Therapists in Oakland, CA

People come to therapy with unique needs, concerns, and life circumstances. Through the process of self-inquiry, I help clients gain insight and develop effective coping skills to move through a challenge with greater ease and understanding. My therapeutic style is warm, compassionate and curious about one's experience. I use an attachment based, person-centered approach that offers individuals and couples clarity around repetitive patterns that cause pain, conflict, and limit growth.

Do you find yourself struggling with anxiety, depression, grief, self-esteem, identity, and difficult life transitions? Do you find yourself feeling stuck and can’t seem to focus or move forward? There are many ways to get unstuck, and this is the work I love to do to help you heal, grow and live a more fulfilling life. I use an integrative approach including attachment-based work, DBT, CBT, IFS, and mindfulness, bringing in each as needed. Above all, I strive to hold space and empathy for your life experience.

Clients seeking my services are looking for a safe and supportive space where they can bring their authentic whole “self” and explore and discuss issues centered on intersectional oppressions, identity exploration, trauma exploration, managing anxiety and stress, depression reduction, relational and attachment struggles, managing imposter syndrome, improving self-esteem, increasing communications skills and learning to identify and set healthy boundaries.

Clients often come to me when they’re having trouble balancing multiple identities or areas of their lives. You might feel overwhelmed, overworked, or confused about why you don't feel better. Maybe you’re struggling to manage relationships, feeling like you can't relax, or not being accepted as queer, trans, or non-monogamous by family or community. You might feel stuck in your head, and aren’t sure which way to turn to feel better. I have a passion for working with people who like using their big brains to solve big problems, live in liminal spaces, and who might be struggling to connect with others in the ways that they'd like.

Life can be hard. Things that may feel easy at one time, feel impossible at another. Sometimes, there are issues that feel like they'll never go away. I work to create an environment where we can think together about what is troubling you and get to the root of the issues, so lasting change can be possible.

My ideal client is an adult, child or teenager struggling with ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, relationship and Identity issues. In childhood or adolescence there may be behavioral, academic or social issues that are limiting success and happiness. Today's world is challenging with increased stressors and isolation. Adults may try to mask their struggles or feel stuck in the same pattern of behavior. Parents want their children or teenagers to maximize their potential and grow into fulfilled adults.

Life can be unpredictable and going through those valleys can feel overwhelming and lonely. I want you to know I'm glad you're here and have decided to give therapy a try. I am committed to creating a warm, open, emotionally safe and non-judgmental space for you to come and be your most authentic self. A space where you can drop your shoulders and truly lay down the weight of your traumas, anxiety, hopelessness, relational conflict, low self-esteem, PTSD, grief/loss, and every other personal issues you choose to explore. I will gently walk alongside you to support and guide you to finding relief from those painful experiences.

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.

In a world not created for our comfort or success, the challenges of Black, Latine/a/x, Indigenous, Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI), and People of Color often go unnoticed by others. Are you constantly feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and unable to prioritize yourself? Do you feel as though your relationships are one-sided? Have you experienced microaggressions, felt marginalized, or like an impostor in predominantly White spaces? Are you ready to level up and reclaim your power?

Learn how to feel more connected to yourself, others and the world around you. Therapy provides all the elements of intimacy: honest communication, vulnerability and trust. Good therapy is challenging yet warm, providing both structure and empathy for your unique experience. We are a collective of therapists with a wide range of specialties. Our intake professionals will help connect you with the right therapist for your needs. We make appointments easy, offering evenings and weekends and flexibility for creative professionals who can't make the same time each week.

Do you struggle with feelings of anxiety, depression, guilt or low self-esteem? Do you find yourself avoiding social engagements or so preoccupied with excessive worrying? Finding ways to navigate these difficult feelings can help you get back on track. I use a psychodynamic approach and CBT that focuses on uncovering patterns of behavior and ways of relating to ourselves and others that are often outside of our awareness. I also consider how our past impacts who we are today. Through acceptance and empathy, we will establish a trusting therapeutic relationship and work together toward your personal growth and self-discovery.

All people deserve to experience safety within their minds and bodies however due to overwhelming and difficult experiences this does not always feel achievable. I seek to create a caring, non-judgmental, and trustworthy relationship with you where we can process your past and present experiences and develop skills that will enhance a sense of calm within your thoughts and body.

Do you struggle with feeling overwhelmed by your feelings and thoughts? Do you have trouble creating and maintaining relationships? Do you feel stuck? The answers we are looking for are not found in isolation but by coming together. My role is to facilitate the healing process for my clients by creating an open, nonjudgmental, and safe space to explore. Clients gain self-awareness, self-acceptance, and the skills they need to continue to heal and grow in connection with others.

Are you struggling with anxiety and trauma and turning towards unhealthy coping mechanisms in an attempt to manage your emotions? Now is a trying time for almost everyone, and if you have a trauma background what's coming up in the current environment may be reminiscent of the stress, isolation, and fear induced by early childhood experiences. You don't have to handle this alone, and with clinically tested techniques to regulate the mind and body, it's possible to shift from a place of disempowerment to strength.

Have you landed here feeling lost, overwhelmed, and alone? Maybe you are navigating relationships, life transitions, grief/loss, struggling with depression, anxiety, or trauma? I am here to help. It was through my own personal experience of crisis in my 20's, aided by my observant nature and insatiable curiosity about the human condition, the lead me to pursue the path of a psychotherapist.

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.

The line between what we want, need, and can deal with can be a juggling act. Striking a balance is not always easy. Think of your life as an overflowing suitcase. Consider what it would be like to have help opening that suitcase, and take out or adjust a few things in it to lessen the load. That's working with me. I aim to help you find and learn to value your truest self and work on how to release, shift, or find new ways to carry your experiences and move within - or break free from - the systems you're a part of (systems like: family, school, work, community, and society).

When we are exposed to trauma at an early age, it can seriously impact how we feel about ourselves and our relationships with others. Trauma can also profoundly affect whether we feel this is a safe world and can contribute to depression, anxiety, and relational/familial issues. My practice is from a strengths-based, trauma-informed perspective with a non-judgmental framework. I aim to understand clients’ internal responses and to provide more options for emotional regulation and problem-solving.

For the past 35 years, I have supported people navigating anxiety, depression, addictions and overwhelm to rediscover their aliveness, and the gifts that can come from even the most difficult experiences. As a highly interactive and warm person, I focus on the quality of our therapeutic relationship, as I believe it is pivotal to the healing process. Deeply intuitive and strength based by nature, I help you recognize your innate wisdom to creatively reshape your life. In the supportive environment of therapy, you are invited to unfold at your very own pace while facing challenges and perceived limitations.