JC R. Pattugalan, LMFT
CA LMFT #124742
Aloha, and welcome! I'm glad you're here.
Whatever brought you to this page — whether you're carrying the weight of a health diagnosis, navigating a difficult chapter in your relationships, or simply feeling like something is off and you can't quite name it — I want you to know: you don't have to figure it out alone.
My name is JC. I'm a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist based in Orange County, California, and I've spent over a decade working at the intersection of physical health and emotional well-being. I believe the two are inseparable — that how we feel in our bodies shapes how we show up in our relationships, and that healing one without tending to the other often leaves something important behind.
The Calling Behind the Care
I came to Medical Family Therapy because I saw, again and again, how often the hardest part of illness isn't the diagnosis itself — it's the fear, the isolation, and the way it changes everything about how a family moves through the world. I wanted to be in that room with people. Not to fix, but to accompany.
At Alaka'i, my work is rooted in the belief that healing is a relational process. I bring together evidence-based approaches — drawing on family systems theory, somatic work, and trauma-informed care — and I adapt them to you, to your life, and to what you actually need. There's no one-size-fits-all here.
How I Work
I meet you where you are. That means honoring the biological realities of your health alongside the emotional and relational dimensions of your life. Whether you're an individual processing a difficult diagnosis, a couple trying to stay connected through hardship, or a family navigating caregiving — I offer a space where all of it belongs.
My approach blends patient-centered care with a biopsychosocial lens: we look at the whole picture, not just the presenting symptom. And we move at your pace.
Qualifications & Clinical Experience
Academic
Marriage and Family Therapy, Ph.D. candidate
Medical Family Therapy specialization
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Advanced training in family systems therapy within medical/healthcare settings
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Focus on integrated care for chronic illness and complex health conditions
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Focus on multi-systemic clinical care models Clinical
Clinical
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist
- 10+ years of dedicated professional practice
- Extensive experience in integrated healthcare settings
- Lead therapist for complex family dynamics
Expertise
Advanced Clinical Specializations
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Health psychology / behavioral medicine training
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Somatic-based certification
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Certified Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (C-DBT)
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Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP)
EMPATHY • GROWTH • GUIDANCE • HEALING •