Portrait of a young man with short blond hair, blue eyes, and light skin, wearing a beige blazer and a white shirt, smiling against a light background.
Portrait of a young man with short blond hair, blue eyes, and light skin, wearing a beige blazer and a white shirt, smiling against a light background.

I’m glad you’re here.

I’m a licensed clinical psychologist who works exclusively with couples—particularly those with high levels of responsibility, visibility, or professional pressure—who want their relationship to be as strong and intentional as the rest of their lives. In our work together, I pay close attention to both the what and the how. Often, it's not the problem itself that causes the most pain, but how it is discussed (or avoided). My role is to help you slow down and reconnect in ways that feel meaningful and real.

This work is personal to me. My partner is hearing and I am deaf, though I hear and speak with a cochlear implant. Like many of the couples I work with, we both maintain demanding careers and busy schedules. It often feels like a delicate dance—one that requires coordination; flexibility; and intentional, mutual effort. I’d like to say I have a nuanced understanding of intimacy as I know firsthand what it means to love someone across a real divide.

Therapy is not simply about reducing conflict. It is about restoring a sense of partnership, rebuilding emotional safety, and creating a shared vision for the future—one that supports both your personal connection and your professional ambitions. When a relationship is functioning well, it becomes a stabilizing force rather than another source of stress. I’ll help you get there with clarity, structure, and care.

My practice is fully remote, designed with privacy and flexibility in mind. Sessions take place in a secure, confidential setting without waiting rooms, commutes, or administrative friction. This format allows you to engage in meaningful, consistent work while maintaining the discretion and efficiency your professional life requires.

Signature of Connor McLaren with stylized cursive writing.

DR. CONNOR MCLAREN, PH.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
FOUNDER, COMMON GROUND PSYCHOLOGY

Credentials & Expertise

  • Doctorate in Clinical Psychology

  • Experience across university counseling centers, community mental health centers, and private practices

  • Licensed psychologist in Virginia

  • Specialties include high-achieving couples, affair recovery, partners navigating salient differences, and premarital counseling

  • Informed by emotionally-focused, cognitive-behavioral, attachment-based, psychodynamic/relational, Imago, and Gottman Method therapies for couples

  • B.A. in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania

Frequently Asked Questions

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