Catherine Morrill, MDiv, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #49091
Director and Co-Founder of Soul Restoration Project & Clinical Supervisor
Who I Work With
Individuals and couples— who are good at taking care of others but not so good at taking care of themselves—to nurture, heal, and develop their inner life, relationships, and creativity.
Specialties
Relationship difficulties
Emotion coaching
Anxiety
Depression
Trauma (Developmental, EMDR)
Disordered eating and body image
Religious trauma and church hurt
Spiritual integration
About
Can you relate?
“I’m busy helping others but I’m running on empty.” “I can manage a lot, but I can’t figure out my anxiety, depression, grief, relationship issues, food or body image issues, or unresolved trauma.” “I wish I felt more connected to my own heart and my partner.”
You need someone to help you slow down and learn to care for yourself! As your therapist, I’m in it with you, wanting you to experience the healing and support you need.
How I can help
In the beginning, we’ll explore what brings you to therapy. As you share more of your story, I’ll help you develop deeper curiosity and compassion for yourself, instead of shame and judgment. We’ll pay attention to your feelings, thoughts, and body, as well as your dreams, your experience of our therapy, and anything else you bring in. We’ll consider and work with how your early and important relationships and life experiences impact how you’re struggling now. You’ll discover what keeps you stuck as well as how you experience relief and connection.
As trauma surfaces, we’ll process it with a gentle, steady approach. We’ll come to understand the impact of your trauma and we’ll work through the unprocessed pain. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is one form of trauma treatment, among others, that we can incorporate.
If you desire spiritual integration, we can explore how your healing journey connects with your faith/spirituality. My years in full-time ministry helped me understand many facets of the Christian world and also helped me understand the challenges of ministry. Therapy with me is also a safe space to deconstruct and heal from harmful experiences or beliefs and/or to reconstruct more helpful beliefs and practices.
As you engage in this therapy process, the relief, changes, rest, acceptance, intimacy, and creativity that you desire can emerge.
What Therapy With Me Feels Like
It’s like we’re having a meaningful conversation (which we are!) sitting in what feels like a comfortable living room (unless we’re meeting virtually, of course). But instead of a normal friendship or relationship, we’re purposefully engaging in your goals and how you’re doing. Personality-wise, I’m warm, thoughtful, empathic, insightful and focused. Being with me, you’ll meet Lily, my 9- or 10-year-old rescued, poodle mutt. If for any reason you don’t want her in the therapy space, she’s happy to be in her crate. Lily, through her loving presence at Soul Restoration Project, has earned her own page.
What I Do in My Free Time
I spend time with family and friends, play with my dog Lily, hang out near the ocean, create beauty, volunteer at my church and try new restaurants.
Education
Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy; Hope International University
Master of Divinity; Fuller Seminary
Bachelor of Arts in Religion; Barnard College, Columbia University
Certifications/Advanced Training/Memberships
Prepare-Enrich Certified; comprehensive assessment tool used in both premarital and marriage therapy
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Trained by EMDR Institute; evidence-based treatment for trauma and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Continuing education through psychoanalytic institutes
Foundations in Psychoanalysis, Institute for Contemporary Psychoanalysis
Long Beach • Santa Ana • Virtual
catherine@soulrestorationproject.org
714-262-4445, ext. 2