Therapists in Oakland, CA

Children and teens are more aware of their own internal states and the world around them than ever before, while the family unit takes on more stress. This combination can create anxiety, depression, acting out behaviors, confusion, and educational struggles for many. Through a strength-based perspective I focus on communication, relationships, boundaries, and self-care. I work with youth (and families) to explore their patterns of interactions with others and encourage self-awareness and growth in these areas. Developing a relationship with a child or teen takes time and care, both of which I have done for nearly twenty years.

Do you find yourself at a crossroads or yearning for more? You may be at a breaking point or you may want to make some changes and you don't know where to start. I will ensure a safe and warm environment for exploration. We will move at a pace comfortable for you. Taking the leap of faith into therapy takes courage. We will engage in a process of empowerment to help you feel more centered & grounded in yourself. I work with individuals, couples, children, & families. I am here to listen, empathize & deepen your self-understanding . We will take a look at your inner longings and the parts of your life which may not be serving you.

**Accepting New Clients** Feel cared for and heard, experience a safe and authentic connection, find clarity, heal from a past or more recent traumatic event. As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Provisional Art Therapist and Mindfulness-based Practitioner, I offer a person-centered, strength-based holistic approach to healing. In addition to traditional talk therapy, I work with the creative mind, this work includes art and expressive mediums to understand how our earliest experiences in life create the implicit, behavioral patterns that we can potentially carry with us for a lifetime.

Your body is always communicating information to you, and your emotions are the messenger. Maybe it's the consistent feeling of overwhelm, or the throws of depression. Maybe you are experiencing physical pain as a result of emotional pain. Whatever it is, I believe in the wisdom of your body and I want to help you become an expert at your own body language so that you can have more autonomy over your life.

I use a warm, down-to-earth approach in my work with children, teens, adults and couples. I collaborate with clients to develop a whole view of challenges and strengths, which is informed by my wide breadth of clinical experience across the lifespan. I have expertise in working with infants and parents, developmental disabilities, trauma, and both anticipated and unexpected crises across all ages. I integrate these perspectives so that I can attune to your needs and provide responsive support. My hope is to help you water the seeds of your inner strengths, push through stuck situations, and live with more connectedness and vitality.

Therapy provides such a rich opportunity for growth and learning, helping persons to recover from the aftermaths of trauma, abuse and loss, meet the hardships of their lives and thrive. In times like this, with so much anxiety about our collective welfare, it can be an invaluable lifeline. In response to the Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, we are now offering teletherapy (therapy by phone and online by video) for all our clients, whether new or established. Also called telehealth or telebehavioral health, teletherapy can provide vital care and support to individuals, couples and families.

I am passionate about working with those who struggle with relationships and boundary setting, and clients who struggle with balancing differing sets of expectations due to cultural, physical, or mental factors. I also work with couples from differing backgrounds to deepen mutual understanding and couples struggling through a difficult phase in their relationship looking to increase communication and understanding. I work well with people from diverse cultural backgrounds, immigrant and first and second generation individuals and families, mixed race or multicultural individuals, and those who are struggling with chronic illness.

Everyone deserves support– life can be overwhelming. Our sessions provide a safe, encouraging space for you to slow down and focus on what’s important. As an advocate for you, your family, or your child, we create solutions that help you find healing.

I am an experienced children's psychotherapist, with a private practice in Alameda and have provided therapeutic services for children, teens and families for 20+ years. I have been able to help families deal with a variety of issues including trauma, loss, family-conflict, children/teens with learning disabilities and a variety of behavioral issues, as well as familial substance use issues, post-divorce issues, severe anxiety and depression.

WELCOME to Gaylesta: The Psychotherapist Association for Gender and Sexual Diversity. Our members provide mental health services including therapist referrals, education, and consultation. We offer a wide range of specializations, allowing us to serve as a unique resource both the LGBTQ communities and to other service providers. Explore our site to find a therapist, learn more about us, or become a valued member.

Do you feel like you are surviving and not living? Do you feel stuck in an endless loop of anxiety and depression? Is it hard for you to find the words to describe your experiences? Therapy can provide a powerful space to build insight, process openly, and learn to effectively address and manage difficult emotions in order to make positive changes. One of my favorite parts of my job is providing an affirming trusting and non judgmental environment so we can work collaboratively to create a treatment plan unique to your needs.

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.

Offering CA-based Telehealth ideal for BIPOC: Black, Indigenous, &/or People of Color, including white-passing & mixed-race BIPOC. Also welcoming Families & Partnerships with 1 or more BIPOC in regular attendance. I offer Xychotherapy: psychotherapy that recognizes therapeutic experiences existed long before psychotherapy was invented, and incorporates psychotherapy into global therapeutic wisdoms and practices.

The decision to begin therapy is a courageous step–one that can be life-changing. Whether you are feeling anxious, sad, stressed, angry, confused or stuck, therapy can offer a safe space for you to explore your inner world and gain new insights and skills. I have helped clients across the lifespan manage difficult emotions, heal traumas, gain self-confidence, learn new skills for navigating romantic and social relationships, find relief from long-term mental health issues, uncover creativity and life purpose, and reconnect with their partners in new ways. Therapy is a collaboration and I am here to help you on your journey.

Through therapy with your child, I will work in building resiliency, learning new coping skills, emotional regulation, and providing a safe space to process memories and current life experiences and traumas. Unlike adults who tend more to communicate verbally or from a logical perspective, children use creativity and imaginative play to express their inner thoughts and feelings, it is often the main way children relate and learn about themselves and their world. Through play therapy, I respond to your child with care, attunement, and skillfulness in helping them understand difficult emotions and make sense of confusing experiences.