Todd Bland Therapy

ABOUT ME I'm a Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT), under the supervision of Michelle Hider, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) #106498. I work primarily by video/telehealth with some in-person availability beginning in mid-October Becoming a therapist is a second career for me. Before entering the mental health field, I spent many years working in public service and social services, including leadership roles with the California Department of Social Services and as a staff director with the California Legislature. I've learned that meaningful change rarely happens in isolation. Our relationships, families, communities, and life circumstances all influence how we experience ourselves and the world around us. Outside of my professional work, I've been fortunate to share a 39-year marriage with my wife. We raised two children who are now adults and launched into their own lives. Like any long-term relationship, ours has evolved through different stages of life. One thing that experience has taught me is that lasting relationships require curiosity, flexibility, communication, and a willingness to keep growing. PROFESSIONAL INFORMATION Todd Bland Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) #164947 Supervised by Michelle Hider, LMFT #106498 Master of Science in Counseling, Kaiser Permanente School of Allied Health Sciences Master of Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School of Government Bachelor of Arts in History, Yale University Member, American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) Member, California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) MY APPROACH Curious. Collaborative. Nonjudgmental. I don't believe there is a single therapeutic approach that works for everyone. Therapy should be responsive to the person or people sitting in the room. My goal is to create a space where you can be open about what you're experiencing while also working toward practical and meaningful change. Depending on your needs and goals, our work may draw from approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness-based practices, and the Gottman Method for couples. My approach is trauma-informed and culturally sensitive. INDIVIDUAL THERAPY Understanding yourself. Creating meaningful change. Individual therapy can offer a place to slow down, gain perspective, and better understand patterns that may be affecting your relationships, work, or sense of well-being. I work with adults navigating life transitions, relationship challenges, stress, anxiety, and other circumstances that may be getting in the way of living the life they want. Our work begins with your goals. Together, we can explore what's happening, identify patterns that may no longer be serving you, and consider practical ways to move forward. COUPLES THERAPY Relationships make us vulnerable. They also provide some of life's greatest rewards. Even couples who love each other can become caught in patterns that leave both partners feeling unheard, disconnected, or stuck. Couples therapy provides an opportunity to slow those patterns down, understand what is happening between you, and develop healthier ways of communicating and connecting. My couples work incorporates principles from the Gottman Method, including approaches to strengthening friendship and intimacy, managing conflict, and developing healthier patterns of communication. I have completed Gottman Level 1 training and continue to develop my skills in couples therapy. A BROADER VIEW OF RELATIONSHIPS AND INTIMACY Relationships don't all have to look the same to be healthy. I believe there is no single template for a meaningful relationship. I welcome individuals and couples from diverse relationship and sexual communities, including people who are exploring or practicing consensual non-monogamy, polyamory, and kink. I strive to provide a kink-positive, poly-positive, and sex-positive therapeutic environment where clients can talk openly about relationships, intimacy, sexuality, and the ways they want to live—without having to defend or justify their choices. The common denominator is curiosity, respect, and a nonjudgmental approach to how people create relationships and intimacy.