José Villafuerte, LCSW
Executive Director

What I do…

I’m the founder and executive director here at Integrated Bilingual Counseling (IBC). I’m a licensed psychotherapist and couples coach with over 15 years of experience in the mental health field, and I am currently pursuing a doctorate degree in my field.

I specialize in helping individuals and couples struggling with communication, grief, contempt, stonewalling, affairs, in-laws, finances, jealousy, and other issues.

My background…

My interest in couples started when I was very young. Maybe like you, I come from a home with separated parents. At the time, I thought my parents were the only ones who had conflicts. I asked myself, “Why can’t they get along? Why can’t they communicate effectively? Why can’t they solve their problems?”

I realized later, of course, that my parents weren’t the only ones with marital conflicts. Many of their problems were rooted in larger social patterns, and I came to see those patterns come into play in other relationships, including my own.

Communication, understanding, and conflict resolution don’t always come naturally. And we don’t always have good role models for it… and we certainly don’t learn it in school. Shouldn’t we all know what separates good marriages from the bad?

So, I started studying, and I ended up getting my degree in psychology at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield. I went on to get a master’s at Fordham University (Westchester, New York). Then I trained in the best psychotherapeutic modalities to help couples: Emotionally Focused Therapy and the Gottman Method, for example.

Working together…

Our clients rate our practice as one of the best in the area. We take pride in providing you with service of the highest quality.

If you and your partner come with a commitment to improving your relationship, I’ll give you everything I have to help you succeed.