Therapists in Santa Rosa, CA

Welcome. I work with children, adolescents, and adults coping with relational, attachment, and anxiety disorders. In my practice, therapy often entails exploring the impact of early attachment experiences on our views of self and our ability to form close, meaningful relationships throughout life. In our work together, you will be treated with warmth, empathy, and openness. The most important part of our work is the development of a trusting relationship. This relationship creates a thoughtful, safe space to explore your strengths, challenges, and goals. My approach to clinical work is largely relational and psychodynamic.

Even the children of dedicated, responsible parents can develop behavioral or emotional problems as they move through childhood and adolescence. Sometimes the acting out or other worrisome behaviors occur only at home. Other times, the difficulties erupt at school. Or both. Perhaps what you or the school has tried isn't working. You may be blaming yourself even though it is not your fault. At these times, an experienced child therapist can help you and your family get back on track.

Currently Accepting New Clients I work with adults of all ages, identities and cultural backgrounds for individual, couples, and adult family therapy. Each stage in life brings new challenges. I support clients who are struggling with general life stressors, adjusting to new life circumstances, struggling with mood and anxiety, dealing with traumatic experiences, problematic substance use, family conflict and relationships in general. I also provide guidance for self-exploration leading to personal growth. Therapy focuses on discovering how your past experiences contribute to where you are now, and helps you see your way forward.

Making that first call to a therapist can be frightening. Feelings of pride embarrassment, shame and or financial issues can get in the way of living a more fulfilled life. My focus is to provide a welcoming and safe environment and to lend support to couples, individuals and families who are facing life's many challenges. My specialty is in working with couples and relationships. I strongly believe that providing an opportunity for one to experience intense emotions along with the ability to communicate these feelings in a non destructive and respectful mannor is the first step in healing and strengthening a relationship.

Life is full of ups, downs, twists and turns that are often unexpected, confusing, challenging, wonderful and even painful. I’m a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Certified Child and Adolescent Trauma Professional and have been practicing for over 6 years. I have a passion for working with teens, children, young adults and families. I spent the first 4 years of my career working in Residential Treatment supporting children and teens that have complex trauma and a variety of mental health concerns including: PTSD, attachment challenges, grief and loss, panic disorder, anxiety, depression, mood disorders and ADHD.

Sometimes looking for what you need is harder than you thought. Our Keystone team provides services that meet people in the different stages in their lives and goes along side you through your own self-determined growth process.

The word “heal” comes from “to make whole.” Psychotherapy, more aptly psyche-therapy, is a sacred process of tending to the soul wound and waking more fully to one’s aliveness and inherent wholeness. I am deeply passionate about supporting you in healing the fragmented and disowned parts of self that hinder you from living a life of meaningful connections, purposeful self-agency and joy. We work collaboratively to creatively transform unconscious and limiting belief structures, access your resiliencies, welcome emerging truths, skillfully navigate adversity with new tools, and integrate insights for profound and evolving change.

My clients tend to be creative and sensitive souls, ready to transform unhealthy relationships & patterns and embrace more joy. I work well with those who have a spiritual practice to lean on while integrating psychological insights for lasting change and healing. Among other things, I specialize in couple's communication skill building, healthy sexuality & healing from relationship trauma/intimate betrayal. Let's explore the roots of suffering/stuckness and open new paths to wholeness. Everyone has an innate capacity to grow & change in profound ways. I would be honored to help you feel more peace, love and joy. LGBTQ ally.

You may be surprised to discover what a wonderfully rich, deeply fulfilling journey psychotherapy can be, just like the potential for your life truly is. There is always a way to create positive change. I have been helping people to do so for 25 years and would be honored to help you, as well. In our work together, you will have my absolute dedication to your emotional healing and well-being and have the relationship success you want. I love working with my clients and feel greatly motivated to help each person who comes to see me.

I love working as a therapist and find that I am deeply fulfilled working with clients on any of life's many complexities. I am an active and engaged therapist who seeks to truly understand and connect with each of my clients, regardless of whatever challenges and conflicts they are facing and attempting to resolve. My purpose as a therapist is best served when I am being myself: straightforward and direct, curious and compassionate, and deeply engaged and connected. The primary focus of my work is with couples and individuals of any sexual orientation and relationship style.

Do you feel alone, lost, empty, or dissatisfied? Are you struggling with meaningless work or overwhelmed about the state of our world? Do you want to feel happy and peaceful so you can appreciate and enjoy your life? Maybe you long to have time in the wild and beautiful natural places. Perhaps you desire supportive and healthy relationships with people who share your values. Or maybe your deepest wish is to know your purpose, to be involved in inspiring and meaningful work where you can know and share your gifts.

Are you feeling overwhelmed, depressed or anxious? Are you struggling with confidently meeting life's obstacles? I have been able to help where others have failed. My 38 years in practice, training and life experience allows me to provide a warm and deeply caring connection which is necessary for healing. I am very interested in meeting you and assisting in your transformation to the happy, healthy, connected person you always hoped you would be. Over the years I have discovered that therapy is the beginning in having a truly authentic and happy existence. I can also assist you in developing a daily practice of mindfulness.

I believe we all carry within us everything we need to heal. There are also times in our lives when we need extra support to access inner resources, healing and growth. As your therapist, we will explore together ways that old habits, patterns and history limit the life you want to be living. Whether you are stressed, anxious or overwhelmed, facing big life transitions, worried about your teen, or longing for more meaning and connection in your relationships, you are not alone in your struggle. It is a courageous act to get support and I honor your unique life journey.

I approach psychotherapy from a whole-person perspective and I believe therapy, along with other practices, can help us awaken to a life of meaning. In therapy I will help you identify the source of your longing to be whole, and together, we will move closer to that source, so you become re-sourced. Together we will explore your innate natural cycles and help you align to your own rhythm, so that you might meet depletion with rest and energy with creativity.

Dr. David Sortino holds a Master's degree in Human Development from Harvard University and a Ph.D. in Clinical psychology from Saybrook University. He has spent the last 40 years as a teacher, director (residential/day treatment) to SED/LH children and Adolescents. In addition he holds RSP, LH, and multiple subject teaching credentials. He has taught child/adolescent psy. at the graduate school level. The past 4 years he has seved as the director of the Neurofeedback Institute of Sonoma County. Dr. Sortino writes a blog - See Dr. David Sortino - Santa Rosa Press Democrat and over 50 articles.

Thank you for taking the time to read my bio. I bring over 25 years of experience in mental health, ranging from addiction to trauma. I believe in a strength-based approach in providing clients support because everyone has skills, talents, and abilities to tap into to assist them in overcoming life's challenges. I am a firm believer in a nonjudgmental approach to therapy so you, the client, feel safe, accepted, and empowered. I use a broad array of therapy techniques such as trauma-informed care, strength-based, systems solution-focused or brief therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, grief therapy, and much more.

Welcome! I believe in reducing emotional pain, resolving relationship struggles, and improving coping skills. I offer both long-term modalities as well as brief, solution-oriented approaches - and am confident that my therapy approach can be pleasurable, precise, and quickly effective.

Empowering Change coaching & counseling services meets you where you are and takes you where you want to go. We focus on the core issues that bring you here today. Some of these core issues are under the surface (shadow) and show up as anger, depression, self-doubt, dis-trust & anxiety. Often these emotional patterns are caused by old wounds that are calling for your attention. Understanding why these responses were formed takes them out of the shadows, freeing you from the power they have over you.

The clients that are drawn to working with me are individuals who are determined to free themselves from emotional oppression. Negative life experiences can hinder our ability to grow into our full potential and can cause us to engage in unhealthy relationships with ourselves, the ones we love and the world around us. It is with love and compassion that I work in partnership with my clients to discover what inner wounds and needs there are to be tended to.