Guillermo Gabarain
The “International Psychology Center is a recently established clinic, founded in 2025, yet backed by extensive history and experience. Its director and founder, Guillermo Gabarain Beristain, after years of clinical work across diverse professional settings and supporting individuals from different cultures and nationalities, opens this space with the intention of providing a setting of trust and serenity for individuals and couples from a wide range of cultural backgrounds.”
Guillermo Gabarain Beristain
CLINICAL DIRECTOR | PSYCHOLOGIST
Welcome to the INTERNATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY CENTER, but before anything else, allow me a brief introduction.
Although I was born in San Sebastián (Guipúzcoa), I have lived in different parts of Spain and the United States, which has led me to see myself as multicultural, bilingual, and, in some ways, a bit of a nomad. In recent years I have lived and worked between Madrid and Miami, and I currently practice as a psychologist, coach, and trainer in private practice.
I earned my degree in Clinical Psychology from San José State University (California, 1996) and completed a Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy at Santa Clara University (2001). Since then, I have continued my training in Couple Therapy, Professional Coaching, Addiction Treatment, Crisis Intervention, Neonatal Psychology, and other areas.
My Story
During my years in California, I specialized in the treatment of mental health disorders (depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, personality disorders, among others), conducted research in the field of multiculturalism, and actively participated in initiatives aimed at promoting a more inclusive healthcare system for immigrants and minorities. Recognizing the central role of family in Latin culture, I deepened my knowledge of systemic theories and collaborated with various organizations on family training programs focused on communication, organization, and education.
At the turn of the millennium, I returned to Spain with the intention of giving my children the warmth of family and a solid cultural foundation. Professionally, I specialized in addictions and substance use disorders, working as a clinical psychologist and supervisor of several hospital and intensive treatment programs. It was in that setting that my clients became my greatest teachers, showing me the extraordinary achievements that can be reached even in the most complex cases. I have accompanied individuals with severe addictions:
Alcohol, cannabis, heroin, tranquilizers, cocaine, and other stimulants
and have witnessed truly remarkable recoveries.
In 2007 I established my first private practice. One of the most transformative experiences was the creation of a Family Care Program in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Hospital 12 de Octubre in Madrid, designed to support parents of premature newborns (from 24 weeks gestation) or infants with severe illnesses. This pioneering program in Spain supported numerous families through the complex and painful process of neonatal hospitalization.
In 2012 we emigrated once again to the United States, this time seeking to broaden our horizons and offer my children the experience of living in another country, another language, and another culture. During six years in Florida, I took part in various projects: I collaborated with Florida International University (FIU) providing guidance to university students, offered psychological support to immigrants facing deportation proceedings or seeking asylum, trained in the Gottman Method of Couples Therapy, and further developed my work as a professional coach.
After six years, we returned to Madrid, though I have continued collaborating on projects in the United States and supporting clients remotely. In Spain I have worked with institutions such as the European Institute of Positive Psychology and SINEWS Multilingual Therapy Institute.
After years of clinical experience with individuals from many cultures, I decided to found the International Psychology Center, with the intention of continuing to contribute wherever my work may be of service.
How is our Process?
At INTERNATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY CENTER, we can work in both English and Spanish at a bilingual level, and having lived abroad ourselves, we understand the complexity of the adaptation process.
- Intake – The first contact is one of the most significant moments in the therapeutic process. For this reason, at the INTERNATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY CENTER we strive to make it as smooth as possible and allow ample time—generally 90 minutes—to begin getting to know each other well. As we often say, choosing a psychologist is like choosing a pair of shoes: you must try them on to see whether they truly fit.
- Assessment – The aim of this phase is to understand you from a psychological perspective and to develop a clear view of the problem. To do this, we explore your life history—much like a panoramic photograph of your experience—and conduct an evaluation of your psychological and emotional functioning to determine whether any psychological conditions may be present.
- Feedback and Goals – After gathering sufficient information and completing the assessment, we dedicate time to providing feedback, during which we present the results and offer information regarding possible diagnoses and the most appropriate treatments. Before beginning any intervention, we work together to define your goals. These goals must be realistic and attainable, taking into account the potential challenges involved.
- Intervention – Once the goals are clearly defined, our task is to work toward achieving them. To do so, we employ strategies that facilitate this process. Our methods focus on specific problems and aim to shorten the duration of therapy as much as possible, following brief and focused therapeutic models.
What´s important for Us?
The therapeutic process is grounded in a singular kind of relationship—one in which you feel genuinely heard, understood, and free from judgment or evaluation based on who you are or what you do. This relationship rests on what we refer to as the “Three Cs.”
It is essential for cultivating trust to know that you may speak about any matter without it extending beyond the therapeutic space in any form
Trust in the relationship and in the process is not instantaneous; it develops gradually as you allow yourself to open up and experience a sustained sense of acceptance.
My commitment is to accompany and guide you throughout your process. Your commitment is to yourself and to your objectives. Without commitment, genuine change cannot occur.
What can we help you with?
Do you have any questions?
Contact us and we’ll be glad to help.