In transition? Dealing with depression and anxiety? Recovering from trauma? Relationship stress? My warm and personal approach to the issues you bring forward will support you in developing your own resources and resilience in facing life's challenges. The answers you seek lie within--it's my job to help you connect with your inner wisdom and design the life you want. Together we invoke your personal courage to support your life's journey. As an ally and guide, I am here to help you on the path to a more fulfilling and inspiring life.

Feeling stuck? Doing the best you can to cope? Are your relationships becoming difficult to hold together? Supportive counseling in a safe,accepting environment can help. Life sometimes seems filled with loss.. The loss of people,relationships or pets we cherish and even the loss of our youth. These struggles need time, compassion and attention to heal. I have been there and am dedicated to helping you. Working through a broken relationship, contemplating divorce or facing an empty nest? Counseling can help you find your own voice, stay present and begin to journey forward in your own way. It really can.

I am passionate about helping individuals explore their human experiences, emotions, hopes, accomplishments, challenges, opportunities, life transitions, and interpersonal relationships. I am grateful for the opportunity to connect with you, to understand your goals, and to engage with you toward living the life you want. You may be interested in making meaningful changes in your life, understanding how your past impacts your present experience, developing more fulfilling relationships, or reducing anxiety and distress. Contact me today to arrange your free telephone consultation and see how we might work together to meet your goals.

I specialize in helping people transform life challenges into opportunities for growth and healing. Examples include losses (death, illness, divorce, relocation, job loss), relationship problems (parenting, spousal, peer, work-related); persistent troubling moods and states (depression, anxiety, stress). My special interest in helping individuals and families comes from a deep appreciation of the enduring influence of close relationships on all aspects of health throughout the lifespan.

I have 20+ years experience providing psychotherapy services to individual adults of all ages in the Bay Area. My training and experience provide me with expertise in treating a wide range of problems including; depression, anxiety, relationship problems, workplace stress, and issues related to trauma. I have extensive experience in geriatric mental health, and provide expert mental health services to older adults and their families. I also have extensive experience working with younger adults facing relationship issues, depression, and anxiety.

I bring a positive approach to my work with people and believe therapy needs to be practical and strength-focused. Your strengths are key to creating the changes you want. If you are in crisis or struggling, you may not be able to readily identify your strengths right now. Even if you know your strengths it can be hard to see your way clear.

Are you finding the stresses of living and being in relationships overwhelming? Are you feeling distant from your partner, child, or workmate? Are you feeling distressed in relationship, not at ease with yourself? Sometimes our challenges, both personal and with other people, feel beyond our capacity to encompass. I work with you to find the places of disconnection within yourself and within your relationships. We work together to experience in body, mind and emotion, the best you can bring to your life, no matter the challenges. The result is transforming for your experience of yourself and your connection to others.

As a therapist, I am primarily focused on the treatment of trauma, and would be honored to work with you on your journey to healing. In addition, I greatly enjoy helping those struggling with Adult ADHD gain new skills. When we improve coping and change maladaptive patterns, we can notice a shift in all aspects of our lives--relationships, work, health, and our own sense of well being. I want you to know there is help and that we can work collaboratively to help you find more peace in your life.

With a collaborative, creative and strengths-focused approach, I provide counseling to adults, children, teens, couples & families. My areas of focus include anxiety, depression, relationship issues, trauma, impulsive behaviors, grief & loss, ADHD, substance use, and issues related to life transitions. I integrate strategies from short-term, practical therapy approaches with in-depth, relational approaches to form a flexible treatment tailored to the strengths, needs and goals of each client. My approach to therapy aims to not only reduce symptoms and problematic behaviors, but also aims for improvement within clients insight, self-esteem, relationships, and overall quality of life.

Therapy provides the opportunity to address personal concerns while identifying strengths to improve functioning, recovery, and growth. By taking a non-judgemental collaborative stance in therapy, I am able to help support positive and long lasting change. I offer a variety of methods to clients of all ages who are interested in exploring and resolving internal conflicts and overcoming challenges that prevent them from realizing their full potential. I can help you or your child build self-esteem and social skills, improve communication skills, and provide the tools to help cope with emotions.

Do you feel a loss of identity and purpose in the midst of caregiving demands? Are you caring for everyone except your Self? I have 25 years of experience helping clients and families cope with chronic/ terminal illness, caregiver stress, and grief/loss. I have worked the past 12 years at Hospice of Petaluma and have extensive knowledge of resources in Sonoma County for elders and caregivers.

Everyone experiences challenges and problems in life. Therapy is a great place for growth, healing, and overcoming obstacles in a safe, confidential, and warm environment. I can help you understand and solve (or resolve) repetitive problems; find new ways of handling and understanding situations and relationships; and guide you in developing skills by utilizing your strengths. I use a collaborative, interactive and strength based approach. Beginning therapy can be difficult for some and I try my best to make my clients feel comfortable with my liberal use of warmth and humor. We will set goals and follow up on them.

I enjoy working with those who want to unfold into their authentic selves. I have experience with individuals who live with addicts and alcoholics ie: individuals who love too much. I have worked with troubled teens and their parents. Additionally, I have experience with children and trauma, and other behavioral issues.

Life can be hard. We all get stuck sometimes, or find ourselves in places that push our limits. Whether you are grieving a loss, dealing with depression or anxiety, or navigating a life transition, therapy can help. I love working with young adults, and also have specialty experience with grief, loss, chronic illness, and end of life. Regardless of what is bringing you here, I would be honored to support you in finding your way to more joy and aliveness.

Are you struggling with a transition, experiencing the loss of a loved one or a relationship, or perhaps have lost touch with your own sense of joy and vibrancy? Therapy can help to bring you to a new place of understanding, perspective, inspiration and purpose. I am passionate about supporting individuals to create and live authentic, heart-centered lives. I am a holistically oriented therapist which means I believe in the connection of body, mind, and spirit and emotions. I enjoy helping clients uncover and heal what ever may be holding them back from living the life they desire.

Therapy is not the mystery it once was. Blending SCIENCE with COMPASSION, EMPATHY, SKILL, HUMOR, WARMTH, INTUITION, AND CONFIDENCE I will help you create the future you want and changes that last. How does change occur? How do I find the right therapist? These are both questions one asks whether embarking on this journey for the first time, or re-entering therapy for deeper connection. Therapy is also an art. Drawing from the palette of NEUROSCIENCE, THEORY, LIFE EXPERIENCE, TEACHING, PASSION, INTUITION, and SKILL, I will help you effect real change. Learn more by clicking "WEBSITE", above or go to www.jbarlastherapy.com

What are you seeking? Relief, fulfillment, joy, connection? If you are reading this, you are on the path of self change. What are the obstacles on your path? Perhaps it is an overwhelming feeling of anxiety or depression. Maybe it is past wounding from a difficult childhood or traumatic experience that have left lasting scars. Together we can reclaim your sense of wellbeing and purpose. Your birthright. You may be dealing with issues related to autism or other special needs. Your kids, your spouse, YOU are dealing with ongoing behavioral or emotional issues related to not quite fitting in. You wonder if autism is the reason.

I am a licensed psychotherapist with 35 years experience in helping families, couples and individuals improve their relationships and develop as individuals. In an atmosphere of safety and respect, your core issues and problems will be understood from the perspective that we are all in ongoing developmental flux. Our work together will be approached collaboratively with your personal history providing the context from which we construct a plan for optimizing your experience of growth and change. Finally, we will work to integrate these changes into your life.

I am a Psychotherapist practicing in Sonoma County, working with individuals and groups. I specialize in assisting First Responders and those suffering the effects of the job including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. As a Certified Crisis Intervention Specialist I treat those who have been involved in disasters and assist before, during, and in the aftermath of traumatic events and crisis situations. I am also experienced in issues relating to loss, such as: divorce, betrayal, loss of a loved one, retirement, as well as the loss of identity.

I am an Associate MFT currently practicing with Seeds of Awareness in Petaluma. Therapy should help you improve your life. Though it can take time to get the most out of therapy, my goal is that we see improvement all along the way in your ability to function and manage.