Hi, I’m Doug.
Doug Richard, MA, LMFT, AAMFT-S, C-EFCT, C-NATC, C-DBT
As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, AAMFT Approved Supervisor, and Founder of Rooted Relational Therapy, my work centers on helping couples break out of painful patterns and reconnect – especially in relationships shaped by high conflict, betrayal, or deep trust wounds. That same focus extends to individuals healing from narcissistic or emotionally abusive relationships.
The work is active, in-depth, and designed to create meaningful change more efficiently than traditional talk therapy.
At the core of this work is a simple but powerful question –
What changes when people can access what’s actually driving their pain, not just the surface symptoms? That question shapes every session.
As insight deepens, clients begin to regulate emotions more effectively, stay grounded under stress, and communicate in ways that support more secure, connected relationships.
Sessions focus on what’s happening in real time.
How conversations unfold, where patterns get stuck, and what’s happening underneath that hasn’t yet been put into words. Together, we slow things down, make sense of those patterns, and begin shifting them in ways that last.
My approach is grounded in Emotionally Focused Therapy, including Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (C-EFCT), as well as attachment-based and trauma-informed work and practical tools from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (C-DBT). The C-NATC certification in Narcissistic Abuse Treatment and the AAMFT Approved Supervisor designation (AAMFT-S), the highest professional credential in my field, reflect years of specialized training.
Over the years, Morgan and I have trained and supervised hundreds of therapists, an experience that continues to deepen and inform our clinical work.
This process is meant to feel real and human.
Clients often describe the experience as warm, direct, engaged, and collaborative, with a balance of structure, clarity, and, at times, humor.
There’s close attention to pacing, knowing when to go deeper and when to slow things down so the work stays productive and sustainable. For many, what stands out is that the process feels more hopeful than expected.
Outside of Work
You’ll find me outdoors with my wife and kids, drawn to both new places and familiar ones, and genuinely interested in how systems work and change, relationships, organizations, and communities. That curiosity shapes how I approach this work and how Rooted continues to grow.
