Morrighan MacGillivray
she/her
- Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist
AMFT #138733
Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology, with a concentration in Somatic Psychology
My view is that life’s triumphs and challenges are just too painful and too beautiful to bear alone. I see the role of therapist in our increasingly isolated modern society as that of witness, guide, collaborator and companion along the way. If you're looking for support with trauma, grief & loss, life transitions, self-esteem issues, anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, or embodiment, or you just feel drawn to working with me, don’t hesitate to reach out. I would love to hear from you.
Like many, I have arrived in this role via my own path through suffering and surviving and just-about-coping towards embodying more safety, vitality, liberation, and wholeness. My personal experience navigating the lonely, dark, and often overwhelming terrain of trauma and loss has deepened my capacity to 'be with' pain and hope at the same time, and to support others through similar territory.
My own healing journey began with the arts – in particular, dance, performance, and somatic movement. Trauma led me into dissociation and frozen fear. Dance helped me to re-inhabit my own body and by extension my agency, power, and ease. Now it is my honor to walk alongside others as they make their own way home to themselves. And I am endlessly moved, changed, inspired and humbled by this process.
I hold a Master’s Degree in Somatic Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, as well as Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Dance Theatre and Performance from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London. I worked as a dance artist and dance & movement facilitator in London for some years before finding my way to California. I am originally from a rural area of the highlands of Scotland where I was fortunate to grow up embedded in the beautiful natural world. Other elements of my background and experience include expressive arts, mindfulness meditation, and yoga.
My approach is integrative and collaborative, which means I draw on different modalities and styles based on the needs and preferences of the person I’m working with. I like to balance the cognitive with the somatic and emotional, and the personal with the relational and systemic/contextual. That balance can be fluid and different for everyone. Some of my favorite therapy modalities to draw from are somatic, mindful and experiential approaches; internal family systems therapy (parts work); relational and attachment approaches; expressive arts therapy; and trauma and liberation frameworks.
I believe that one of the necessary paths to healing is through connection – to all the lost and disowned parts of our psyches; to our amazing, resilient bodies, fierce, compassionate hearts, and creative spirits; to other beings and to community; to the present moment; to a real and felt sense of safety and agency; to meaning and purpose; and to this beautiful earth.
I hold this work with a lot of care and warmth and reverence. I believe in the power of authentic relationship and in showing up for repair. I make space for emergence and complexity and mystery. I'm dedicated to my own ongoing learning and unlearning. And I’m fiercely committed to supporting the healing and flourishing of all beings and upholding the values of compassion and justice in my role as therapist, and beyond.
- Young Children: 4-6
- Children: 7-12
- Teens: 13-17
- Young Adult: 18-25
- Adults: 26-65
- Individuals
- Artists
- Highly Sensitive Person/s
- Immigrants
- Persons Experiencing Grief and Loss
- Persons Recovering from Traumatic Events/Experiences
- Persons with Histories of Childhood Sexual Abuse
- Persons with Histories of Physical or Emotional Abuse
- Women
- Experiential Therapy
- Expressive Arts Therapy
- Relational Psychotherapy
- Somatic Psychotherapy
- Trauma-Informed Psychotherapy
- Other:
Brainspotting, Internal Family Systems therapy (IFS)
- French
- Check
- Credit Card
$175
No
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I offer telehealth throughout California, outdoor therapy in the East Bay redwoods, and in-person therapy in a cozy office in San Francisco, SoMa 94107.
- Monday Evening
- Tuesday Evening
- Wednesday Evening
- Thursday Afternoon
- Thursday Evening
- Friday Afternoon
I currently have a couple of openings for in-office therapy on Thursdays in SF, outdoor therapy on Fridays in the East Bay redwoods, and teletherapy on weekday evenings. If you'd like to explore whether we'd be a good fit, please reach out to me by email (morrighan.m@gratefulhearttherapy.org) or phone (510-545-2725) with a few good times for a free 15-20 minute consultation call, and we can go from there!
Rayne Banneck, LMFT #124607
11/04/2024