Relational Therapists in 94710

Many of the clients I work with have either lost or struggled to develop a sense of control in their lives and relationships– having fallen into destructive patterns of substance abuse/addiction and impulsive and/or self-harming behaviors. Others may be struggling with an excess of self-imposed control– leading to a sense of isolation and fear of taking healthy risks. Some are confronting a major life-transition, loss of identity, divorce, death of a loved one or faced with a pervading sense of meaninglessness. All are, in one way or another, seeking to increase their sense of personal agency and effectiveness in daily life.

I have been in private practice as a psychotherapist in Berkeley since 1994, working with adults and teens individually and with couples and groups, on recovering from relationship and betrayal trauma. This trauma may manifest as recurring intrusive reminders of overwhelming and unresolved past experiences and as emotional / somatic distress in your present life. Or it may result from inadequate nurture and protection in childhood (attachment trauma). Often, both contribute to the need and desire for relief and a better life beyond trauma. Individualized trauma therapy addresses the need for a new relationship with your past.

All life is a relationship. From our very first moments and onward, what happens in relationship teaches us about how to be in the world. We continually form certain core beliefs, ways of thinking, patterns of tension, and ways of moving our body that can be both healthy and limiting. Trauma, abuse, neglect, and other wounding contribute to how we form our relationship with the world and with ourselves. All of our past experiences have an impact on our present experience. Our day to day life can then be full of a sense of meaninglessness, emotional and physical pain, chronic anxiety, mistrust, or general unease.

With over 14 years of clinical experience, I help men and women, couples and families (especially adult siblings) address a variety forms of distress, from anxiety and depression, to addiction or just a general sense that something feels off in their lives in order to find more fulfillment and meaning. Whether I am working with an individual, couple or family, I am attuned to multiple forms of communication as a direct means for assessment, diagnosis and treatment for what ails each client, and what blocks them from their own joy and peace. I am interested in working with clients with a curiosity of their inner worlds.

I am called to support individuals and couples ready to liberate themselves from stress and overwhelm to create more fulfilling relationships and lead happier, more balanced lives. Despite what brings you to therapy, my goal is for you to leave with the ability to respond effectively to life's challenges. I provide a safe, supportive environment for you to begin exploring your feelings, needs and internal reality. Through mindfulness, interactive dialogue and practical wisdom we will invite compassionate curiosity around old patterns that no longer serve you. Visit me at www.deannajimenez.com.

My practice emphasizes integral, psychodynamic psychotherapy and consultation for a variety of psychological, relational, medical, cultural, and spiritual issues. I specialize in working with adults who grapple with anxiety, depression, loss, stress, health, disability, identity, sexuality, relationships, transitions, trauma, creativity, spirituality, life path/purpose/meaning and fulfillment. I also enjoy providing consultation to colleagues. Building on my fifteen years of private practice experience during my twenty years as a licensed clinician, it is my joy to combine private practice in Oakland with my teaching at CIIS.

My focus is on helping people to break free from painful, unwanted patterns in their lives, and to find greater confidence, connection, and joy. Couples work is a primary focus of my practice, and I work with couples at all stages of relationship. I help partners interrupt destructive fights, build effective communication skills, and create greater intimacy.

Perhaps no one can ever inhabit fully the lived experience of another, nor would I presume that I could know it, yet our therapeutic relationship can—without disrespecting the integrity of your lived experience—present the opportunity to take your perspective. I hope to imagine your experience because, as Carl Jung articulates: “Loneliness does not come from having no people around you but from being unable to communicate the things that seem important to you," and in the memory of childhood’s loneliness and solitude, creative power resides.

I can best help couples who want to create a strong relationship foundation, bridge differing desires, revitalize sexless (or low-sex) marriages or relationships, recover from an affair, or explore alternative relationships, such as poly or open relationships. I also help men who want to better understand themselves and their partners, be amazing lovers, or deal with erectile dysfunction. I have a strong expertise in working with women who struggle with low libido, or have issues with orgasms or sexual satisfaction.

I support individuals who may have experienced confusing and distressing familial relationships either in childhood or adulthood. This may manifest as painful interpersonal dynamics later in life, and can create complex feelings about "home." I specialize in trauma work for adults, children and adolescents. Our work together can facilitate transformation and create new possibilities. It would be an honor to support you.

Therapy is a private space for you to get help with issues that have become overwhelming to you, out of your control, or urgent in some way. Sessions are designed to help you clarify the nature of the problem, identify clear goals, and set a course for recovery/healing. Talking together in ways which nurture curiosity and compassion, we will look at what troubles you, what brings you hope. We will be attentive to the past, but our focus will be on how the past's legacy is impacting your life now. Our work will be relieving of past pains/traumas and will bring more calm and ease, a greater sense of connectedness in present time.

Initiating therapy can understandably feel overwhelming, that’s why I strive to provide a supportive, non-judgmental, and confidential space for clients to explore difficult parts of their lives. At some point many people find that their familiar patterns and habits of relating to others, coping with stress, and being in the world no longer serve them. Clients who see me often feel anxiety, distress in relationships, dissatisfaction at work or school, overwhelm with life transition, and have a wish for more connection and intimacy.

I work with people who are suffering and are looking to better understand why they feel the way they do. My clients are open to exploring the role that internal unconscious forces, as well the role that the social environment, play in how they experience themselves and others. Long term psychotherapy is not only beneficial for dealing with suffering. Once a person has made progress with the primary life concerns, room is created for expansive growth, including the attainment of goals, and I believe that it is equally important to go through this process accompanied.

I offer warm and collaborative psychotherapy with adults across different issues, stages in life, challenges, and triumphs. It is often in the presence of compassionate attunement that we can fully explore who we are - where we come from, the forces that shape us, how we are now, and living the life that is important to us. Therapy is your time, and it can be used to process, reflect, take inventory, heal, learn new strategies, identify your values, and find ways to live in integrity with those values. It is a place to find balance, introspection, create changes, celebrate strengths, explore nuance, and experience relief and joy.

My approach aims to celebrate and encourage open exploration of the self while identifying achievable, concrete goals. The essence of my work is informed by DBT philosophies of balancing acceptance and change in order to build a life more worth living. I believe in the therapeutic relationship being the grounding force for healing and work very collaboratively with my clients to find that anchor. I have worked in a wide range of settings (community mental health, residential, private practice) and use these varying experiences to tailor treatment needs to the client.

I offer neurodiversity-affirming, client-focused care to neurodivergent children, adolescents and adults. My clients tend to have several of these qualities: They are highly intelligent and verbal. They often feel like they don’t fit in, but may form fewer and deeper friendships. They throw themselves enthusiastically into the things they’re passionate about. They struggle to find appropriate outlets for intense emotions. They often have “geeky” hobbies. Many identify as neurodivergent, autistic, or a person with ADHD, with or without a diagnosis.

Sometimes in life, depression and anxiety can feel like they are limiting your options and moving you away from your values. This can create feelings of misdirection and occasional coping in ways that are temporarily helpful but ultimately hurtful. Or it can lead you to unhappy relationships. You may struggle to stop these patterns, even though you know these are not the directions you want your life to go. Maybe you are trying to figure out who you are, trying on different personas and hoping that one will feel right.

Hi. My name is Katie and I'm so glad you found me. I am here to support you on your journey - whatever that might look like. Clients say that they are surprised at how quickly they can be themselves when they work with me. Let's learn to set boundaries, develop self-compassion, identify your values, and assert your power!

People seek therapy at important junctures in their lives - the loss of a loved one, major career shifts, or unexpected life events. Others do so for less specific reasons, including a vague sense of unease or continual frustration and disappointment in life. Whatever the reason, the act of seeking help is a profound one. It typically means that we recognize we are at the limits of our own abilities to cope on our own. It also is a sign of very good instincts. My recommendation to anyone who has reached this point is to trust those instincts and seek a therapist that feels suitable, curious, supportive and kind.