Who am I?
Hello! My name is Dr. Damaris Conrad and I have been in practice as a licensed Marriage & Family Psychotherapist for the past 25 years, and the founder of Center for Family Counseling, and Mariah Ministries, Inc. By way of a quick background, I hold two Masters, 1 PhD and a couple of MFT licenses in Idaho and in California. In Idaho, I provide Clinical Supervision to budding Interns and I teach online in Masters/ Doctoral counseling and training programs with students who are learning how to be Psychotherapists.
“How is Attitude Measured? It is more important to identify change from the inside-out, rather than the outside in. It is not so important what change happens on the outside, but to be accurate the proof of change happens within the person rather than outside of the person. Change from within is reflected on the outside to others, not the other way around.” – Anon
I have been married to the same man for 42 years and I will be the first one to admit that marriage is one of the toughest relationships you can commit to. We have also walked through many hills and valleys and gone through days without any sunlight and questioned ‘Who is this person that I am married to?’ Together, we have 2 adult children, and 1 daughter in love and we are blessed and thankful for the family we have.
Some of the various organizations I am or have been a part of professionally, includes:
- California Association of Marriage & Family Therapy (C.A.M.F.T.)
- American Association of Christian Counselors (A.A.C.C.)
- Christian Association of Psychological Studies, Inc. (C.A.P.S)
- American Counseling Association (A.C.A)
- Board of Life Coaching Certified Professional Christian Life Coach
- Board of Christian Life Certified Master Christian Life
My Focus in Therapy
My commitment to providing high-quality psychotherapy is backed by over 24 + years of experience. My clients often tell me that I tend to get to the “juggler quickly” while gently assisting and supporting them as we move through the ambivalence, resistance, or pain which may be underlying the stuck feeling when we are faced with a life change or family conflict.
In a spirit of non-judgment, it is my desire to support you as we explore the steps needed to move forward. Whether the issue is overcoming anxiety, depression, emotional upheaval, trauma, anger or behavioral issues, relationships, family challenges, gaining clarity on career frustrations, life changes, or transitions; I will walk with you as we look under the masks we wear and figure out the purposes they serve in our lives. It is important to understand that you are not alone and we will do this together.
While I can’t do the work for you, I will support you in finding the skills, tools, insights, and answers together.
Let’s face it, life is not easy, and some days we wonder why we even got out of bed! However, it is important to understand that it takes a special kind of strength, to face the day and acknowledge to ourselves and others that we need help. Reaching out to a stranger and sharing who you are, can be intimidating, but the flip side of the coin is when we reach out, we can experience empowerment, strength, and the change we want to see.
As one wise man once said, “The secret of change is to focus all of our energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” (Socrates)
It is my desire to bring hope, optimism, humility, healing, and humor to our work together, and I feel honored to be invited to participate in your new journey!
In Gratitude,
Dr. Damaris Conrad