Dr. Miriam Torres Brinkmann, PhD, LMFT
Bilingual therapist specializing in relationships, life transitions, and the patterns that keep us stuck
Something brought you here. Maybe it's a relationship that keeps hitting the same wall. A decision you can't seem to make. A life that looks fine from the outside but feels stuck somewhere deeper. Whatever it is — you're in the right place.
I work with adults and couples navigating the moments that matter most. My approach is evidence-based, integrative, and shaped by over a decade of clinical experience working with clients from more than 20 countries — people navigating different cultures, different languages, and the particular complexity of lives that don't fit neatly into one world.
I became a therapist because I was already doing the work — listening for what people weren't saying, finding the story beneath the surface. I just used to do it as a journalist. That shift from newsroom to therapy room changed the tools but not the instinct. I'm still drawn to the moment when someone finally says the thing they've been circling around for years — and what becomes possible after that.
WHAT I HELP WITH
Whether you're caught in a pattern you can't break, standing at a crossroads, navigating a complicated family, going through a divorce or painful breakup, or carrying something you've never quite been able to put down — individual therapy gives you the space to finally look at it clearly.
At Brinkmann Center we offer individual therapy for adults across a range of challenges, with two clinicians whose specialties complement each other.
You might be in the right place if you are:
Couples work
Individual work
HOW I WORK
Most of my work happens in conversation — challenging patterns, reframing perspectives, and working toward practical solutions. I'm direct without being prescriptive, and I believe that insight without action only gets you so far.
When conversation alone isn't enough — particularly for clients who feel stuck despite years of self-awareness — I draw on EMDR and Ericksonian Hypnosis, two approaches that work at a deeper level and can shift what talking hasn't been able to move.
I also integrate Gottman Method, Emotionally Focused Therapy, Discernment Counseling, Positive Psychology, and Mindfulness-Based approaches depending on what each person needs.
I work in English and Spanish. For clients navigating multicultural identities, international relationships, or the experience of living between worlds — that matters more than it might seem.
PUBLISHED BOOKS
I have published two books with Callisto Media, both designed to help couples build deeper connection through structured conversation and reflection:
The Ultimate Relationship Journal for Couples: Prompts and Practices to Connect and Strengthen Your Bond (2022) — a guided journal for couples who want to go beyond surface-level communication and build genuine intimacy.
Relationship Questions for Couples: Guided Conversations to Cultivate Curiosity, Communication, and Connection (2021) — a conversation guide for couples at any stage, from newly together to long-term partners looking to reconnect.
The Ultimate Relationship Journal for Couples: Prompts and Practices to Connect and Strengthen Your Bond (2022) —
a guided journal for couples who want to go beyond surface-level communication and build genuine intimacy.
Relationship Questions for Couples: Guided Conversations to Cultivate Curiosity, Communication, and Connection (2021) —
a conversation guide for couples at any stage, from newly together to long-term partners looking to reconnect.
CREDENTIALS & TRAINING
Licenses & Degrees
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PhD in Psychology, Specialization in Expressive Arts Therapy — San Diego University for Integrative Studies, 2016
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Master in Marriage and Family Therapy, Counseling Psychology — San Diego University for Integrative Studies, 2010
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Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), California #86282, since 2015
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BA in Communication Studies — University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 1998
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Associate Degree in Journalism — CEU San Pablo, Madrid, Spain, 1995
Specialized Training & Certifications
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EMDRIA Certified Therapist, 2025
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Ericksonian Hypnosis, 6-Month Professional Training — Centro de Psicologia e Hipnosis Daniela Constantin, 2024
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Post Masters Certificate in Sex Therapy — Ackerman Institute, 2024
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Sexual Attitude Reassessment (SAR) — Ackerman Institute, 2024
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AASECT Sex Therapist Certification — in progress
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ICF Professional Certified Coach — The Mindfulness Coaching School, 2021
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Hypnotherapy Certification — The Wellness Institute, 2021
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Certificate in Discernment Counseling — Alliance for Divorce and Marriage Professionals, 2015
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Gottman Method Level 1 & 2 — The Gottman Institute, Seattle, 2011
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Emotionally Focused Therapy — Alliant University, 2011–2012
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Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction — UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness, 2014
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Foundations of Positive Psychology — University of Pennsylvania, 2009
WHAT CLIENTS SAY
"I highly recommend Miriam to any multicultural couple. She really understands the complexity of navigating two cultures in a relationship."
— Juan, former client
Read more testimonials here
ABOUT MIRIAM
I grew up in Spain and spent my early career as a journalist before moving to the United States and finding my way to therapy. Those two paths have more in common than they might seem — both are about listening carefully, asking the questions people avoid, and finding what's real beneath what's presented.
I live in San Diego with my husband and Lupita, a rescue Chihuahua with strong opinions about everything. I have two stepdaughters, now adults, which means I've lived the complexity of blended family dynamics from the inside — not just studied it.
Outside the office I'm usually near the ocean — sailing, snorkeling, swimming, or sitting at the beach with a book. I have a deep love for travel, learning, and retreats — anything that creates the conditions for stepping back, gaining perspective, and coming back to life with fresh eyes. I try to bring that same spirit of curiosity and renewal into my work with clients.
READY TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER?
If something on this page resonated — even if you're not sure yet — the best next step is a free 15-minute consultation. It's a chance to ask questions, get a feel for how I work, and figure out together whether we're a good fit.
Online across California | In-person in Point Loma, San Diego
$210 per session | Aetna and United Healthcare accepted only for individual therapy