Therapists in Emeryville, CA

I specialize in working with ADHD, HSP, and ASD. Being in our bodies- and being in our world- can be very difficult. This is especially true when when you're a highly sensitive person. My typical client often hears "you're being too much" while also dreading the feeling of not "being enough". I'm here to take a deep dive into what's making you feel like "too much" and highlight the ways you are "just enough for the right people". Typically, my client's goals are to live more comfortably in their sensitive skin, find liberation from shame, and better manage depression and anxiety.

My approach balances compassion with being direct. My clients experience care, acceptance and belonging, while also feeling challenged the right amount to grow, change and decrease suffering. I offer empathy while actively engaging my clients by setting weekly treatment goals, building coping tools/resources, and providing skills/knowledge to build self-awareness and integration. We are deeply influenced by our cultural identity and heritage. I am committed to the values of respecting and celebrating diversity, and supporting social/political policies of equal rights and opportunities.

Creativity can be foundational to positive and longstanding change. We come into the world with an innate skill to solve the many problems that arise during development. Sometimes these solutions bring up new challenges or get in the way of our relationships and our ability to enjoy life. I work with children, adults, elders, and couples who are struggling to adapt to a stressful world. By developing a trusting relationship where exploration is welcomed and analyzed, we are able to find new ways of functioning, new solutions to our interpersonal conflicts, and improve our ability to flexibly adapt to our changing world.

Through counseling, I support individuals, couples and families to identify patterns in behavior and communication. Our work together will be collaborative and strengths-based. It will encourage shifts in the family to promote healthy expression of emotions and communication to improve relationships. I use a directive style of communication and an active and integrative approach. I encourage parents, caregivers and other family members to be involved in the therapeutic process.

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.

Deep down you’ve known for a while that you have something potent to offer this world and your relationships. But bringing that knowing into daily life feels out of reach. Life can deal brutal cards, and habits can be hard to shake. You are capable and thoughtful, and you have mutually supportive relationships. You have grown and deepened through many of life’s challenges. But this threshold life has brought you is not something you can walk (or crawl) through alone. You are aware that life is impermanent, what you do with it matters, and there’s no time to waste not getting the care you need to be who you came here to be.

My practice welcomes individuals, couples, teens and families from all backgrounds, cultures, and life stages. Whether you're grappling with anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, professional stress, chronic illness, or the complexities of neurodiversity, I provide a safe and supportive space for exploration, curiosity and growth. I have a particular affinity for working with creative minds, highly sensitive souls, and those who dance to the beat of their own drum.

Maybe you're struggling with anxiety, depression, relational challenges, or looking for more meaning and purpose. Maybe you're feeling stuck in perfectionism, self-doubt, or a harsh inner critic. I have seen over and over again that therapy can help. Regardless of your circumstances, change is possible. Together, we can get curious about what's happening, identify patterns and strategies that are no longer working, find ways to cope with hard and uncomfortable feelings, and create new possibilities in your relationships and in your connection to yourself.

I am bilingual in Spanish, and offer therapy for individual adults, couples, families, teens, and children 6 and older. My specialties include trauma, interpersonal violence (IPV), and loss, especially for human beings who have experienced displacement and/migration. I offer services for expecting and new mothers to aid in the transitions and attachment issues that arise. Also I am interested in bridging periods in human development. I embrace a culturally humble stance, and am LBGT welcoming.

Feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, or stuck? Feel unseen or undervalued? Going through a big transition or feel like you need something to change? Let's unpack this together. We'll delve into what's holding you back, challenge societal expectations, and rewrite your story authentically. In sessions, I offer autonomy and acceptance, creating a safe space for deep exploration. My aim is to walk beside you as you discover yourself, heal, and flourish. It's time to find balance and joy in your life.

Therapy is a space you carve out with me to reconnect - with yourself, your goals, your life’s meaning, your passion, your creativity, your spiritual path. We all struggle with difficult things at times; they pull us away from who we want to be, or the path we intend to walk in life. I believe relationships are the most important healers we have in our lives – starting with your relationship with yourself! Extending to all your other important and beloved relationships - with family, friends, community, planet, and spirit. No matter where you are, your journey to self-empowerment and joy begins Right Here. I will be there with you.

Are you or your middle school/high school age child needing the support of a gender specialist? Or are you an adult needing a LGBTQ+ affirming transgender/nonbinary therapist to support you in building greater resiliency and mental health? Welcome to my practice! I'm Dr. Townsend (he/him or they/them). I bring research, clinical, and lived experience to my work with the LGBTQ+ community. My approach combines tailored interventions, a warm interpersonal style, and fostering a safe and supportive environment to support you or your teen to reach greater authenticity and actualization.

I am the therapist for the working professional and their families. I am available to accept new clients. I provide Problem Solving Strategic Therapy and Solution-Focused Therapy, Somatic Psychotherapy, Career and work related Coaching and Leadership Development. I work with high functioning adults and adolescents, individuals and families; with students on performance and anxiety issues; with couples to improve communication and emotional connection/intimacy. Trying to conceive, Pregnancy, Postpartum and Parenting. I work in California for therapy; globally for coaching.

My practice combines both mind and body approaches to support change. I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Registered Dance and Movement Therapist. I have experience treating a wide variety of psychological and emotional difficulties in adult, teenagers and children. I feel very grateful for the opportunities to work with those seeking a greater sense of well-being, satisfaction in relationships, and understanding of self. In therapy, I am working in both verbal and non-verbal ways, including somatic psychology techniques for adults and play therapy for children.

Confidence and connection are the key ingredients for a meaningful life, but they can be compromised in times of stress or transition. The foundations of the past, once familiar and secure, are shaken. Anxieties encroach. Connections are lost. Yet, I believe that despite the pain and difficulty of these phases, there is immense potential for positive change and personal growth. Helping you discover that potential is what I love most about my work, so I encourage you to reach out to me to get started today. You can email me at vanpeltcounseling@gmail.com or text me at 510-859-4448 to set up a free consultation. I will respond ASAP.

My work with every client and family is personalized, trauma-informed, rooted in strengths, collaborative, neurodiversity-affirming, and culturally tailored to your needs and experiences. I believe that each client possesses the intergenerational heirlooms of innate resilience, spirituality, and introspection that serve as tools to assist in your healing journey. You are the expert of your experience and I am here to offer hope and support you as you share your narrative and author a new chapter of healing, continuing to grow into your best self, discovering balance, serenity, joy, and connecting with yourself and surroundings.

I enjoy working with children and adults to help them find grounded ways of being with and moving through the struggles they face. I believe that strong relationships, with the self, the body, and with others, are central to a healthy lifestyle. Painful life experiences, transitions, trauma, anxiety, and depression are opportunities for growth, and helping people move through these challenges is incredibly rewarding. I love working with people of diverse sociocultural backgrounds and exploring how culture shapes experience. A deep understanding of development allows me to connect with people of all ages and help them move through difficult stages.