Matthew Lindgren, LMFT

Communication problems cropped up after the kids arrived. Matt helped us clear that up. He’s gifted professional who truly cares. We’re glad to have met him!

This is my first review on Unilocal.I use it quite a bit and have never reviewed! But, Matt is someone I’m compelled to write about as he is already having a profound effect in my life and my relationship.
My fiancé and I found Matt on Unilocal.His message said he wasn’t taking new clients but to leave one anyway. So I did pleading our case.
He called back and said he could start seeing us. We have been very happy with Matt.
Coming from seeing around a dozen therapists in my lifetime, Matt by far takes the cake. And he doesn’t always say what I want to hear either! But growing can be uncomfortable, can’t it?
I have therapists who while they have been helpful, It felt like talking, and like nothing was being resolved. Matt uses various techniques and offers actionable solutions that have given me hope.
Its been about 8 weeks with Matt and I already feel more progress in my emotional maturity/​growth than I have in all my years of therapy. While he may not have had the same experiences I have had, I feel like he understands what Im saying/​where Im coming from. That is so important when getting mental health treatment.

I found Matt here on Unilocal and was impressed by the amount of clients who rated him with 5 stars. I also gave him 5 stars and had a very positive experience with him. I found him to be compassionate, professional and most importantly, skilled in helping me address some of my deeper issues that were weighing me down.
I also liked getting perspective from a male therapist. Matt helped me see my husband’s point of view and was very balanced and unbiased in his approach. He is ethical, centered and thoughtful. I can’t recommend him enough.

Matt is a thoughtful, kind, and insightful therapist. I have seen him both in couples counseling and separately for trauma processing. Although some of the cutting edge techniques seem slightly out-​there logically, they all have empirical evidence. Because Matt has a sense of humor and comes across as so grounded I found it easier to trust that something like EMDR wasn’t hooey.
In couples work Matt listened carefully and remained fair. His emphasis on what was good in the relationship, rather than going in every week for a bitchfest was different from counseling we had received before, and worked much faster. Instead of going for years to dredge up every small slight; focusing on appreciating each other was rather more pleasant, efficacious, and swift. I highly recommend him. He made both myself (woman) and my husband at ease.
As for trauma processing, it was only because of the couples work that I trusted him enough to deal with the ancient pain that haunted me. It was a good call. He was calm, supportive, and provided a safe place to air those things that don’t see much daylight, his technique is to find the garbage, manage to handle the garbage, and move on! No Woody Allen and 60 years of analysis. Just kill the ghost and done!
So, if you’re haunted by ghouls from your past, don’t panic that there’s no way you can afford the time and $. Envision instead a matter of a few months and done!

I started seeing Matt at a time when I was having trouble coping with with the death of my son. I was experiencing trauma and anxiety due to the rise in violent crime in my North Oakland neighborhood. I went to Matt specifically to continue my EMDR therapy. We worked diligently on a variety of issues, and with his professional expertise, Matt helped me get through the court proceedings.
Matt very generously offered to help my family with trauma therapy as well. Matt is a very kind, professional, above and beyond therapist. I’m truly grateful that he fit me into his busy schedule in my time of need. I would recommend Matt to anyone needing EMDR therapy.

I would highly recommend Matt. He is very helpful and encouraging while walking you through specific issues and helps guide you to your goals. I found him to be personable and very professional and his prices to be more than fair.

My boyfriend and I saw Matt for about 6 months to work on persistent communication issues that had caused previous break-​ups and were not magically resolving on their own. Matt did a great job of helping us to reconnect with our positive feelings for each other, appreciate each other’s strengths, and actually listen to each other.
I have a direct, questioning style which may not always helpful to the therapeutic process (I like to know what we’re doing and why) and is probably uncomfortable for therapists, but Matt handled my «intensity» really well. He respected my level of openness and willingness and «met me where I was» which I appreciated.
It’s been about 6 months since our last session with Matt and my boyfriend and I agree that we’re doing really well! We don’t fight like we used to. When the stress levels start rising we use the skills and tools we developed from our work with Matt to bring the energy down and get in touch with what’s really going on (since it’s almost never the surface issue that triggered us).
Instead of reinforcing patterns of destructive anger and hostility and withdrawal in resentment and loneliness, we now use our conflicts and differences to learn more about each other and to express our real needs. Our relationship has grown deeper and stronger as a result.
I definitely recommend Matt to couples (or individuals) who feel frustrated in their relationships and stuck in patterns and behaviors which diminish happiness. I don’t think anyone loves therapy or the messy process of growing in self-​awareness, but if you’re ready for the journey, Matt can be a helpful guide.

Matthew Lindgren is a blessing to our relationship. When our marriage was in crisis, my husband wanted a male therapist and we found Matt. Although not all relationships are salvageable, he was very patient and professional with our struggles with trust and anger. He is extremely professional and was very effective for us. We are now a year and 4 months past the brink of divorce and have learned to work together as a team by using the communication tools that Matt coached us, very patiently through. Matt, we will be forever grateful! Thank you!

I highly recommend Matt Lindgren. Difficult emotional dynamics don’t intimidate him at all. Matt doesn’t flinch at all when facing heated confrontations or cold silences. He understands that behind these painful dynamics and personal vulnerabilities lie our unique strengths. It’s such a blessing that Matt can see those strengths when we’re blinded by our pain, and it’s such a blessing that he gives us tools to recall those strengths when we’re on our own.

Matt is a caring and knowledgable therapist who cares immensely about his clients. He is talented in his work with individuals and couples and tuned in to the individuality of the people who come to him. He is both down to earth and sophisticated in the methods he uses.

Matt was referred to us by our friends during a huge marriage crisis. In just a matter of a few months Matt was able to give us the tools to really work through this time both in and out of his office. I really appreciate Matt’s style and it worked very well for us. He has a process lined up for each sessions and a structure set up so I felt we accomplished small steps each week that led to our healing. The tools he gave us we will hopefully continue to use even when we are finished seeing Matt. I also liked that he had an end in mind for us in terms of number of sessions and was really able to adjust his style for us individually. I would refer Matt to anyone at anytime.

Not many people have the ability to be the best at what they do, and I should be careful in saying this, but Matt really is the best at what he does. I’m very pleased of Matt’s services and his professional attitude and aptitude. I highly recommend him.

Blackbird Family Therapy is a professional organization that has been helping me progress towards better spiritual and mental health. As an MSW intern at UCSF, I highly recommend Matt Lindgren as your therapist. He respects my boundaries, provides useful information, guidance, and is knowledgeable/​experienced in his field. I hope to continue my passage to a better life through his therapy and has earned my trust in the time I’ve known him. He is very understanding and patient. Best wishes~

Matt helped my wife and I work through some BIG bumps in our marriage the year our daughter was born. We would definitely say his counseling improved our quality of life.

Mathew is the best couples therapist I have worked with. We recommend him to everyone we know.

Matt has the noble qualities that one would love to find in a therapist. Grounded, proactive, concerned for your well-​being, and honored to be of service in taking care of you.

Matt is patient, understanding and dedicated. He has a tremendous capacity for empathy and just gets where you’re coming from. I wholeheartedly recommend matt!

Matt is a gentle, thoughtful soul who demonstrates patience and care in his communication. His grasp of interpersonal and intrapersonal dynamics results from being present and in tune with the innate, cultural, and environmental factors that influence emotional evolution. I highly recommend setting up a meeting with him to explore and meet your needs.

Matthew Lindgren is a fantastic addition to the counseling choices in Oakland. He is very conscientious and will help you with what you are going through! The research proves that the «fit» between a client and the counselor is the most important piece… and you will find Matthew to be very easy to talk to. If you are looking to improve your mental health, he would be a very good choice for you.

Matt is a very down to earth, conscious, and very present in all of our interactions. His open mindedness and ability to remain nonjudgmental, calm, and grounded in highly-​charged emotional situations is something I very much admire.
While I haven’t done EMDR work with him specifically, I have used this technique in my own life with much success and healing. I’m certain that his dedication to this discipline makes him well-​versed in its application.
I also appreciate that he is in tune with the uniqueness of the Bay Area in counseling people of different background, ethnicities, and orientations.