Joe Hoffman, MFT

I believe in miracles!  I see them everywhere I look.  One of the greatest miracles I know of is the human capacity to grow and change.  Growth is difficult.  Change can be painful.  Despite these painful and difficult circumstances, we persist.  Every day, men and women all over the world change and overcome adversity.

My journey in becoming a therapist began many years ago.  In all honesty, I did not wake up one morning, in my youth, and exclaim, “Eureka! I’m going to be a therapist.”  Rather, life experiences and some profound promptings led me to where I am, today.

My undergraduate degree is in pharmacy.  I received this degree from the University of Utah.  About ten years into my practice as a pharmacist I experienced some of those “life experiences” that gave me a different outlook and new perspectives.  I felt the need to grow, progress and make important changes in my life.

I attended graduate school and received my Masters of Science degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at California Lutheran University.  It was an engaging and fascinating experience.  I loved to learn about family systems and what it takes to strengthen and enrich marriages.  As an Intern, I worked in a variety of settings.  I had the privilege of working with adolescents and couples at the Child and Adolescent Psychological Services (C.A.P.S) Center with some very talented and gracious supervisors. I taught Drug Diversion classes to first time drug offenders at the Intervention Institute.  I concluded my internship at Anacapa Psychiatric Hospital.  These diverse experiences taught me a great deal about life.  I learned that life is hard, but there is hope.

My vision of the counseling process comes from a belief that all of us, at times, encounter experiences that we are unable to handle on our own.  These brief times are but a small moment in the course of our existence.  How we handle these small moments can make a big difference in the direction and quality of our lives.  This, to me, is the essence of being a therapist.  My goal is to help others learn, grow and develop the tools and skills necessary to triumph during these difficult times.