top of page
About Joseph Farley
Psychotherapist in private practice since 1989
I received my undergraduate degree in General Biology from the University of California, San Diego. My studies included a pre-medical curriculum, and I also had exposure to the medical field through work in a hospital setting. That background has given me an appreciation for the biological and medical dimensions of psychological experience.
A Path Toward Deeper, Lasting Change
I have always liked helping people, and at one point I thought the way to express that was through medicine. Although I was a qualified candidate for application to medical schools, I realized that my interest was less in practicing medicine and more in understanding what motivates people, how our experiences shape us, and what helps people change. That realization led me away from medicine and toward psychology and psychotherapy.
From Family Systems to Psychodynamic Training
After deciding to pursue a career in psychotherapy, I received my master's degree in Marriage and Family Counseling from San Francisco State University. My initial training was in working with couples and family systems, and that training continues to influence the way I think systemically about people and relationships.
Early in my career, I was trained in approaches that emphasized recommending or prescribing behaviors and interventions intended to create change. After my first five years of practice, I became increasingly interested in why those approaches did not always produce the deeper, lasting changes I hoped to see.
That led me to seek additional learning and advanced psychodynamic training through the Masterson Institute for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. later served on the faculty of the Masterson Institute for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy and as Director of the West Coast International Masterson Institute.
Teaching & Experience
Alongside my clinical practice, teaching and professional education have been important parts of my career.
[1] Adjunct Faculty
Adjunct faculty at John F. Kennedy University in Northern California, where I have taught and presented on psychotherapy and clinical supervision.
[2] Professional Conferences
Regular presentations at professional conferences and seminars, focusing on the integration of psychodynamic theory with clinical practice.
[3] Clinical Supervision
I provide clinical supervision and consultation for other mental health practitioners.
The theory should help us understand the person. The person should not have to fit the theory.
bottom of page