Therapists in Oakland, CA

Working in non profits and government services for 20 plus years both in San Francisco and Alameda County, has taught me the art of appreciating people for who they are, keeping an open mind and helping them see their own strength within. I am very excited to be in private practice. Working with couples , parents, and individuals. I am very curious and passionate about non traditional coupling, open relationships, polyamory, issues of infidelity and the sexual needs of couples and individuals. I believe that we can heal intuitively and I look forward to meeting people willing to share that journey with me.

I am a warm and caring human being with a clear understanding that therapy is not a "one size fits all" process. I fully appreciate the uniqueness of each individual, couple and family and will work with you to develop a plan that makes sense to you and addresses the realities of your life. Whether your goal is to improve your relationships, alleviate undesirable symptoms, bring more purpose and fulfillment to your life, rid yourself of unwanted behaviors, or experience more joy in your life, I can help you achieve these goals. Experienced in working with the LGBTQ community.

Counseling can help you through challenging times and be life changing. I have dedicated myself to helping people with serious life challenges by providing therapy and education to empower my clients to make sense of their feelings, re-frame their life narratives, and develop healthy coping skills. I specialize in depression, anxiety, life transitions, grief/loss, health issues, family conflicts, immigration/cultural/racial issues, domestic violence/abuse, and death & dying. Originally from Romania, I grew up in Germany, and have lived in the Bay Area for 30 years.

By creating a safe, non-judgmental, and exploratory space, healing and shifts can occur. I can support you to deepen your self-awareness, transform unhelpful beliefs and patterns, improve your relationships, and learn healthy ways to manage the challenges of your daily life. I provide an empathic, humorous, supportive, and relational approach to my work. I am compassionately direct when needed. We will work together to ensure you are experiencing growth and healing. Together we will discover solutions and take steps to meet your goals.

I help intuitive, empathic, & spiritually attuned individuals/couples, LGBTQIA+ and/or BIPOC who often identify as non-monogamous &/or non-heteronormative. I specialize in inner conflict, relational conflict, relational trauma, sexual trauma, spiritual trauma, childhood trauma, anxiety, anger, grief, guilt, shame, & codependency. I hold an emotionally safe space to allow you to feel witnessed, understood, & supported as you process your thoughts & feelings to obtain clarity, increased self-mastery, new skills, & the ability to resolve obstacles to pursuing your heart's desires.

The past 22 years I've seen an eclectic group of clientele: men, women & couples of any gender/orientation who want to improve their sexual lifestyle. I've helped men overcome ED through increasing their self confidence and women who want to feel more sexually in charge. I've seen over 25,000 couples throughout every stage of their relationship whether single, dating, married, or exploring and experimenting couples to ones who are curious how to stay together and keep the chemistry strong. My clients include stay at home moms, stressed out executives, artists, entrepreneurs & communities: LGBTQ, BDSM, & Transgender Families.

What is it you're trying to shift or change? What do you want more or less of? I start wherever you're at. It's a simple as that, while striving to do that in a profound way. My aim is to help you help yourself. The combined practices of psychotherapy & life coaching have allowed me to dive deeper with people to help them become their best selves. When I'm not doing therapy, I'm making music, hiking, surfing, or reading something thought-provoking. I may even recommend books, movies, etc. to help you dive even deeper and get the most out of our time together. Are you ready to work through your past and move forward in your life?

In addition to working extensively with anxiety issues, I specialize in helping clients improve their relationships with their partners/spouses. I wholeheartedly welcome both straight and LGBT clients into my practice. I often tell clients that everything makes perfect sense (ie. the problems they share and how they react), and all we need to do is find the right pieces of the puzzle to help them understand. It is from this understanding that relief and solutions arise. By truly understanding what anxiety is and isn't, we learn how to navigate it so it doesn't control our lives.