Acceptance and Commitment (ACT) Therapists in Ventura, Palo Alto, CA

By nature, people thrive with a sense of meaning and purpose in their lives. Oftentimes, a lack of confidence, difficult circumstances, trauma, anxiety, depression, and substance use contribute to suffering and hold people back from living a life that feels fulfilling. I specialize in developing a strong therapeutic relationship with clients, exploring values, goals, and identity, and working collaboratively to develop an understanding of what the client wants their life to be about, the barriers that they are experiencing in getting there, and to provide tools and skills to move through these challenges.

I use evidence-based therapy to treat a range of concerns including race-based stress, post-traumatic stress (PTSD), anxiety, insomnia, depression, loneliness, and interpersonal difficulties. In meeting each of my clients, I apply the dialectical balance between acceptance and change, holding firm that “at each moment we are all doing the best we can, and we can also do better”. As a radical behaviorist, I work primarily from Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Functional Analytic Psychotherapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, in order to enable my clients to find ways to live more fully.

Whether you know exactly what you’d like to change, or you aren’t sure where to start, I know this is a big step and I’m ready to meet you where you’re at. I am certified in perinatal mental health and love working with women who are navigating pregnancy, the postpartum period, infertility, birth trauma, PMDD, or other women's wellness concerns. I also treat depression, anxiety, and trauma in people from all walks of life. My goal is to team up with you to help you make meaningful and lasting change, according to your own vision for your life.

I believe that the mind and body are interconnected. We often experience emotional pain when our bodies are struggling with illness or medical problems. As a therapist with specialized training in health psychology and behavioral medicine, my work emphasizes this mind-body connection. My primary areas of expertise focus on the treatment of insomnia, coping with illness, sexual health, chronic pain, and stress management in adults. Additionally, I help individuals cope with psychological concerns, such as anxiety, depression, adjustment to life transitions, and relationship difficulties.

As a psychologist working with adults, couples, and families, I specialize in the treatment of eating disorders, body image concerns, anxiety disorders, life transitions, and related difficulties. My approach is integrative, individualized, and some may say irreverent. I aim to help my clients create a life worth living and use therapeutic approaches that are supported by research. Because no two people and no two families are the same, I tailor treatment to my clients needs and circumstances. To help clients track progress towards their treatment goals, I use assessment to inform and individualize treatment.

Working together, we will co-create markers of success on the path towards your therapeutic goals, anchoring our work both in the evidence base and the stories and realities of each of our lived experiences. I am trained in modern trauma-informed and culturally-affirming behavioral therapies, including ACT, CBT, DBT, MBSR, and schema-based work.

I work collaboratively with clients to maximize their strengths and enhance their tools for valued living. I have a wealth of experience treating clients with traumatic histories, substance use, anxiety and depression. I specialize in therapies based in research evidence, including cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT).

Therapy is a highly personal and unique process for each person. I strive to meet you where you are at in your life with a genuine and non-judgmental approach. We will work together to collaboratively identify where you feel stuck, to explore your values and what brings your life meaning, and to gain a deeper understanding of yourself both individually and in relation to others. We will also seek to increase your sense of self, mindfulness, and self-compassion in the service of pursuing a life that brings you authenticity and purpose.

Therapy is a deeply personal and challenging process. As a therapist, I aim to create a space where individuals moving through difficult periods of their lives can explore their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and learn new ways of relating to them. I strive to be a non-judgmental, compassionate, and empathetic partner in your healing journey. I specialize in working with LGBTQIA+ folks, individuals dealing with trauma, mood disorders, anxiety, chronic pain, and challenging life transitions.

The decision to enter therapy can be a difficult one. For many, recent and/or previous stressors have begun to feel insurmountable, and seem to be getting in the way of living a full, meaningful life. I strive to provide a safe, supportive, and accepting atmosphere in order to truly understand each individual's lived-experience. I also work together with my clients, flexibly tailoring evidence-based interventions to best meet their unique needs and goals. In doing so, I help clients to develop greater awareness of their strengths, build resiliency, and learn new strategies for overcoming emotional suffering.

For more than a decade, I have successfully helped individuals, couples, and families find greater clarity about what they want their life to stand for and how to pursue that life. Within a supportive therapeutic relationship, I help my clients attain the vibrant and valued life they desire. My approach in therapy is active. I work based on the assumption that clients are able to achieve rapid and significant changes in their behaviors. The interventions used in this approach help clients access alternative ways of "problem solving" that utilize the resources beyond the "common-sense" mind. https://effective-therapy.com/

I use a strength-based approach to foster genuine self-acceptance & to support clients in finding meaning. My philosophy centers around building & harnessing connections between the body, emotions, thoughts & behaviors to create healing & growth. This is an active, evidence-based approach that addresses the whole person. Treatment is uniquely individualized & with over a decade of clinical experience, I am competent in helping clients to not only heal but to make real gains. This can involve setting/tracking measurable goals for therapy to help guide our work and offer insight into obstacles along the way.

I provide services for children, adolescents and adults who are experiencing challenges with anxiety and depression. I specialize in working with youth and their families who experience Tourette Syndrome, Selective Mutism, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). I utilize a strengths-based and whole person approach to help young people find their inner strength and bravery to face even the hardest situations. If you or your child are feeling anxious, overwhelmed or are struggling to find a place in the world I would like to collaborate with you to live a life that feels bright and vibrant.

Change is uncertain and stressful as it is. Our bodies and emotions may respond in a way that is overwhelming and confusing. I can imagine how daunting, isolating, and stuck one may feel. I hope to help you understand what your emotions, thoughts, behaviors, and body are trying to communicate to you. You can learn more adaptive ways of understanding and cope with your circumstances. With practice, it is relieving to reclaim your bandwidth and time to rest and pursue meaningful goals. In addition to therapy, I also conduct immigration evaluations for Medical Disability Exception (N-648).

Are you feeling stuck and overwhelmed, but don't know how to help yourself in your situation? Are you stuck in a relationship, school, a job, life transition, or an emotional experience? Do you want to see some changes and live a life that you always imagined, but don’t know where to start? I'm here to help! I provide support and tools so we can begin the process of healing and moving forward in your life.

I am passionate about the resiliency of the human spirit in healing from trauma, creating & nurturing engaging relationships, & finding our way through life’s transitions. I view therapy as a tool to create a safe space to show up authentically and work toward living the life you seek. My work is with children (8 & up), teens, adults, & couples who are healing from trauma, working on identity, body image, & self-esteem, experiencing anxiety, depression, & stress, recovering from narcissistic, sexual, or intimate partner abuse, having difficulty with dating/relationships, & working through divorce, co-parenting, & blending families.

Individuals often come to therapy because they are having difficulties in relationships, coping with work-related stress, or managing intense emotions related to past experiences. They may be dealing with anxiety, depression, stress, or substance use which they feel has become unmanageable. My aim as a therapist is to help you reconnect with your own strengths and empower you to overcome your challenges, to see things in a new way, or perhaps, to identify your goals and values. I view therapy as a very collaborative process in which we will work together to help you build the life you want to live.

Building strong relationships with clients is one of the unique privileges of this work. I work with individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, emotion dysregulation, interpersonal challenges, life stressors, and issues related to athlete mental health. With every client, I attempt to identify an effective way to discuss stressors that is both non-threatening and developmentally appropriate. I am committed to implementing tailored, evidence-based interventions, to affect meaningful change. In creating a collaborative environment characterized by genuineness and authenticity, I hope to empower clients to achieve their goals.

If you are looking to feel better and live a life filled with meaning, I would love to help. I'm a Stanford Professor and Licensed Clinical Psychologist, and my career has been devoted to make emotional wellbeing an achievable part of everyday life. I developed Wave to ensure people can get expert, personalized care that empowers them to live every day fully. Check out our website to see if Wave is right for you. We are also thrilled to be in-Network with Aetna in CA, and you can also use your Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA).