials. It is about creating a space where you feel deeply heard, thoughtfully challenged, and compassionately supported as you make sense of your story, your pain, your patterns, and your longing for something more.
Together, we will work toward greater emotional clarity, deeper connection, and a more grounded way of relating to yourself and the people you love.
My Approach
As a therapist, I offer a unique blend of compassion and directness, guided by a holistic and integrative approach grounded in the latest neuroscience research. By addressing the mind, body, spirit, and emotions together, I provide a safe and empathetic space for you to explore your goals.
But let’s be honest—therapy isn’t meant to last forever. My ultimate aim is to empower you to reach your full potential and live your best life, not to keep you in therapy indefinitely. I’m focused on helping you achieve real, lasting change so you can move forward and get back to living. Let’s make it happen.
Frequently Asked Questions
HOW MUCH DO THERAPY SESSIONS COST?
Fees are $265 per 50-minute session for individuals, couples, and families. Longer sessions are also available when clinically appropriate, and many couples choose 80-minute sessions. I also offer therapy intensives, which may last three hours or longer.
My after-hours rate is $285 per session for appointments scheduled after 8:00 p.m. or on Sundays. Teletherapy (online counseling) is available as well.
If the full fee would create a significant financial hardship, please feel free to contact me. I have a limited number of sliding-scale openings and am happy to discuss whether one may be available.
WHEN ARE YOU AVAILABLE FOR SESSIONS? DO YOU OFFER EVENING OR WEEKEND APPOINTMENTS?
Availability:
My availability may vary slightly from week to week, depending on my schedule. Typically, I offer both daytime and evening sessions, and I also work on Saturdays.
Booking:
Sessions are booked on a first-come, first-served basis. Evening and weekend slots tend to fill up quickly, so I recommend scheduling in advance. For the sake of continuity, I strive to maintain consistent appointment times whenever possible.
WHAT’S A TELEHEALTH SESSION AND HOW DO THEY WORK?
Yes. I offer teletherapy for clients located in California. Online sessions allow you to meet from the privacy and convenience of your home or another appropriate private location. Once we schedule your appointment, you’ll receive the necessary paperwork and information for joining your session.
DO YOU ACCEPT HEALTH INSURANCE?
I am an out-of-network provider and do not bill insurance directly. Payment is due at the time of service. Upon request, I can provide a superbill that you may submit to your insurance company for possible out-of-network reimbursement. Benefits vary by plan, so I recommend checking directly with your insurer to determine your coverage.
WHAT FORMS OF PAYMENT DO YOU TAKE?
Credit is the most common form of payment. If you do want to pay with cash, please bring exact change.
GOOD FAITH ESTIMATE
Under Section 2799B-6 of the Public Health Service Act, health care providers and health care facilities are required to inform individuals who are not enrolled in a plan or coverage or a Federal health care program, or not seeking to file a claim with their plan or coverage both orally and in writing of their ability, upon request or at the time of scheduling health care items and services, to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” of expected charges.
You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost
Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.
- You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.
- Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.
- If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.
- Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises
