Play Therapy in Alameda, CA

Is your child struggling at school? Are you struggling at work? Perhaps a learning disability or ADHD are to blame? As a school psychologist in the public schools since 2011, I have extensive experience conducting psycho-educational assessments to identify impediments to learning. I can also screen for Irlen syndrome, a visual perceptual difficulty that can make reading hard. If your child is struggling emotionally, I offer play therapy , talk therapy, and art therapy, depending on age and inclination. For parents, I offer practical advice combined with an understanding of the special education process.

I am a warm, collaborative therapist who enjoys working with children, adults and families. My hope is to build an alliance with each person that will facilitate personal growth and increased satisfaction in relationships. With both children and adults I employ an eclectic mixture of: Attachment Theory, EMDR, FLASH, positive psychology, CBT, solution oriented, social stories, play therapy , and lots of listening. When things seem difficult I can help brainstorm practical strategies for getting through hard times. I have a strong belief that we all know what is best for ourselves, sometimes it's just hard to envision.

Whether experiencing distress due to current life circumstances or lingering hurts and difficulties, working with a supportive therapist can help. Each individual and family has its own unique story and set of strengths and struggles. My practice consists of working with children, families and adults. I have provided services in diverse settings including schools, youth and family service organizations and substance abuse programs. I have had the honor of working with people of all ages and cultural backgrounds. I believe in working collaboratively with clients and I strive to provide a welcoming environment that promotes healing, self-acceptance and learning new skills to cope.

When individuals, couples, families or children make the difficult decision to come to therapy they are usually feeling stuck and often scared. Each of us has our own strength and wisdom which we don't see when we are troubled. My goal is for us to work together to rediscover those qualities. I use a cattail plant as a symbol of how I see therapy. Why? Cattails are found stuck in a marsh and often regarded as weeds. But when looked at carefully they are graceful and strong. Let me help you find your strength and grace.

Seeking support requires plenty of courage, strength, and determination. Taking the first steps toward change can feel both invigorating and nerve-racking at the same time. I aim to create a warm, supportive, and non-judgmental space for you to share your life experiences. One of our most fundamental human needs is to form connections, and I strive to utilize our therapeutic relationship as a guide for growth and healing. As a partner in your personal journey, I hope to empower you to gain the valuable insight and practical skills essential for overcoming obstacles, achieving your goals, and living a well-balanced, self-fulfilled life.

We are all born whole, in lovingkind perfection. But life produces obstacles that sidetrack our becoming ourselves. Obstacles take any forms: trauma in the body, inauthentic identities, existential fears, beliefs indoctrinated but in conflict with one's essential values, or anxiety that something is wrong with oneself. The result can be alienation, grief, substance use issues, depression, anxiety, difficulty connecting, or incapacity to speak or create from the heart. Reconnecting with ones body, the natural world, and with an unconditional community are the foundations re-emerging into the Self you've always been.

As your therapist, I will help you gain clarity of what you want in life and discover the path that leads to it. Many times this involves simple, guided questions that explore how you came to feel the way you feel and why you do the things you do. I utilize a relational framework when working with adults, children, couples, and families. This means that I focus, first and foremost, on a sense of safety, trust, and enjoyment in the therapeutic process.

I enjoy working with neurodivergent youth and adults who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community and are exploring issues around gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and coming out. I also work with individuals who have a history of trauma, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Anxiety, and Depression. I am passionate about supporting clients who are recovering from trauma in attaining a greater sense of regulation and calm in their nervous systems, in order to lead happier, more fulfilled lives.

Welcome! I am a licensed clinical psychologist. My approach is warm, direct, and collaborative. I provide a practical framework that helps individuals, parents, and kids. I support parents from the moment you decide to start a family, parents who may be struggling to connect with their kiddo, or kids who need a space to work on social skills. I enjoy working with college-aged students and athletes. I believe the relationship we create is crucial in our work together. Together we can explore the areas where you are struggling and find ways to help you live more authentically. I provide telehealth, walk/run while we talk therapy.

Finding a therapist can be a difficult task; actually calling one is even harder. When I am struggling with something I find myself irritable, directionless, and without energy (or too much nervous energy) a difficult time to build new relationships. It is my hope that stepping into my office might feel like finding an oasis; a welcoming place where you can put down your burdens, relax, and see what you can unpack or unload. I engage with people with acceptance and curiosity. I find things I like and inspiration in conversations. I am constantly amazed by people’s creativity, perspective, and desire to connect in a personal ways.

Sessions are available, now, on-line, and phone. I provide a safe haven for you to explore stress, relationship issues, and past traumas that are getting in the way of you experiencing a fulfilling life. My unique and gentle techniques enable you to challenge patterns and behaviors that are limiting joy, satisfaction, and the ability to be calm.. We work at your pace, developing strategies, which will empower you to reach your goals. Together we create a safe environment, where you feel free to shift and change on all levels of being: psychological, emotional, spiritual, physical, and energetic.

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.

You are struggling and you feel alone. I can help. Have you ever been told you are too sensitive? Do you often feel judged or alone? Are you interested in looking within, learning more about yourself and creating the life you deserve? If so, I am here to help. I support clients struggling with depression and anxiety, learning about and coping with the highly sensitive trait, as well as grief and difficult life transitions. I specialize in older teens, college students, young adulthood/emerging professionals. and women around issues of fertility, pregnancy, postpartum and family life.

My name is Alexander Warnow and I'm the founder of XY Counseling. At XY we work primarily with adults, teens, and couples helping them to live more fulfilling, connected lives. Often what brings someone to seek therapy is a chronic issue that has reached a crisis point: anger, depression, anxiety, self-worth, intimacy problems, communication issues and many more. Sometimes it is a recent change in one's life: infidelity, a move, or the end of a relationship. Taking the risk to ask for help is the first step on the road towards healing and growth. Our therapists include Jacob Donnelly, Stacey Klein and Walker Witte.

You are courageous to take the first step toward healing! It is my goal to assist, guide and support my client onward through the Ups, and the Downs that life brings. Lets be open to discover new paths of healing from various issues such as trauma and loss, anxiety and depression, couple and family conflicts and much more. I aspire to create, and maintain a safe space that nurtures the mutual respect and trust needed for growth and healing through Expressive Arts and Talk Therapy modalities.

When we can give our feelings the attention they ask for, they tend to guide us in useful directions. I offer therapy as a reliable space where you can slow down, really meet your inner world and learn to relate to what you discover there. Just as our feelings have meaning, our symptoms tell a story. They can become afflictions when we don’t understand what kind of acceptance, or change, they’re asking of us. I’ve found it’s through nurturing our inner life that we have a chance to recover and revive what feels dead, lost, or unworthy, to find things of great value in ourselves and others, and even meet something that transcends us.