about
Hi, I'm Christine (she/her)
Welcome to Beachside Counseling. I’m so glad you found your way here. If you want to find hope and inspiration, if you’re in need of emotional healing and support, or if you want to make some changes to create more happiness in your life, you’ve come to the right place.
Beachside Counseling is a boutique therapy practice located in San Diego and Sonoma County. At this point in time, we only provide teletherapy services and can work with anybody located in California.
My Approach
I know life can be hard sometimes — everybody goes through seasons when they need extra support. Maybe you're facing a big life transition, experiencing grief from the loss of a loved one, coping with a painful breakup or divorce, fighting low self-esteem, or dealing with relationship issues. Or, maybe you're feeling unhappy or unfulfilled and you don't know why. Whatever challenge you are facing, I'm here to support you.
I use a collaborative, client-centered, and strength-based approach to help you explore things from both your past and present that are making life harder than it needs to be. I believe in the power of validation, that you are the expert of your own life, and that your lived experiences are fundamental to our work together. For this reason, I follow my client's lead in where they want to take our work together.
I don't believe that change always requires major action. Together we will identify small steps you can take to create big changes in your sense of self, your relationships, your career and your life. Things like change, stress, grief and conflict make life hard. If you're struggling to get over a significant loss, adjust to a major life transition, increase your self-esteem, or cope with ongoing relationship issues, I’m here to support you.
“i believe that therapy is a sacred space where you can take off your mask, put down your armor, and settle into who you really are.”
- Christine Tomasello, LMFT
Specializing in specific life challenges, including:
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Grief & Loss
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Significant Life Changes
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Relationship Struggles for Couples
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Relationship Challenges for Individuals
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Therapy for Therapists
Education, Training, & Experience
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Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with the Board of Behavioral Sciences
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Trained in grief & bereavement counseling at The Elizabeth Hospice
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Training with Dr. Elaine Aron in therapy for Highly Sensitive People
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Graduated from CSU Fullerton with an MS in Counseling
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Member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)
My Beliefs About Therapy
Many people aren’t quite sure what therapy is all about. It’s not just venting or complaining — it’s about so much more than that. I like to think of therapy as being made up of 3 integral parts: exploring and expressing your emotions; developing insight, awareness, and self-understanding behind your feelings and life patterns; and building healthy and effective coping skills to navigate life's challenges and cultivate happiness and contentment in your life. When we work together, we will focus on each of these parts to help you find hope, heal from your pain and create positive changes to bring happiness into your life.
Common Questions About Therapy
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How do I know if I need therapy or not?My response to this question is simple - If you’re wondering if therapy would be helpful, it’s probably time to find a therapist. But, if you’re still wondering if therapy would be helpful, here are some other signs that therapy might be what you need right now: • You feel “stuck” or paralyzed • You don’t feel happy or fulfilled in life • You’re struggling to function in your daily life • You want to change certain patterns that don’t work for you • You want your life to be different but aren’t sure where to start • You’ve recently experienced a big loss and are having trouble coping • You are facing a big loss or a major life change and want extra support • You feel empty, unsure of yourself, or inadequateYou’re ready to make changes in your life
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Will you tell me what I need to do?My role as your therapist is not to tell you what to do - it’s to act as a guide as we explore: • What you want to heal • Changes you want to make • What's holding you back right now • Small steps you can make that will lead to big changes.
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What if there are some things I don’t want to talk about?Our therapy sessions are intended to be your safe space to explore what’s going on in your life - you get to decide what we do and don’t talk about. If there are certain topics that you don’t want to get into, I will honor that and respect your boundary.
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Will we be able to meet over the computer?Yes — Beachside Counseling is currently providing services solely via teletherapy. We anticipate returning to in-person services in our office at some point, but we do not have a specific timeframe at this time.
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Do you work with people who live outside of the San Diego or Sonoma County area?Yes, absolutely. Thanks to the option of teletherapy, we are able to offer services to anybody residing in California. Because of state licensing restrictions, we are only able to see clients who reside in California and who are located in Califorina at the time of the session.
