Trauma and PTSD Therapists in Albany, CA

Do you feel trapped by your past and anxious about your future, unable to live in the present? This malaise of modern living is often a sign of past trauma . I can help you uncover and release the experiences that keep you from living a full and zestful life. My primary focus is women and parents, particularly those with a history of trauma . We’ll explore the feelings that arise in your body, and notice their links to your thoughts and behaviors. I’ll empower you to choose a more positive narrative, to look at your life through a different lens.

Have you been experiencing heightened levels of stress? Challenges focusing on your college courses? Microaggressions in the workplace that you aren’t sure how to address? Were you ever sexually assaulted or the victim of intimate partner violence (IPV)? Has your grief paralyzed you? Do you have negative thoughts that prevent you from moving forward in life? If you answered yes to any of those questions, I can help. I work with adults (18+) throughout California from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds who want to heal and live a life filled with joy, purpose, healthy relationships, abundance, and laughter.

Are you living with the pain of childhood trauma ? Do you have a hard time setting boundaries or feeling safe because your trust was violated in the past? Is negative thinking keeping you from feeling confident in yourself and your choices? Even if you’re struggling right now, you do possess inner wisdom that can guide you toward clarity and healing. As your therapist, I will help you reconnect with your body so you can explore your emotions and strengths in a transformative, meaningful way. Collaborating together, we can enhance a sense of empowerment in your life.

Welcome! I've helped clients seeking assistance in their process toward well-being and supporting the parts of themselves that are difficult to unfold. I'm described as present, approachable, and able to balance supporting and challenging clients with compassion and empathy.

While it can be intimidating to think about beginning therapy, it’s my hope that my warm and collaborative style of engaging with you will offer some ease in initiating our work together. Having dedicated space for understanding and learning about you by speaking can feel relieving, and starts with a good amount of courage in your initial reaching out. In our work together, I will carefully listen to you while building a collaborative relationship based in warm curiosity, offering you my thoughts and connections related to the barriers that may be holding you back from moving towards your known and yet-to-be-known goals.

I have a history of working with trauma , couples, adolescents, ADHD and substance use disorders. I work hard at empowering clients to move past struggles that hold them back and to find a sense of agency and purpose. I use a variety of different therapies and techniques including EMDR, somatic therapies, trauma informed treatment and CBT to name a few of the modalities I offer to clients.

I am a bicultural/bilingual, latinx psychologist with extensive experience working with youth of all ages who are struggling with mood, anxiety, and impulse control, and families who have experienced trauma . Key to this work is the relationship we build together. My goal is to help your family better understand what is happening for your child based on what research has taught us about how our brains work, while honoring your child’s unique experience and normalizing that we all have struggles. I use a strengths-based collaborative approach to get to know your family and identify and practice skills to help your child cope.

My approach to therapy emphasizes self knowledge, empowerment and insight helping move towards a more integral, meaningful and gratifying life. It is with passion and kindness that I witness the healing transformation a person goes through in the therapeutic relationship. Originally from Brazil, I speak English, Spanish, and Portuguese working with clients who speak these languages. Three theories permeate my work: the Integral theory of Ken Wilber, Psychodynamic theory, and Hakomi. I integrate into the analysis the physical, mental, emotional, and social parts of the self (Integral) in a mindfulness-based, body inclusive, and experiential perspective (Hakomi).

I work with couples, groups, and individuals that feel ready to examine their inner world and outer relationships, perhaps feeling stuck in low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, or confusion. Clients who wish to explore issues around stress, overwhelm, relationships, identity, sexuality, spirituality, psychedelics, or trauma often resonate with my style of psychotherapy. I offer couples and individuals a warm environment that is supportive, collaborative, and direct. Building a relationship that has a safe space for tough and untouchable topics is essential to my work.

Do you want to heal from your past and find greater peace and joy in your life? I applaud you for taking the first step in seeking therapy. I'll help you to move through your self-blame and embrace your magnificence. I provide a free 20-minute initial consultation to see if we are a good fit. If you are struggling with work, relationship or parenting stress, childhood abuse, life transitions or loss I will teach you how to shift old patterns, heal, and make positive changes. You can feel better and thrive!

There are times when healing can't be done alone. My work is essentially relational -- healing in a therapeutic relationship. I help people overcome trauma , anxiety, depression, relationship issues, and substance abuse, bearing in mind that these issues can overlap or involve additional problems with eating, working, or social life. I am warm, engaged, active, and flexible, balancing exploratory work with directness. I see people who know what needs fixing, and those who don't. It is a gift to witness people emerging into the center of their own lives and finding the courage to tell their own truth.

Many of life's problems and traumas are difficult not just in and of themselves, but because they are isolating, leaving you with the feeling that no one understands or that no one sees your struggles. ​ As a therapist, I think the relationship comes first. The work we do together requires warmth, comfort, trust and "goodness of fit" between us. I believe the relationship is both the safe and warm point of departure for your exploration and the soft landing place.

Life is messy. As we all navigate it the best we can, a lot of us find survival strategies that make sense at the time but don’t serve us in the long run. If you or your child are having trouble in relationships, feeling consistently down or anxious, or finding yourself stuck in painful past experiences, therapy can help identify patterns that don’t serve you and build practices that enable you to thrive. ​

So often self-work involves degrees of correction and vigilance that can actually make you feel less connected to yourself. You want to better understand yourself and your relationships so that you can feel more whole and authentic. You are curious how your past connects to your present problems, and why certain narratives repeat themselves. You want interpersonal interactions to feel less complicated at work, at home, and with friends. You are tired of trying so hard to analyze and figure out your part in these relationships to no avail. You want to find the right solution, but in doing so end up feeling isolated.

Hello! I work with individuals and couples who are looking for support and guidance as they navigate the process of self exploration and healing. I aim to support you in developing self-awareness, increasing your understanding of how you experiences have impacted you, and learning what this all means for you in the present moment. My work revolves around respecting and honoring your unique set of experiences that have shaped your life & perspectives. I have great respect for how each person is a complete amalgamation of their own unique experience.

Sometimes we notice patterns to our behaviors and relationships that leave us feeling unhappy and/or "stuck." Psychoanalytic psychotherapy can provide a way to understand how we came to develop these patterns, the purposes they serve, and new options for the future.

I am direct, genuine and collaborative, and bring a natural curiosity and empathy to my work with clients. I use a relational depth-oriented therapeutic approach with a focus on present moment bodily and emotional experience to help my clients work through hard places, release emotional blocks and feel more creative and free in their lives.