Matthew Bishop
Marriage and Family Therapist, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Doctorate in Behavioral Health Leadership
In-Person in San Diego, CA 92102
Online in California
I work with people who feel stuck at crossroads — whether it’s the weight of anxiety, the strain in relationships, or the nagging sense that life isn’t lining up the way it should. In our sessions, I keep the focus practical and real. We’ll talk openly, get to the heart of what’s blocking you, and build strategies that actually fit your life.
My practice, Sonder Therapy Group in San Diego, helps teens, adults, and couples find traction when old patterns keep getting in the way. I draw from existential and evidence-based approaches, but I don’t drown clients in jargon. If you want someone who listens carefully, challenges you when needed, and respects your pace, that’s the kind of therapy I offer.
Whether you’re navigating stress, healing after loss, or rethinking how you connect in relationships, therapy can be the space to sort it out. If you’re in San Diego and looking for a therapist who brings both clarity and compassion, let’s talk.
Client Focus
Session Format: Couple, Family, Individual sessions.
Age Specialty: Adult, Children, Teen, Young Adult
Demographic Expertise: Christian, Jewish, LGBTQ+, Men, Military / Veterans, Women clients.
Languages: English
Treatment Approach
- Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) Helps people accept difficult thoughts and feelings instead of fighting them, while committing to actions that reflect their values. It blends mindfulness with practical behavior strategies.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) One of the most widely used approaches, CBT helps people identify unhelpful thoughts and replace them with healthier patterns. It is effective for anxiety, depression, and many other concerns.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Combines CBT with mindfulness to help regulate emotions, tolerate stress, and build stronger relationships. Originally designed for borderline personality disorder, it’s now used more broadly.
- Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) Focuses on strengthening emotional bonds in couples or families. It helps people identify negative cycles and create more secure connections.
- Existential / Humanistic Therapy Encourages people to explore meaning, freedom, and authenticity in their lives. It focuses on personal growth and living in alignment with one’s values.
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) A structured therapy that uses guided eye movements to help process traumatic memories. It is widely recognized for treating PTSD and trauma-related conditions.
- Internal Family Systems (IFS) Helps clients heal by working with different ‘parts’ of themselves, like inner critics or wounded children. It fosters harmony within the self.
- Jungian Therapy Draws on Carl Jung’s ideas about archetypes, dreams, and the collective unconscious. It helps people explore deeper layers of meaning.
- Psychodynamic Therapy Explores unconscious thoughts and patterns that influence current behavior. It builds insight into how the past impacts the present.
Approach Description: My approach is both direct and collaborative. Therapy should feel like a conversation that actually gets somewhere, not a lecture or a monologue. I listen carefully, ask questions that cut beneath the surface, and help you connect the dots between what you’re feeling and what you want to change.
I draw from existential, humanistic, and evidence-based methods—but I don’t expect clients to care about those labels. What matters is that therapy balances insight with action: sometimes that means slowing down and reflecting, sometimes it means challenging patterns head-on.
In sessions, you can expect me to be straightforward and engaged. I’m not the kind of therapist who only nods and says, “tell me more.” I’ll notice patterns, point out blind spots, and encourage you to try new ways of thinking and relating. At the same time, I respect your pace and your goals.
Therapy with me is about building clarity and momentum. We’ll identify what’s getting in the way, experiment with new strategies, and strengthen your ability to handle stress, connect with others, and live with more purpose.
Whether we’re working on anxiety, depression, relationship struggles, or rebuilding after trauma, my goal is the same: to help you create lasting change in how you experience yourself and your relationships.
Fees & Insurance
Fees
- Average Session Fee 225
- Affordable sliding scale therapy: apply if you may be eligible.
- We offer a sliding scale on a limited basis. But you have to be brave and ask about it and then be willing to disclose some financial information.
- Out of Network
Education & Credentials
Matthew Bishop Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Doctorate in Behavioral Health Leadership
- Male
- License # 107657
- Licensed in CA
- Practicing Since 2016
Matthew Bishop Practice Details
Therapy Sessions
- Available In-Person in San Diego, CA 92102
- Available Online for residents of California
Sonder Therapy Group offers therapy for Anxiety and Depression, EMDR and Trauma Recovery, Husband/Father Support, Military Spouses, Teens and adolescents, and ADHD in San Diego, CA. We work with i work especially well with adults who want help understanding the patterns that keep following them through life: choosing the same kinds of relationships, feeling responsible for their family’s emotions, hiding parts of themselves out of shame, or relying on alcohol, sex, work, or other compulsive behaviors to escape what they feel. Some come in during a breakup, traumatic experience, addiction, or major life transition; others are functioning well but recognize that old family dynamics are still shaping how they relate to themselves and the people they love. They want more than a few coping. Clinicians at the practice are licensed (LMFT, Ed.D. and similar credentials). Reach out to schedule a free consultation.