Toddler Therapists in Alameda, CA

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.

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.

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.

I earned my B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. at UCLA. After completing my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at UCLA (one of the most highly rated Clinical Psychology programs in the nation), I completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Harbor UCLA Medical Center focusing on Child and Adolescent clinical populations. I have been working with children, adolescents, and their families for more than twenty-five years. I have clinical familiarity with the treatment of a general clinical population as well as more specialized populations like ADHD, ASD, Anxiety, and Depression.

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.

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.

As a psychotherapist, I help clients redefine how they live their lives. I am a licensed clinical social worker who sees children, adolescents and families as well as individual adults. By engaging in a series of conversations, I will help you to challenge the problematic assumptions and ways of being that prevent you from realizing the full potential of your life. I work from a colloborative stance that assumes you are the expert on your life. But my own expertise in helping people overcome emotional problems, troublesome habits and relationship roadblocks can help you create new solutions to old problems.

You always knew you wanted to be a parent. It was easy to imagine the experiences you'd have with your kids- dinners discussing your day, cheering them on from the soccer field, holidays building memories... What you didn't plan for was the weight of your responsibilities. It's so hard to be present and tuned in when your mind is racing from one to-do list to the next. When you're so exhausted that you want to just lay on the couch. When the demands placed upon you feel insurmountable. All you want is to respond with patience, but you are irritated, stressed, and have no idea how to begin getting your life back to balanced.

Welcome. I work with children, adolescents, and adults coping with relational, anxiety, traumatic, and mood disorders. In my practice, therapy often entails exploring the impact of early attachment experiences on our views of self and our ability to form close, meaningful relationships throughout life. In our work together, you will be treated with warmth, empathy, and openness. The most important part of our work is the development of a trusting relationship. This relationship creates a thoughtful, safe space to explore your strengths, challenges, and goals. My approach to clinical work is largely relational and psychodynamic.

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 can make a difference in your child's success in special education, IEPs, learning differences, navigating for parents who's children may need extra help in school, or having a negative effect on a young child who has lost their self esteem and has a failure mentality and turn it into a child believing and feeling like they can succeed and has pride with knowing they can achieve success. Academic help is every child's right through a federal law that is already in place. Many parents do not know how to access these programs. These techniques or resources are tailored specifically for your child.

Bay Area Clinical Associates (BACA) is a physician-owned and operated organization committed to providing integrated, scientific, empathetic mental health treatment for kids, teens, young adults and their families. As a note, we serve only ages 26 years and under. BACA is comprised of a multidisciplinary team of child & adolescent psychiatrists, licensed marriage & family therapists, and licensed clinical social workers. We work to take the "mystery" out of psychiatric care and have a relaxed, fun, caring environment at our clinics. Our Berkeley outpatient clinic is currently impacted but we have openings for our IOPs.

You may be feeling unhappy, lonely, or unmotivated. Perhaps a relationship is in crisis or an important part of your life is changing. Therapy practiced well by the right professional is an effective way to sort out a wide range of problems. My goal is to create a space where we can talk and think together about the particular difficulties you are experiencing and how to find a way through. I have learned to listen carefully and will approach our conversations with an attitude of curiosity and acceptance. Although getting started is often a big step, you’re likely to find it a valuable opportunity to reflect and move forward.

Are you hoping to have more energy? Would you like to be a calmer parent or partner? Are you hoping for stronger or smoother relationships with important people in your life? Do you worry about how your child is doing in school, or how they feel about themselves as a learner? I provide detailed assessments, and individual, group and family therapy to help kids, families and adults build on their strengths. Together we will figure out how to help you, and/or your children, feel better, function better, and live a life with less friction and more fulfillment.

Relationships are as important to us as food and water. They can strengthen us, like a vitamin, or weaken us, like the flu. You are only as good in relationships as the relationships you have been in. As your therapist I can assist you in many ways. I can help you learn more about yourself, increase both self-compassion and compassion for others, and heal past trauma. Together, we can explore how to feel more connected to yourself, your values, and people you care about.

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.

My belief as a therapist is that we all possess innate and unique strengths that are best highlighted when we feel supported. This support is the impetus for change and for developing a stronger sense of resilience. My purpose as a therapist is to support you in finding your own ways to reach peace, wholeness, and tranquility. In doing so, you will help improve your relationships with others.

Thank you for visiting me. I know preparing yourself to find a therapist that you feel comfortable with and someone you can trust is not easy and takes a lot of courage. If you’ve gotten to this point of being ready to speak with someone new, you’re doing a great job. I consider the therapeutic relationship as one of the most important factors for healing. I prioritize making my clients feel at ease and understood. My main goals in our work together will be to always have hope that everything is healable and to always treat you and your journey with the upmost respect and compassion.