Hi, I’m Dr. Caroline
RELATIONSHIP THERAPIST IN Burbank, CA
Dr. Caroline Madden, mft
If you’ve found yourself on this page, it’s likely because you’re struggling with your relationship and looking for someone who can help. I’m a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist with 20+ years of experience in helping people navigate tough times. My approach is warm, straightforward, and collaborative.
I'm here to understand your relationship dynamics, help you find practical solutions, and support you in applying them in your everyday life.
Don’t worry -You’re in the right PLACE.
You're here because you know that something needs to change in your relationship.
Hi, I'm Dr. Caroline
If you are here, you have probably already tried to figure this out on your own. You have talked to friends, maybe read/listened to some books, maybe had the same conversation with your partner more times than you can count. And you are still stuck.
That is not a failure. That is just the limit of what you can see from inside your own situation. Sometimes you need someone to help you zoom out.
That is what I do.
I have been a licensed marriage and family therapist for over 20 years. In that time I have sat with a lot of people in a lot of different versions of the same hard place you are in right now. That perspective matters, because I have seen how these situations tend to go. I know what people look back on with clarity and what they look back on with regret. I know what actually helps and what just feels like it should help but doesn't.
My job is to help you figure out what you actually want, and then build a plan to get there. Not my plan. Yours. Based on what you tell me matters to you, what you are willing to do, what you can live with, and what you cannot. I bring 20 years of watching how these decisions play out. You bring everything you know about your own life. We work from both.
I also believe that most people are doing the best they can with what they have. (Even when the best they can do is making things worse). We all grow up with ideas about love and relationships that made sense in the families we came from but cause problems in the relationships we are in now. A lot of what looks like a conflict about dishes or money or sex is really just history repeating itself. Your partner says something critical and suddenly you are nine years old again. Part of my job is helping you see where that is happening, so you can respond as the grown-ass adult* you are instead of the child you were.
I am warm. I am direct. I am genuinely rooting for you. And I will not make you sit in silence while I wait for you to arrive at an insight on your own. You came here for help. I intend to actually help.
I specialize in helping adults, both individuals and couples decide what they want in their relationships. Although my psychotherapy practice is based in Burbank and Pasadena I work virtually with clients throughout California, Texas, Arizona, and Florida.
*this is a clinical therapy term, really
How I work
My job is to help you figure out what you actually want, and then build a plan to get there.
Not my plan.
Yours.
Get the support that’s right for you.
Therapy with me is…
Personalized: I tailor the therapeutic process to your unique needs, concerns, and goals. Your experiences and preferences guide the direction of our work together.
Holistic: Integrating traditional therapy with holistic methods, including meditation, to address trauma and emotional well-being. But there is no shame in the med game!
Evidenced-Based: Utilizing proven methods and tools, such as those from the Gottman Relationship Institute, to support relationship healing.
Action oriented: We will develop a plan together, even if the plan is to not have a plan!
Therapy with me is not…
Strictly clinical: While I use evidence-based methods, I also incorporate humor, empathy, compassion, and a holistic approach to your well-being.
Telling you what to do, even when you really, really want someone to tell you what to do. Instead, I act as your GPS, helping you explore options and make the best decisions.
Judgmental: It’s a safe space free from criticism or blame. In fact, one of our main goals will be to help you stop being so hard on yourself and quit blaming yourself for everything.
Simply sitting in silence and repeatedly asking, "How do you feel about that?"
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Licensed Marriage & Therapist Since 2004
Certified Gottman Therapist
20+ Years of Experience
I’m trained in a variety of therapy methods, allowing me to tailor my approach to your unique goals and needs. These include:Gottman Method Couples Therapy: Using proven techniques to enhance communication, boost intimacy, and resolve conflicts. Trained by Drs. John and Julie Gottman.
Holistic Counseling: Integrating traditional therapy with holistic approaches, including meditation and mindfulness, to promote overall well-being. Trained by Dr. Kabat-Zinn
Trauma-Informed Therapy: Providing a safe and supportive environment to address and heal from traumatic experiences.
LGBTQ+ Couples Therapy: Specialized in addressing the unique challenges faced by gay couples, including gay parenting issues. Enhancing communication, intimacy, and resolving conflicts. Trained in LGBTQ+ affirmative therapy approaches.
Developed The Madden Method™, a unique and effective way to guide couples through the infidelity recovery process
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Bachelor of Science in Labor Relations, Cornell University
Master of Arts in Psychology, Phillips Graduate Institute
PhD in Holistic Counseling, University of Sedona
Certified Gottman Relationship Specialist
Licensed as a MFT in the following states: California, Texas, Florida, South Carolina, and Vermont
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Certified Gottman Counseling, Drs. John and Julie Gottman
Certified Integrative Sex and Couples Counselor, Tammy Nelson, PhDCertified Mindfulness, Healing and Transformation Counselor, Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD
Certified Betrayal Trauma Specialist
Certified in Healing Sexual Trauma
Certified in Telehealth for Mental Health ProfessionalsCertified in Narcissistic and Psychopathic Abuse Recovery
Specialized Training in LGBTQ+ Issues
Vanilla, Meet Kinky: Helping Clients Navigate Differing Sexual Interests: Guiding clients in relationships with differing sexual interests, particularly kink and non-monogamy.
Intimate Partner Abuse and Violence: Recognizing and assessing intimate partner abuse and violence within couples (including LGBTQIA), and effective interventions.
Better Lesbian Sex and Intimacy: Improving communication skills to enhance intimacy and sex in lesbian relationships.Lesbian and Gay Parenting: What We Need to Know: Addressing common issues faced by lesbian and gay parents and their children.
Lesbian Love Addiction: Understanding the urge to merge and how to heal when things go wrong. -
Clinical Member of the California Association of Marriage Family Therapists
Clinical Member of the American Association of Marriage Family Therapists
Clinical Member of the Lesbian and Gay Psychotherapy Association of Los Angeles
Ready to get started?