Couples & Family Trauma Support in Berkeley, California and Virtually
Malachi Gillihan is a Trauma Specialist in Berkeley, California, working with couples and families in two specific ways: bringing a partner or family member into an individual client's ongoing work, as needed, and working directly with family members who share a common trauma history and want to heal it together. This isn't standalone, ongoing couples or family therapy, and it isn't the right fit if that's what you're looking for.
If you're already doing individual work with Malachi, trauma's impact on your relationships and family often becomes part of that process. Rather than running a separate, ongoing couples or family practice, Malachi periodically brings a partner or family member into your sessions, often around once a month or as issues come up, to work through relational patterns tied to trauma, inside the individual work you're already doing.
Malachi is also a survivor-practitioner, and understands firsthand how trauma echoes through relationships and families, not just individuals. Separately from the model above, he also works with family members, often siblings, who share a specific trauma history; growing up with an abusive or narcissistic parent is a common example, and want to process and heal that shared experience together.
What you can expect:
Sessions integrated into your individual work, not a separate, ongoing couples or family practice
A normalizing lens: relationship and family struggles are often a predictable symptom of trauma, not evidence that something is wrong with you or the people you love
In-person sessions in Berkeley or virtual, wherever you are
Guidance from a Trauma Specialist who understands trauma's impact on relationships firsthand
A starting point that asks nothing of you but a conversation
How Couples & Family Sessions Work
As Part of Your Individual Work
If you're working with Malachi individually, a partner or family member can join periodically, often around once a month or as specific issues come up, rather than on an ongoing, separate schedule. These sessions remain connected to your individual work rather than becoming standalone processes.
Healing a Shared Family Trauma Together
When a family shares a common trauma history, siblings navigating the impact of an abusive or narcissistic parent, for example, Malachi also works directly with the family members involved to process and heal that shared experience together, distinct from any one person's individual work.
Why Relationship Struggles Are Rarely About One Person
Trauma has a way of showing up in relationships and families in patterns that feel deeply personal, but usually aren't. Difficulty trusting, conflict that repeats itself, distance that's hard to explain- these often aren't evidence that something is fundamentally wrong with you or the people you love. They're frequently a predictable, understandable response to trauma's impact, showing up between people the same way it shows up within one person.
Naming that pattern tends to change the work itself. Instead of two people, or a family, wondering what's uniquely broken about their relationship, the focus shifts to understanding trauma's fingerprints on how you connect, and working with that directly.
Sessions Designed Around You
In-Person and Virtual Sessions
You can choose what fits your life. Sessions happen in person in Berkeley, California, or virtually if you're anywhere else in the country, or the world.
How Sessions Fit Into Your Work
For partner or family sessions integrated into individual work, the cadence is usually about once a month or as specific issues arise, rather than a fixed, ongoing schedule. For family members healing a shared trauma together, sessions are structured around what that particular family needs.
Starting With a Consultation Call
There's no assessment to pass and nothing to prepare beforehand. A consultation call is simply a conversation, so you and Malachi can figure out together whether, and how, this fits your situation.
What Changes When the Pattern Has a Name
Understanding that a relationship struggle is a trauma response, not a personal failing, tends to shift things for both people involved. Here's what a few people have said about that experience.
"Impressive synthesis and integration of the science"
Workshop Attendee
"Malachi presented the complex information very clearly. His passion for the subject came through and I found it very motivating to learn more."
Workshop Attendee
"Malachi was a skilled facilitator and the training was well-organized, well-paced, and engaging."
Workshop Attendee
"All the information given in the workshop was not only relevant, but well documented, which made the workshop very valuable."
Workshop Attendee
"Absolutely blew my mind in the best way. I feel empowered, seen, and am excited to try out so many of these tools and strategies!!!!! Thank you Malachi"
Workshop Attendee
"The class was excellent - I wouldn’t change a thing"
Workshop Attendee
More Ways to Heal and Grow
Partner and family sessions are usually part of a broader individual process. These are the most common starting points.
Individual Trauma Recovery
For trauma recovery more broadly, with partner or family sessions as something to add in later, as needed. Learn more.
Complex PTSD Recovery
For a trauma history that's chronic and long-standing, as the primary individual focus. Learn more.
Sexual Trauma Recovery
For sexual trauma specifically, where relationship and intimacy impact is often especially significant. Learn more.
Begin With a Consultation Call
Whether you're starting individual work and want to know this is available later, or you're looking specifically for family members to heal a shared trauma together, Couples & Family Trauma Support starts with one conversation. A short, low-pressure consultation call with Malachi, a Trauma Specialist based in Berkeley, is the place to figure out together what fits.
Sessions are available in person in Berkeley, California, or virtually, wherever you are.
Common Questions About Couples & Family Trauma Support
No. This isn't an ongoing, standalone couples or family therapy practice. It's either occasional sessions integrated into someone's individual work, or dedicated sessions for family members healing a shared trauma together. If you're looking for traditional, ongoing couples or family therapy as your primary service, this likely isn't the right fit.
Is This Traditional Couples or Family Therapy?
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Do I Need to Already Be in Individual Therapy With Malachi to Bring in a Partner or Family Member?
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For partner or family sessions integrated into your work, yes, that's built around an existing individual process. For family members healing a shared trauma together, this can often be a starting point on its own, without one person needing to already be an individual client. If you're not sure which applies to you, a consultation call is the place to sort that out.
That's common, and it doesn't mean the work can't happen. Family healing often starts with whoever is ready, even if that's not everyone. A consultation call can help you think through what's possible with the people who are willing.
What if Only Some Family Members Want to Participate?
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Does My Partner or Family Member Need Their Own Individual Therapist Too?
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Not necessarily. The joint sessions are integrated into your individual work, so your partner or family member doesn't need to be in their own separate therapy to take part, though they're welcome to have their own support as well.