Attachment-based Therapists in 94704

As a psychotherapist, I act as your collaborator, witness and guide, and bring curiosity and warmth to your exploration. Trauma, past wounding and internalized negative beliefs can make it difficult to know what you need from moment to moment. Therefore, in session, I support you in cultivating self-agency so that you may become familiar with what is right for you at a pace that is both constructive and safe. I am here to help you navigate difficult transitions, past and new traumas, grief and loss, shifts in identity, and a desire to change patterns in relationship on your path towards fulfilling connections to self and others.

Clients seeking my services are looking for a safe and supportive space where they can bring their authentic whole “self” and explore and discuss issues centered on intersectional oppressions, identity exploration, trauma exploration, managing anxiety and stress, depression reduction, relational and attachment struggles, managing imposter syndrome, improving self-esteem, increasing communications skills and learning to identify and set healthy boundaries.

East Bay Intimacy & Sex Therapy Center was created with the goal of making the practice of sex & intimacy therapy more relationship-focused & accessible, without the stigma & confusion that often accompanies misperceptions about couples & sex therapy. We offer attachment-based sex therapy & couples counseling. We believe that healthy relationships are at the core of how change & healing occur. Having a healthy sexual relationship to one's self or partner(s) is vital to overall wellbeing. We strive to support & promote lifelong change that will allow you to form sustainable, loving & equitable relationships, & an overall sense of health wellbeing.

My therapeutic approach mainly focuses on helping my clients identify their strengths to help alleviate anxiety, depression, and trauma. I am a firm believer that our childhood experiences contribute to our beliefs, behavioral patterns, and selecting a romantic partner. Therapy is a process! To allow ourselves to be intimate and vulnerable with someone about our experiences and trauma can be daunting. As a therapist, it is my goal to help validate, create a safe environment and help understand aspects of lived experiences.

Do you find yourself struggling with anxiety, depression, grief, self-esteem, identity, and difficult life transitions? Do you find yourself feeling stuck and can’t seem to focus or move forward? There are many ways to get unstuck, and this is the work I love to do to help you heal, grow and live a more fulfilling life. I use an integrative approach including attachment-based work, DBT, CBT, IFS, and mindfulness, bringing in each as needed. Above all, I strive to hold space and empathy for your life experience.

It is only human to let the trials and tribulations of life weigh us down, and pull us away from our personal growth. We can feel stuck in old patterns and it is hard to see a way out. Therapy allows us to see our struggles from a new perspective, and find new paths towards positive change, and create a more harmonious interaction with our world. I work with couples and individuals on a variety of mental health issues including depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, relationship issues and more.

For 25 years, I have assisted people with a variety of addictions, from the exogenous abuse of drugs and alcohol, to the ones that stem from the chemicals already inside the brain, such as sex and love addiction, abandonment patterns, sexual compulsions, gambling, internet, and workaholism. Unlike most psychotherapists, I’m a Board Certified Addiction Specialist, well versed in both abstinence and harm reduction strategies. Unlike most addiction professionals, I am also psychotherapist who also treats the anxiety, depression, and other psychological issues that often manifest after being uncovered through recovery.

Are you worried, unhappy, frustrated, unmotivated, failing to live up to your potential? Are you experiencing a transition that leads you to question your beliefs or direction? Are you struggling with the adjustments and losses associated with COVID? For over 20 years I have collaborated with clients to identify, understand and address the barriers to more fulfilling relationships, work, academics, play, creativity and life. My focus is on an in-depth and compassionate understanding of each individual's unique strengths and difficulties, the factors that influence each person beyond their awareness and an individualized approach.

Feeling anxious or a decrease in self esteem? Is your child/teen struggling or having problems in school? Looking for support to live the life you want? Psychotherapy can help you form a better relationship with yourself, your family, and others. I work collaboratively with clients, establishing a warm, empathic environment that feels safe and free of judgement. I provide individual psychotherapy and family therapy across the lifespan, and have training and experience working with children, adolescents, parents, and individual adult clients. I offer office (Berkeley), walk & talk (East Bay) and virtual (anywhere in CA) appts.

I have found that my style and approach are a good fit for individual adults, especially women, who are struggling with low self-confidence, stress, anxiety, perfectionism, a harsh internal critic and work life balance. I work to help my clients not only address their current symptoms, but also understand where those symptoms are stemming from for enduring, long term change. My approach to therapy varies based on the needs of each client I work with. I am collaborative, relational and empathic. I most frequently use Relational Psychodynamic Therapy, a Feminist and Narrative perspective, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy & Mindfulness.

My priority is to help you develop insight, confidence, and connection. With an approach that is respectful, warm, and direct, I will help you better understand yourself and your current circumstances. Together, we will examine intergenerational patterns, unconscious dynamics, and how you developed your innermost beliefs. With extensive training in treating trauma, I will help you better understand the ways difficult and even tragic experiences influence your relationships, parenting, and self-worth. My approach is rooted in attachment theory, child development, object relations, and trauma research.

Patients come to me with a wide range of difficulties and consistently tell me that my responsive and interactive style is helpful to them. You may already have a clear idea of the problems you want to solve. Or you may need time to explore your experience and to clarify what you'd like to change. I provide a safe space for this exploration to take place.

Dr. Iris Leung is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in gender and sexual identity, race-based stress, transitional periods, trauma, depression, anxiety, sleep issues, sexual health, and relationship strain. Dr. Leung’s integrative clinical approach is grounded in psychodynamic, relational, and evidence-based theories. They strongly believe in the importance of validating emotions and personal narratives, and creating an empathic space for introspection and change.

I work with clients who are experiencing low self esteem and anxiety, who are ready to create a relationship with themselves and the world from a place of security and authenticity. Using a trauma-informed, and somatic-based approach, I aim to support your innate capacity to heal by uplifting your strengths and prioritizing your internal sense of safety and belonging. By utilizing interpersonal, and body-based practices to help self-soothe, you can build resilience in the face of challenge and overwhelm, feel more connected, and build secure, compassionate relationships with yourself, your past, and others.

I work with individuals who want to overcome persistent behaviors, thoughts and emotions that inhibit their ability to live a life they love so that they have meaningful relationships, deeply fulfilling work and self-confidence. My approach is based on the belief that in order to benefit from therapy the therapeutic relationship must be grounded in direct communication, collaboration and compassion. You need someone to be real who will both challenge and care for you. My patients often reflect they are relieved to finally work with someone who engages in conversation and shares responsibility for the progress of each session.

I work with children, adolescents and adults, helping to support them and to make meaning as they respond to life's challenges, such as childbirth, adoption, loss of a child, death of a family member, infertility, early childhood trauma, and other life transitions. In addition to working with adults and parents in individual therapy, I specialize in Child-Parent Psychotherapy, working with the dyad to develop a mutually satisfying and enriching relationship. I work individually with children and adolescents, including infants and fussy babies.

I work with couples and individuals struggling with a variety of relationship and communication issues. I have successfully treated clients with depression, anxiety, phobias, and low self-esteem. Clients that are looking for more aliveness in themselves and their relationships will be served well by what I offer.

In my work with clients, I value understanding each person's individual experience and I strive to create a supportive environment with a warm, reflective and engaging approach. I believe we all have the potential to lead fulfilling lives. To reach this potential, I help clients reflect on themselves and their experiences, identify and understand patterns, and initiate change. I am influenced by psychodynamic perspectives and attachment theory.

Are you seeking therapy because you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or lonely? Are you having issues in your relationships, finding it difficult to make connections, or suffering from loss? Are you struggling with issues of identity, racial identity, sex, or sexuality? You are not alone. Whether it’s working through anxiety, depression, trauma, or just seeking personal growth and depth, many of us need support with these normal human challenges, and I can offer you help.