Medicare Therapists in Alameda County, CA

My practiced is specialized in working with Adults, Couples and Families who are seeking psychological help with Old/New trauma, Grief/Bereavement/Loss, living with Cancer, living with Movement disorders (e.g., Parkinson disease), living with a Dementia (e.g., Alzheimer's disease), Aging, and Confronting End-of-Life. If you are seeking relief and healing related to living with any of the above concerns, together we will look closely at your particular situation and work toward reducing the intensity of emotional or psychological suffering.

In Net work with Health Net/MHN. Culturally Informed Therapy. Sliding Scale available I welcome the opportunity to develop a trusting relationship to help you work on addressing your concerns. We will work as a team to help you. My advanced training in public health allows a holistic approach. We will work together as a team.

It takes courage to ask for help - and finding the right therapist is not easy. I offer experienced and compassionate psychotherapy that is also convenient and flexible. Therapy can be short-term and focused, geared toward providing true relief from anxiety, depression, and emotional patterns that contribute to poor health and chronic pain. I apply my experience of over 20 years in integrated healthcare settings, utilizing a holistic lens to work with you to construct a comprehensive health improvement plan that is specific to your individual needs.

As a psychologist, my goal is to create a safe and comfortable place to explore feelings and experiences, hopes and dreams. Through reflection and increased self-knowledge, you will be able to reestablish emotional wholeness and increased compassion for yourself and others. This experience will bring greater self acceptance, resilience and self confidence.

We all sometimes face a challenge in life that we just can't seem to resolve on our own. It might be a new chapter in your life that brings unexpected trials: adulthood, marriage, parenting, step-parenting, divorce, children leaving home, caring for your aging parents, the loss of a loved one, or facing your own mortality. It might be a conflict in a relationship with a loved one or in your professional life. Or it might be more of an internal struggle, whether recent or long-standing, that is giving rise to anxiety, depression, struggles with food or alcohol, or other self-defeating behaviors.

Are you wanting to be more true to who you are but do not know if it is possible? Do you often repress your desires and ignore your needs? Does this end up making you feel stuck, unhappy, hopeless, sad, frustrated, depressed and/or anxious? Whether you were raised by people who failed to see you and support you, or in a culture that oppressed you, it is important that you do not give up. You deserve to prioritize yourself and be who you are truly meant to be.

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.

My name is Alex and I'm excited about the potential of working with you in developing a sense of integration and resiliency in your life. Are you feeling stuck? Dissatisfied in your relationships and/or work? Disconnected from a sense of deeper purpose? Feel that there is the potential for greater richness and joy in life, but it is just out of reach? Rooted in a compassionate curiosity and from a holistic lens, we can unpack the how's and why's of your patterns; gaining insight into your emotions and experiences, and work towards greater self-awareness and well-being.

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker since 2001, I am deeply committed to supporting the well-being of each client, providing culturally competent services and helping clients improve their quality of life.  I see older and disabled adults, often dealing with chronic illness or a new diagnosis.  I have an extensive history working in medical settings and am also available to assist caregivers with navigating the health care system. I believe that positive change is possible at any age and at any juncture in a person's life.  I believe you can have a more fulfilling life, and that I can help you.

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.

I am well trained as a licensed Clinical Psychologist with more than 20 years of experience providing individual therapy to children, adolescents and adults. I strive to create a genuine relationship with my clients to allow for collaborative exploration of the areas in their lives that interfere with personal fulfillment. My approach also involves listening actively, building trust, being curious, providing empathy, and making direct comments to help my clients develop greater awareness about themselves and the patterns in their lives that cause emotional distress or relationship difficulties. This allows my clients to grow and to live more meaningful lives.

Many of us experience mental health challenges at some point in our lives. Perhaps you’re struggling with your relationship with food and your body, caught in a cycle of restricting, binging, and purging. Maybe you’re feeling consumed by anxiety, or you’re faced with navigating tough family relationships. Sometimes, we can cope well enough with our existing support systems and internal tools. Other times, we need support in order to heal. I believe we each have the innate capacity for resilience, and that given the opportunity, we can access that resilience. My goal is to help you harness your own strength in the process of healing.

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.

My specialties include working with adolescents, transitional-age youth and adults. I am particularly interested in working with those adjusting to major life transitions such as leaving home, attending college, building careers, beginning or ending relationships, parenthood, infertility, pregnancy loss, empty-nest and retirement.

I am a licensed clinical social worker and certified substance abuse counselor who has worked in the field for the past 15 years. My hope is to use my experiences and skills to help individuals struggling with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, PTSD or substance abuse issues find new coping skills in order improve the quality of their lives. My approach combines elements of short-term behavioral therapies (DBT and CBT) with psychodynamic techniques to address problematic behaviors to achieve lasting change.

Over the last 18 years, I've worked with a diverse group of child, teenage, and adult clients (individuals and couples) across a wide range of settings, both inpatient and outpatient. I use a client-directed approach, where you and I collaborate to determine what the therapy process will look like, rather than the therapist taking the "expert role" on your life. Some of the problems I most often help people with are depression, insomnia, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, ADHD, grief & trauma, and adjustment to life's stressors and changes. I am taking new clients in-person at my office in Alameda.

Dr. Marissa Elpidama is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional utilizing EMDR, CBT, and somatic-based interventions. She also is a certified hypnotherapist for trauma and PTSD, facilitates Resiliency and DBT Skills groups, and is a champion for community reinforcement and family training. Dr. Elpidama does offer counseling sessions and talk therapy services; however, is not currently offer psychological testing.

Trying to resolve issues in our life can be difficult and serious work but usually worth all the effort and time. These changes may come from sustained effort, learning from past failure, exploring detours, walking in faith, fostering patience to allow change to happen to us, addressing chemical imbalances, and many other factors. Many, perhaps most times in our lives, we can make these changes through our own efforts or help from our friends or family. Sometimes we may need help from professional guidance to help make sense of or add to all of these efforts.

My theoretical approach blends mindfulness and depth / psychodynamic orientations. Mindfulness practices are highly effective in helping you find relief from negative thought patterns that lead to depression or anxiety. In depth psychotherapy, I provide guidance and compassionate support to help you understand the roots of current problems and make positive changes with insight and wisdom.