Somatic & Psychedelic Trauma Therapy for High-Achieving Couples & Individuals in Long Beach, CA
For clients who are ready to lean into discomfort so they can create a life and relationship they don’t need to escape from.
Hi! I’m Clara Mackinlay
I’m a somatic therapist who knows the pain of trauma + relationships from both sides of the couch.
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Like all of my clients, life has been far from easy. Somatic therapy, couples therapy, and plant medicine have all played a meaningful role in my own healing.
I’ve lived through significant trauma – and I’ve also experienced the freedom that comes from healing it. It’s hard, grueling work, but it’s worth it.
I’ve been in wildly unhealthy relationships, and I’ve done the work of healing my relational wounds in order to choose a safe, loving partnership without wanting to run away or sabotage it.
I’ve worked with therapists who totally sucked and ones who absolutely changed my life – both shaped how I practice today.
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"Deeply present and extremely attuned.”
I’m a human first, and a therapist second. My style as a therapist is informed by my lived experience of being a long-time therapy client. I know suffering and healing equally.
“Direct, compassionate and empathetic.”
I’ll meet you where you are and push you into the places that feel uncomfortable, messy, and a little icky. Because that’s where the healing actually happens.
“Authentic as f*ck.“
I show up as myself, I’ll tell you stories about my pain, I’ll answer your questions … no masking here. Maybe that helps you show up as yourself too. Maybe that helps you feel less alone. Sometimes I’m dressed up, sometimes I’m in sweatpants. I’m always barefoot. I like to cuss… a lot.
“More effective than any therapist I’ve worked with before.”
This one always baffles me. There's a lot of really terrible therapists out there. I do my best not to be one of them. I know therapy is a long-term, expensive investment and I’m not here to waste anyone’s time. If I feel stuck trying to help you, I’ll consult with experts. If I can’t help you, I’ll tell you, and help you find someone great. I’ll work hard for you and expect you to work hard for yourself too.
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Integrative and holistic. Western, evidence-based practices are great and effective, so are plant medicines, indigenous and witchy practices, intuition, and Eastern traditions. Healing doesn’t live in one lane—and neither does effective therapy.
Body-centered and progress-oriented. I’m not a surface-level therapist, so if you’re looking to just talk about your feelings or vent for sessions on end, I’m not your girl. But if you’re ready to get to work, willing to be uncomfortable, and open to the slow, deep, and messy process that real and lasting change requires, let’s set up a time to chat.
ready to do the work?
WHO I WORK WITH
My approach tends to resonate most with:
High-functioning, driven, and deeply motivated adults (30+)
“Professional clients” … people who have done years of talk therapy and still feel stuck
Adults with trauma histories that haunt them, but who appear successful and put together on the outside
Individuals who struggle with feeling “not enough,” slowing down, or feeling safe in relationships
Individuals with established somatic practices (yoga, meditation, breathwork, etc.) who want to go deeper
Individuals who are curious about or experienced with plant medicines and psychedelics
People who identify as “spiritual but not religious,” who understand the vital role of spirituality in healing
The clients who do best with my approach are highly motivated, high-functioning adults and couples who understand that healing is a gradual process and a worthwhile investment in themselves. Sometimes healing will involve working with parallel professionals such as rolfers, chiropractors, functional medicine practitioners, bodyworkers, acupuncturists, and more – and they are willing to invest in practices that support their arc of healing.
TRAUMA & RELATIONSHIP SPECIALTIES
Relational & Developmental Work
Self-Worth & Self-Esteem
Relationship Anxiety & Avoidance
Disconnection in Couples
Emotionally Available / Growth-Oriented Men
(Peri)Menopausal Transitions
Ayahuasca, MDMA, and Psilocybin Experiences
Psychedelic Preparation & Integration
Trauma & Nervous System
PTSD & Complex PTSD
Childhood Trauma
Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA), & Incest
Dissociation
Chronic Nervous System Dysregulation
Shame & Self-Blame
Chronic Overfunctioning & Burnout
Ready to create a life and relationship you don’t need to escape from?
I offer a free consultation video call where so we can meet face-to-face, get to know one another a little bit, discuss your goals, talk about what’s worked and hasn’t worked in your healing journey, and see if we’d be a good fit to work together.
Consultation appointments are often available within the same week and are self-scheduled on my calendar.
Healing is multidimensional. Therapy should be too.
Mainstream & Non-Traditional Therapies for Trauma & Relationships
FOR ADULTS & COUPLES IN CALIFORNIA
I’m an evidence-based therapist, but I also like to get creative, collaborative, and weird. I blend clinical with cosmic, science with soul, and help you merge mind and body. My work goes beyond symptom management—this isn’t sit-on-the-couch, nod-and-smile therapy. It’s down-to-earth, holistic, and a little witchy. It’s no bullshit, real talk, nervous system repair, and whole-person healing.
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SOMATIC EXPERIENCING®
A gentle and highly specialized approach that helps the body complete thwarted trauma responses and supports nervous system regulation. -
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INTEGRATIVE EMDR
A structured, evidence-based approach that helps the brain reprocess trauma, reduce emotional intensity, and support lasting nervous system regulation. -
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"PARTS" THERAPY
An IFS-inspired somatic approach that helps you connect with ‘parts’ of yourself that carry pain, fear, or unmet needs and just want to feel seen, heard, and supported. -
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KETAMINE-ASSISTED THERAPY
A psychedelic-assisted therapy that interrupts rigid patterns, expands emotional awareness, and supports profound trauma healing. Safe for those on SSRIs. -
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THE GOTTMAN METHOD
The Gottman Method uses practical, research-based tools to improve communication, reduce conflict, and strengthen friendship and trust within the relationship. -
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EMOTION-FOCUSED THERAPY
Focuses on the emotional patterns and attachment needs driving conflict and disconnection in your relationship, helping partners feel seen, understood, and securely connected.
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WITCHY THERAPY
I sometimes integrate ceremonial cacao, card decks, astrology, energy work, and touch into sessions. I’m a yoga therapist, Reiki master, and plant medicine person who loves to honor the depth of the human experience that science simply neglects. -
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HOLISTIC THERAPY
I collaborate with other professionals and consider how everything is working or not working together — diet, nutrition, sleep, hormones, movement, community, belonging, meaning and more. Because mental wellness doesn’t happen in a vacuum. -
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OUTDOOR THERAPY
Sometimes therapy involves walking along the beach or marina, sitting in my grassy backyard, or movement-based somatic work outside. Being in nature can create space for deeper regulation, connection, and presence. Plus, a little more Vitamin D never hurts. -
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TOUCH-BASED THERAPY
A gentle consent-based approach to support developmental trauma healing and encourage the body in releasing survival energy and regulating through safe physical contact.
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Many of the individuals I work with are thoughtful, self-aware adults who have done a lot of personal growth already. They might look like they have it together on the outside, but internally they feel overwhelmed, disconnected, or stuck in patterns they can’t quite shift.
Individual therapy may be a good fit if you:
feel stuck in patterns of anxiety, perfectionism, or burnout
struggle with boundaries or people-pleasing
carry unresolved childhood trauma or attachment wounds
feel disconnected from your body or emotions
want deeper healing than talk therapy alone
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I work with couples at all stages of relationship, including those who are dating, premarital, newly married, or navigating major life transitions such as deciding whether to have children, moving cities, career changes, or discerning whether the relationship should continue.
A couples therapy intensive may be a good fit if you:
keep having the same argument over and over without resolution
struggle with communication or emotional safety
are rebuilding trust after betrayal or broken agreements
feel distant, disconnected, or more like roommates than partners
want to strengthen your relationship before problems grow deeper
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Psychedelic therapy intensives offer an extended container for preparation, supported altered-state work, and integration. Rather than trying to fit this work into a traditional therapy hour, we create the time and space to slow down, work with what emerges, and allow the experience to unfold at the pace your nervous system needs.
The way I facilitate psychedelic journeys draws from Somatic Experiencing® and other somatic trauma modalities, parts work, therapeutic touch, mindfulness, and music. The intention isn’t to force a breakthrough, but to create the conditions for deeper exploration, connection, and meaningful change.
Kind Words from Colleagues & Clients