Business Details
42 Years
experience
Your Trusted Psychotherapist in Santa Barbara
Robert Shafer, PhD has dedicated over four decades to providing compassionate, client-centered psychotherapy in Santa Barbara, CA. With a PhD in Clinical Psychology from Cambridge Graduate School and advanced training at the Institute for Contemporary Psychoanalysis, he brings depth and expertise to individual and couples therapy. His practice focuses on psychodynamic psychotherapy, addressing emotional distress, relationship challenges, and behavioral addictions through empathetic understanding. Dr. Shafer emphasizes creating a safe, respectful space where clients explore early experiences shaping their present struggles, fostering self-awareness and positive change.With a career spanning more than 40 years, he has helped countless individuals and couples navigate life's complexities, combining academic rigor with a down-to-earth approach. His work, informed by contemporary psychoanalytic theory, prioritizes building trust and mutual empathy to resolve conflicts and enhance well-being. Dr. Shafer's practice accepts major insurance providers and offers sliding-scale fees, ensuring accessibility while maintaining high ethical and professional standards.
Services
Individual Counseling
Couples Therapy
Psychoanalysis
Addiction Counseling
Co-Dependency Therapy
Anxiety Treatment
Depression Management
Relationship Counseling
Behavioral Addiction Therapy
Emotional Distress Support
Details
- Year established: 1984
Highlights and features
- We have over 40 years of experience in psychodynamic psychotherapy.
- Our therapist holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology from Cambridge Graduate School.
- We specialize in empathetic, nonjudgmental treatment for complex emotional challenges.
- Our practice accepts major insurance providers for client convenience.
- We offer sliding-scale fees to ensure accessible mental health care.
What people say
True healer
Gained clarity
Compassionate support
Deep understanding
Effective strategies
Services
Individual Counseling
Dr. Shafer provides personalized psychodynamic therapy for adults addressing depression, anxiety, self-esteem issues, and emotional distress. His approach emphasizes understanding early life experiences shaping current challenges while developing practical strategies for positive change. Clients benefit from a safe, empathetic environment fostering self-awareness and healthier behavioral patterns.
Couples Therapy
This service helps couples improve communication, resolve conflicts, and rebuild emotional connections. Dr. Shafer's approach focuses on establishing mutual empathy and understanding between partners to address relationship challenges. The therapy addresses both same-sex and heterosexual couples, helping them navigate issues affecting their emotional and relational well-being.
Psychoanalysis
Dr. Shafer offers intensive psychoanalytic therapy exploring unconscious patterns affecting behavior and relationships. This long-term treatment examines early attachment experiences and their impact on current life challenges. The process helps clients develop deeper self-understanding and lasting emotional growth through collaborative exploration of psychological patterns.
Addiction Counseling
This specialized service addresses substance abuse and behavioral addictions including gambling, sex, and internet addiction. Dr. Shafer's approach combines psychodynamic understanding with practical strategies to break destructive patterns. The therapy helps clients recognize triggers, develop healthier coping mechanisms, and address underlying emotional issues contributing to addictive behaviors.
Co-Dependency Therapy
This service helps individuals overcome codependent patterns often rooted in dysfunctional family dynamics. Therapy focuses on establishing healthy boundaries, improving self-worth, and developing balanced relationships. Dr. Shafer's approach addresses the emotional consequences of growing up in environments with addiction or chronic illness, helping clients break intergenerational patterns.
People
Robert Shafer, PhD
Psychotherapist
Robert Shafer, PhD has practiced psychotherapy in Santa Barbara for over 40 years. He holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology and specializes in psychodynamic approaches. His work focuses on helping clients understand how early experiences shape current challenges. Dr. Shafer combines academic expertise with a warm, accessible style to foster meaningful personal growth.
Questions
What types of therapy does Dr. Shafer offer?
Dr. Shafer provides individual therapy, couples counseling, psychoanalysis, and treatment for behavioral addictions and co-dependency using psychodynamic approaches.
How experienced is Dr. Shafer?
Dr. Shafer has over 40 years of clinical experience and holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology from Cambridge Graduate School.
Does Dr. Shafer accept insurance?
While not an in-network provider, Dr. Shafer provides documentation for clients to submit to insurance plans that cover out-of-network mental health services.
What are the office hours?
Appointments are available Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with Saturday hours available by arrangement.
Is sliding-scale pricing available?
Yes, Dr. Shafer offers sliding-scale fees to accommodate clients' financial circumstances while maintaining quality care.
