Our Founders
Shannon Forbes, LMFT
Co-Founder & Clinical Director
Bryan Forbes, LMFT
Co-Founder & CEO
Shannon and Bryan co-founded Forbes Individual and Family Therapy with a vision to bring high-quality, depth-oriented psychotherapy to Orange County. With over 15 years of combined experience across substance abuse and acute mental health treatment, non-profits, private-practice settings and spiritual communities, they bring a unique blend of compassion, expertise, and leadership to their practice.
Rooted in a psychodynamic approach, Shannon and Bryan are dedicated to helping individuals, couples, and families achieve deep self-understanding and meaningful transformation. At ForbesIFT, therapy is more than a service; it’s a space for genuine healing, where clients are supported in exploring the underlying causes of their challenges with expert clinical care to foster lasting, authentic change. Shannon and Bryan are honored to support each client’s journey of healing, growth, and self-discovery in an environment defined by compassion, excellence, and a commitment to transformative care.
Clinical Excellence: We seek to maintain the highest standards of therapeutic practice and continue to develop our skills and knowledge.
Depth-Driven Approach: Our therapy digs deep, addressing not just symptoms but the foundational issues that give rise to them.
Holistic Resourcefulness: Beyond traditional therapy, we aim to resource our clients comprehensively, addressing their broader life challenges and wellness.
Inclusivity and Alliance: We actively support and promote equality, embracing diversity within our team (an area we're seeking growth in) and also in our care approach, especially in alliance with LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities.
Accessibility: We are committed to making our services accessible by giving all of our therapists the option to maintain two low fee openings as low as $70/session in order to make quality care attainable for those demonstrating financial need.
Cultural Competence: We commit to devoting two of our four quarterly all-team trainings a year to topics in multi-cultural care in order to deliver care that respects and integrates the varied cultural backgrounds of our clients.
Our Guiding Values
Our Commitment to Inclusion
At Forbes Individual & Family Therapy, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for everyone. We proudly stand in alliance with LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities, ensuring that our practice is a safe and affirming space for individuals of all identities and from all walks of life.
Our therapists are committed to understanding and addressing the unique challenges faced by marginalized groups, advocating for equality, and working tirelessly to combat discrimination. We believe in the power of diversity and inclusivity to enrich our therapeutic practice and promote healing and growth for all our clients.
Our Clinical Philosophy
At Forbes Individual and Family Therapy, our philosophy is rooted in the belief that true healing requires looking beneath the surface of immediate symptoms. We specialize in psychodynamic and depth-oriented therapy, moving beyond temporary coping mechanisms to explore the unconscious patterns, early life experiences, and internalized narratives that shape your present. We don’t just aim to manage your anxiety or relationship tension; we seek to understand the "why" behind them, helping you uncover the root causes of the cycles that keep you feeling stuck.
By bringing these hidden dynamics into the light, we help you transition from merely reacting to your past to actively choosing your future. Our approach creates a profound space of safety where the unspoken can finally be expressed and integrated. We are dedicated to the "deep work"—the kind of therapeutic journey that doesn't just provide a quick fix, but fosters a more authentic, grounded, and lasting transformation for both individuals and families.
Kevin Cram, LMFT
Director of Clinical Training
Training & Development
At Forbes Individual and Family Therapy, our commitment to clinical excellence is rooted in a culture of continuous, deep-level professional growth. Our training philosophy centers on the integration of psychodynamic supervision, ensuring that our clinicians have the dedicated space to explore the complex unconscious dynamics and transferences present in the therapeutic relationship. We believe that a therapist’s most valuable tool is their own self-awareness, and our supervisory model is designed to refine that clinical intuition alongside rigorous theory.
To sustain this high standard of care, our team engages in monthly consultations focused on curated readings in psychodynamic and psychoanalytic thought, bridging the gap between historical wisdom and modern practice. This intellectual foundation is further strengthened by quarterly private workshops featuring leading experts in the field. By bringing the leading specialists directly to our staff, we ensure that our practitioners are not only well-versed in foundational depth psychology but are also at the forefront of evolving analytic techniques.
We will reach out within 24h and chat with you to discuss fees and which therapist would be the right therapist from our team.
Reach out to us using the contact form or give us a call to set your initial 15m consult.
Reach out to us using the contact form or give us a call to set your initial 15m consult.
We will reach out within 24h and chat with you to discuss fees and which therapist would be the right therapist from our team.
Get started! We'll book your first session quickly so you get on the path to feeling better quickly.
Get started! We'll book your first session quickly so you get on the path to feeling better quickly.
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