More about me
Dr. Matthew Rochefort
Dr. Matthew Rochefort obtained his Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from The Institute for the Psychological Sciences, Divine Mercy University in Arlington, VA in 2020.
Dr. Rochefort has worked in a variety of treatment settings including residential and outpatient substance use facilities, a university-based outpatient clinic, a community mental health center, and group private practice.
Dr. Rochefort completed his doctoral internship at Kansas State University Counseling Services, an APA-accredited internship. He completed his postdoctoral training at Sacred Ground Psychotherapy and Morningstar Counseling & Consultation in Lincoln, NE with a focus on individual, depth-oriented psychodynamic psychotherapy.
Currently, Dr. Rochefort is the owner of and clinical psychologist at Deeper Roots Psychological Services, LLC.
Dr. Rochefort’s clinical conceptualizations and interests are rooted in psychodynamic and attachment-oriented perspectives, with a focus on the emotional and relational aspects of the person. Dr. Rochefort has training in psychodynamic, interpersonal process, emotion-focused, trauma-informed, and mindfulness-based therapeutic modalities, and also integrates a wide range of other theories and methods based upon clients’ needs. Dr. Rochefort has worked with clients from a variety of cultural backgrounds and identities, and has specific training in working with clients who identify as Catholic-Christian.
Dr. Rochefort’s broad training and experience have allowed him to work with a variety of presenting concerns, including depression, anxiety, mood disorders, relationship issues, trauma/PTSD, self-esteem, identity exploration, masculinity and men’s issues, and many other concerns.
He believes that by providing an open, safe, secure, and emotionally-engaged relationship through which his clients can connect with and explore their inner worlds, they can achieve real lasting change that impacts both their views of self and others in more positive and adaptive ways.
Dr. Rochefort also has a passion for teaching. His experiences include online tutoring, providing outreach presentations in the community, facilitating online classes in the Divine Mercy University Spiritual Direction Certificate (SDC) program, and teaching undergraduates as an adjunct faculty at Ave Maria University.
On a more personal note, Dr. Rochefort is married with five small children, and lives in Florida. When he is not working, Dr. Rochefort enjoys reading, staying active, exploring nature, and spending time with his friends and family.
Training and Certifications
– 5+ years of supervised clinical experience in psychodynamic psychotherapy
– Certified in Catholic Psychotherapy Integration (CCPI-1) through the Catholic Psychotherapy Association (CPA)
– Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist (CCTS-I)
– Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills training
– ICEEFT Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) externship
– Training and supervised experience in interpersonal-process group therapy
– Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) certified
– Registered Circle of Security Parenting (COSP) Facilitator
My Therapeutic Style
I offer a warm and collaborative environment where you can begin to share your story, discuss your concerns and struggles, and feel understood and accepted for where you are in life’s journey.
As therapy progresses and we get to know one another better, I may begin to challenge you more, and to offer more of my own thoughts, insights, and tools to help you pursue your goals.
My training and experience has been focused on helping people look inward at their own thoughts and feelings, explore their own resources and pain points, and ultimately to come to know their inner world more readily, which can help them change unwanted patterns in their lives, and help them live more freely.
My approach in therapy centers around exploring your thoughts, beliefs, and emotional experiences in order to help you come to know your inner experience at a deeper level, embrace the feelings that are sometimes difficult to articulate and to cope with, and learn to use your emotions as guides to what you need more effectively. We will also explore how your thoughts and feelings tend to impact you in relationships and how to work on changing your own tendencies to begin to change your relational patterns.
Learn more about how I approach therapy
My Theoretical Orientation
I operate primarily from a psychodynamic/psychoanalytic & relational framework.
I draw heavily from the research bases of interpersonal neurobiology, attachment theory, emotionally-focused therapy, and the power of the very human aspects of the therapeutic relationship, including warmth, accurate empathy, positive regard, and trust, which correlate with positive outcomes in therapy. However, I also incorporate a wide variety of therapeutic modalities, tools, and techniques in helping you, as I believe having a variety of tools in my “toolbox” will enable me to be most helpful to more people.
Psychodynamic and relational approaches include core features such as (Blagys & Hilsenroth, 2000):
1) Focusing on identifying and expressing your feelings
2) Exploring ways in which you (and all of us) unwittingly seek to avoid certain topics or sabotage our own success
3) Identifying patterns in thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and relationships
4) Exploring past experiences, especially experiences in relationships, that may contribute to unwanted or problematic patterns
5) Exploring aspects of our own “here-and-now” relationship, and how it might subtly reenact or be different from similar situations outside of therapy
6) Seeking to attend to and understand how different “parts” of the mind interact by discussing wishes, dreams, and fantasies
A consistent focus on all of these features, in the context of an empathic and understanding relationship, are what I believe are most conducive to symptom relief, change, psychological healing, and freedom.
Cultural Sensitivity
Working with Catholic-Christian Clients
Although I don’t work exclusively with Catholics-Christians, I have specialized training and experience from Divine Mercy University in working with clients who identify as Catholic-Christian, and who wish to have their values understood easily and respected deeply.
If it is in line with your goals for therapy and your religious/spiritual identity, I am happy to integrate the wisdom of the Judeo-Christian tradition into your therapy. I can readily understand the complexities and challenges of navigating modern society with what sometimes seems like conflicting sources of values, and this in-and-of itself can be stressful.
I hope to offer an open, inviting, and safe place for you to explore your own beliefs and values, navigate potential conflicts, and ultimately live life more consistent with your most important beliefs.