Andrea Morinoue, LMFT
I’m Andrea Morinoue, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in relational therapy. I work with couples, families, and individuals who want to break painful patterns, rebuild trust, and feel more connected. My style is straightforward and compassionate. I reflect the reality of what is happening in a way that is clear but not shaming, and I focus on helping both partners feel seen and understood.
Before becoming a therapist, I built a career in completely different fields, and I have also lived through seasons of personal and family stress. Those experiences gave me a deep respect for how much our relationships can impact us, and how hard it can be to hold them together when life feels overwhelming. My own therapy journey confirmed for me that change is possible when we are willing to look honestly at ourselves and our patterns, and that perspective continues to shape the way I work with clients today.
I am married with children and bring both professional training and lived experience into the therapy room. I believe that relationships always require effort, and my goal is to help clients gain clarity and develop tools that allow them to feel stronger, more connected, and more capable of continuing the work long after therapy ends.
My Approach
When you are choosing a therapist, it helps to know more than just who they work with. It also matters how they work. My approach combines two evidence-based ways of understanding people and relationships: Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and Internal Family Systems (IFS-informed). Together, these models give me a clear map of how to help couples, families, and individuals create meaningful and lasting change.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
EFT is one of the most researched and effective models for couples therapy. It is built on the idea that we are wired for connection and that many of our fights and disconnections are really protests about not feeling secure with each other. In EFT, I help couples see the cycle they are caught in, understand the fears and needs underneath, and learn how to reach for each other in new ways.
What this means for you: instead of getting stuck in blame, you begin to understand what is happening emotionally in your relationship and how to repair it. Couples often tell me they feel more understood and more hopeful after only a few sessions of EFT.
Internal Family Systems (IFS-Informed)
IFS looks at the different ways we all respond to life. Sometimes we protect ourselves, sometimes we carry heavy emotions, and sometimes we long for closeness but do not know how to reach for it. When these responses take over, we may react in ways that do not make sense to others or even to ourselves.
In therapy, I help individuals and couples notice these patterns with compassion rather than judgment. By understanding what is happening underneath the surface, you gain more clarity and choice in how you respond. When IFS is combined with EFT, couples often find it easier to slow down, make sense of their reactions, and connect with each other in new ways.
How I Combine the Two
I use EFT as the main structure for couples and relational work, and I bring in IFS-informed tools to deepen the process. This combination helps clients not only understand their relationship patterns but also connect with themselves in new ways. It allows space for both partners to feel seen, and it makes the work more compassionate and effective.
The Goal
Whether you are in couples, family, or individual therapy, my goal is the same: to help you see your patterns clearly, understand the emotions and parts driving them, and create more connection and choice in how you move forward.