Matthew Cohen – About Us

Matthew Cohen, MA, LMFT
Matthew has a natural and well-honed ability to help individuals develop a connection with their authentic self. Whether he is working with you individually or as part of a couple, he offers a safe container that fosters self-acceptance and life-changing understanding. The foundation of what he shares with his clients and students comes out of a deep commitment to his own healing and growth.

Matthew is a psychotherapist and teacher who has been integrating the perspectives of existential and humanistic psychology, Gestalt therapy, somatic therapy and education, Continuum, Body Psychotherapy, interpersonal psychotherapy (psychodynamic, family systems, differentiation theory, and attachment theory), transpersonal psychology, and organizational psychology for over 30 years in his work with individuals, couples, families, and organizations.

By combining traditional psychotherapy and emotionally focused bodywork Matthew’s unique approach is especially relevant to healing the trauma from physical and sexual abuse, and the less obvious wounding that stems from emotional abuse. The thoroughness of his work allows clients to genuinely resolve longstanding relationship and sexual issues. Matthew assists his clients to see not just what they regard as problematic, but to connect to their deeper felt sense of themselves. This leads to significant growth and wellbeing.

Matthew approaches his work with the full understanding that for therapy to be maximally effective it must be a collaborative effort. He has refined his therapeutic skills so that his clients are able to hear and take in his observations, his honesty, and his compassion. At the same time, he is committed to learning from and with his clients. This give and take is the context for a genuine therapeutic relationship. Matthew knows that people don’t care what you know until they know you care.

Founder of the Body Synergy Institute he created in 1979, Matthew has taught this kind of integrative work to several hundred psychotherapists, body workers, and other health care practitioners. In the 1970’s he studied with Dr. Ida Rolf, and became a certified advanced Rolfer®. Matthew then came to see that there were ways of working with people that maximized receptivity, and treated clients as relational Beings and equal partners in the healing process. Matthew is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and is nationally certified in deep tissue bodywork.

“My life learning is that authentic relating is the foundation for inspired collaboration. Such openheartedness becomes the cornerstone upon which relationships grow—between therapist and client, teacher and student, husband
and wife, parents and children, and between individuals in organizations.”
__ Matthew Cohen