Therapists in Oakland, CA

Everything you need to become the best version of you is already within you. As humans, we get stuck in patterns, narratives, and behaviors that once proved useful only to find that they've now become sources of pain and obstacles to living happy authentic lives. Lucky for us, humans are intrinsic healers, and with the right environment, our individual and collective healing knows no bounds.

Are you suffering from PTSD, anxiety and depression while struggling to make changes in your life that support your health and well-being? Have you been through something painful and traumatic and are having difficulty moving on or making meaning out of what happened? I completely understand how paralyzing these feelings and events can be and I would love to support you on your path to recovery. Trauma and painful life experiences can offer a profound opportunity to understand ourselves deeply while we learn how to heal, allowing us the possibility to transform our pain into fuel for the inevitable growth that follows.

I welcome you to journey inward with the support of another person by your side. In our work together, I hope to make space for all parts of your experience to come forward, especially ones that have seemed unacceptable or unwelcome in society. My approach to psychotherapy is holistic. It is descriptive rather than prescriptive, and focused on the whole person and their environment.

Life can feel crazy, we can feel crazy ourselves, but you don't have to navigate it alone. I have particular experience with complex trauma, dissociation, depression, anxiety, neurodivergence, and religious trauma. After all, I've been there myself. Everyone's journey is different, yet I know from experience how hard, disorienting, and difficult it can be. Still, I believe life can be different when we travel together instead of carrying our burdens and pain alone. That's why I'm an online therapist practicing through the auspices of Grateful Heart Holistic Therapy Center, a nonprofit organization providing affordable counseling.

How you feel towards yourself can profoundly impact your relationships, work, school, and more. And a lot can make it hard to feel your best. You might be: Exhausted by a relentless self-critical voice...Considering your next steps to feel authentically aligned with your gender and sexuality...Struggling with boundaries and people-pleasing... Stressed and stuck in your closest relationships...Curious about non-monogamy but unsure where to start...Looking for nonjudgmental guidance navigating dynamics within polyamory and kink — not to mention managing all of this under capitalism. No wonder you'd like support!

I want to thank you for being here, for taking this very large step towards your growth and towards enhancing your wellbeing. Whether you're looking for support with a specific issue or to build on your insights and quality of life, I am here for you. I am a queer therapist and enjoy working with other LGBTQ+ individuals. I also enjoy working with adults, teens, and couples of all identities and intersections. I look forward to connecting with you.

My framework as a psychotherapist is inspired by black feminist sci-fi writer, Octavia E. Butler who saw the possibility of many more worlds than just our own. I believe that transformative internal healing is critical to envisioning and building these worlds without the presence of imperialism, white supremacy, capitalism and cishet-patriarchy. The tools I use to support the exploration of individual, interpersonal and intergenerational trauma are shaped by abolition that rejects punitive and scarcity mindsets and disability justice which strives to value every body.

Is acceptance even worth it if it means showing up inauthentically? How would your life change if you didn’t abandon parts of yourself to find belonging? As a queer & trans affirming, kink aware, and trauma-informed therapist I'll invite you to explore the depths of your inner world. I’ll sit with you and be a witness to your story, no matter how beautiful or horrifying. I want to hear what’s taboo, subversive and usually unspoken. I believe once you confront the fear that's holding you back you can finally figure out how to make the most of this wild and precious life.

Do other therapists seem judgmental? Don't understand? Won't listen to you? If you need to talk about anything and everything, clients tell me I have a strong capacity for compassion, empathy, and care. At the same time, I’m forthright and candid. I see you and hear you—a whole person (body, mind, spirit) living in an interactive and interconnected world. I believe you're the expert in you - even if you're not yet aware of it. My role is to help you find that, and bring my own holistic vision, experience, training, expertise, and tools to the table, so you can work to be the best possible version of you. I am a trauma specialist.

Feeling overwhelmed or hopeless? Facing a crossroads? Exhausted by endless responsibilities? Relief may seem impossible when you are faced with chronic stress or extreme difficulties... but it is possible. My name is Lotus and I may be able to help. I am a Licensed Therapist and Gender Specialist with nearly a decade of experience specializing in Gender Dysphoria, complex trauma, depression, anxiety and disordered eating across the entire lifespan. Whether you are seeking support for you or your child, no topic is "too much" for me. I have supported hundreds of children and their families and adults build balanced, joyful lives.

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” - Anais Nin. Creativity, liberation, and transformation — getting your power back — these are core tenants in my practice. My approach merges reflective space to spark insight with concrete tools and strategies to drive change. I draw from existential philosophy, the arts, and culture, as well as research and theory to match unique needs with individualized treatments that resonate.

It's a courageous step to seek help. Things aren't working and perhaps you are looking for a new way, new strategies and perspective. You need relief from this angst. The surprise here is that your pain, frustration or relationship conflict can also be an asset. I am not suggesting minimizing your emotional suffering nor the importance of us finding immediate relief. My experience is that in facing your difficulties we can move towards enduring change. How does change happen in therapy? In my work with clients we identify some of the stories you have been telling yourself.

Are you ready to make changes? Are you feeling stuck? Does it feel like the same story in your mind? I am here to help you create a different chapter. I utilize evidence based approached grounded in attachment/internal family sytems based therapy to help you heal your hurts parts and develop tools that help address your situation. I am an attachment focused EMDR therapist. I am authentic, provide feedback, and consider myself an engaged thought partner in your process. I also treat addiction issues as well.

I am not your run of the mill therapist. Oh sure, I listen well and am very compassionate and calm. But I just don't sit there and ask you how you feel. I do care about your feelings but I am more curious about your experience and how we can increase your awareness so that you can make helpful and inspired choices. As you can imagine I help people deal with any issue you can possibly think of- from depression to life transitions to the loss of a loved one or trauma.

While life does have it's challenges, I am here to remind you that there is a path to a gentler, brighter, more playful future, both with our own selves and with our partners and loved one. Therapy can be a wonderful way to rediscover joy, aliveness and connectedness.

As an Integrative Psychotherapist, I base my approach from the relational work of Psychodynamic Therapy and integrate forms of Attachment Therapy, Narrative Therapy, CBT, DBT, Mindfulness Practices, Parts Work, Addiction and Trauma work - all based in Social Justice. I fully believe that every individual has the power and strength they need to actualize the changes they want, and can shift the old and new narratives of established stories and patterns of their daily lives.

Thank you for visiting my page. My therapeutic style provides a warm, nonjudgmental, environment that meets clients where they are at. As we work together clients are able to examine their goals, problem solve, increase positive coping skills and improve their lives. I specialize in working with anxiety disorders, depression, and substance abuse. I have a great deal of experience with clients who have lived through loss and/or trauma.

I work from a core belief that everyone has within themselves what they need for healing. I also believe that working in community helps to bring out and recall collective knowledge and understanding of what health, illness, and recovery are. I work collaboratively with you in supporting your process of understanding and integrating your life experiences, using a relational, strength-based, culturally attuned, community-centered process. *Please review my website for more information and faster response.*

As a person originally trained in psychodynamics, I care greatly about the experiences and relationships that have shaped you. I am currently perusing more training and consultation in Internal Family Systems and trauma informed approaches. Of primary focus, in my work with clients, is the therapeutic relationship. It is here that our patterns of relating often reveal themselves. Through the safe container of therapy, I invite my clients into new ways of being that invite more creativity, flexibility and deeper relationships.