About Dr. Heath Schechinger
Helping Today’s Families and Relationships Thrive
I’m a licensed psychologist based in California, where I offer therapy, coaching, and consulting services for individuals, couples, and families navigating the complexities of modern relationships.
In addition to my private practice, I’m the Co-Founder of the Modern Family Institute and serve as the Founding Co-Chair of the APA Division 44 Committee on Consensual Non-monogamy. I am also an Affiliate Faculty member at the renowned Kinsey Institute.
Across all my work—clinical, research, and policy—I’m guided by one question: What helps people feel connected, whole, and seen in their relationships?
I earned my B.S. in Psychology and M.Ed. in Higher Education from Iowa State University, and my Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kansas. I completed my Doctoral Internship and Postdoctoral Fellowship at UC Berkeley. My career has been dedicated to exploring the intricacies of human connection—through research, psychotherapy, and public engagement—across a wide range of relationship structures and life stages.
My aim is to cultivate a supportive, grounded space in therapy—and to spark meaningful public conversations that deepen understanding, nurture intimacy, and foster thriving relationships and families.
As a scholar and specialist in the evolving landscape of relationships and family dynamics, my work has been featured in outlets including The New York Times, BBC, Popular Science, and The Boston Globe.
Originally from a small town in Iowa, I moved to California in 2015 to put down roots and continue my work at the intersection of psychology, spirituality, and social change. Before becoming a psychologist, I trained as a spiritual educator and pastor—a foundation that continues to inform my presence and curiosity as a therapist.
Outside the therapy room, I’m passionate about traveling, asking big questions over coffee, and immersing myself in nature. I find clarity and renewal while trail running in the redwoods near my home—a practice that keeps me connected to both stillness and movement. A lifelong love of athletics led to a gold medal in soccer at the 2018 Paris Gay Games.I now live in the Bay Area, grounded by cherished members of my bio and chosen family.
Clinical
My clinical work is grounded in cultural awareness, compassion, and curiosity. I offer a collaborative space where clients can safely explore the layers of their identity, relationships, and lived experience. Drawing on my background in research, advocacy, and psychotherapy, I support individuals and couples in making sense of the parts of themselves that may have felt overlooked, misunderstood, or fragmented.
My therapeutic approach is integrative, drawing deeply from Hakomi Mindfulness Somatic Psychotherapy and Internal Family Systems (IFS). These models invite us to slow down, tune into the present moment, and explore how both the body and the mind carry stories from earlier experiences. IFS, in particular, helps us understand the internal “parts” of ourselves—often shaped by past wounds or protective roles—and fosters a more compassionate, curious relationship with our inner world.
Through this lens, we work together to identify core beliefs, emotional patterns, and somatic responses that may be limiting connection or growth. As we bring awareness and care to these inner dynamics, new ways of relating—to yourself and others—can begin to emerge.
I work with individuals and couples navigating relationship challenges, identity exploration, life transitions, and infidelity. My practice is inclusive of all relationship structures, gender identities, and cultural backgrounds—including those who don’t feel reflected in traditional models of therapy.
Research That Shapes My Practice
Much of my research asks a simple question: what helps people get care that fits their lives? In one of my published studies, 1 in 5 clients in consensually non-monogamous relationships reported that their therapist lacked the training to support them, and 10% said they were encouraged to end their relationship because of therapist bias (Schechinger, Sakaluk, & Moors, 2018).
I co-founded the APA Division 44 Committee on Consensual Non-Monogamy and am an Affiliate Faculty member at the Kinsey Institute. In 2024, Division 44 of the American Psychological Association recognized my work with its Distinguished Professional Contribution and Distinguished Service awards.
In practice, it means you won't have to educate me about your relationship, whatever shape it takes, and I won't push you toward any particular one. Monogamous, open, or still figuring it out, you deserve someone who can hold the whole picture.