Constantine “Dean” Ellis is an MFT trainee currently at Pepperdine University. He has worked in substance abuse treatment and is an active member of twelve step recovery in Los Angeles. Dean works from a psychodynamic and internal family systems lens and believes individuals cannot be fully understood without also exploring their relationships, attachment style, and family of origin. As a bulwark against addiction, Dean believes in the power of community and human connection and especially the maxim “connection is the opposite of addiction”. This simple truth can often only be realized however after doing psychotherapy and healing the past traumas and dysfunctional beliefs that separate us. Dean received his undergraduate degree in psychology from California Lutheran University, and enjoyed hiking, playing piano and collecting books in his free time.