Child Therapists in Berkeley, CA

Creativity can be foundational to positive and longstanding change. We come into the world with an innate skill to solve the many problems that arise during development. Sometimes these solutions bring up new challenges or get in the way of our relationships and our ability to enjoy life. I work with children , adults, elders, and couples who are struggling to adapt to a stressful world. By developing a trusting relationship where exploration is welcomed and analyzed, we are able to find new ways of functioning, new solutions to our interpersonal conflicts, and improve our ability to flexibly adapt to our changing world.

I am Katie Mason, a bilingual licensed clinical social worker in California (#82916), specializing in therapeutic work with children , adolescents and families. I also enjoy providing therapy to adults at any stage of life, including young adults (18-25 year old) and parents. With a warm, authentic approach, I will partner with you to discover your unique strengths, develop areas of growth, and help you make positive new routines.

Parenting can be a deeply conflictual experience. Sometimes we agree with Bette Davis who said "If you have never been hated by your child , you have never been a parent." Other times we identify with Anne Lamott's notion that "There really are places in the heart you don't even know exist until you love a child ." The seemingly unpredictable alternation of positive and negative feelings that come with raising a family can be painful and bewildering, and our self-esteem as parents suffers most when it becomes difficult to access the good in our closest relationships.

I am a clinical psychologist and have been working clinically with children , adolescents and families for 15 years. I am passionate about my work with children and adolescents. I believe that childhood is both a wonderful and an extremely challenging time. Through play, talk and family therapy I help children and families reach their potential for happy, productive and successful lives.

As I have supported youth, adults, and families as a therapist since 2007, I have found the importance of providing compassionate services to support the healing process to those seeking it. I have experience and extensive training in the area of Trauma Recovery (including working with survivors of child abuse, domestic violence, human trafficking, oppression, gang involvement, and community violence). I have also provided services in supporting individuals with improving upon their self-esteem and interpersonal relationships.

I value the opportunity to help change young lives. In addition to having worked with children and adolescents as a therapist in outpatient and in-home settings, I have a background in the arts (former elementary school music teacher and singer). As a Registered Play Therapist (RPT), I recognize that play is the language of children . I believe in the power of therapeutic play to achieve emotional well-being and facilitate change. Children express challenges, learn to label and manage emotions, increase self-confidence, and develop new ways of interacting with the world through play. I integrate EMDR with play when indicated.

Sometimes life poses challenges or does not work out the way we hoped. At some point, everyone needs help during difficult times. Therapy can provide a safe and supportive space to foster growth, healing, and self-compassion. I love working with people of all ages. I am deeply committed to meeting you and/or your child wherever you/they are so that over time you can find more ease and clarity in your daily and inner life.

Welcome to NEST psychological services. I believe our mental health needs should always be stigma-free. Are you experiencing difficult life transitions, traumatic events, relationship difficulties, and/or loss and grief, or dealing with complex impacts of childhood trauma and family relationship issues? I am offering weekly relational and compassionate therapeutic services for individuals of all ages both in person and online. Please reach me if you are/feel down, isolated, invalidated, exhausted and stressed. For caregivers, I help to deepen mutual understanding and attachment with your child (ren), and guide healthy development.

I recognize that seeking therapy means that you or a loved one have determined a need for connection beyond that of friends and family. Knowing how difficult and intimidating this outreach can be, as a psychologist I strive to establish a safe space where clients can speak freely and be listened to intently. The work we do together is about creating an alliance that allows you to delve into painful memories and face feelings that can be frightening or uncomfortable. We do this work in collaboration, so I can hear your stories, and create a meaningful relationship.

For the past decade I have specialized in the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, social anxiety, and phobias with children , teens and adults, using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and more recently Inference Based CBT (ICBT). I attend the annual International OCD Foundation conference, and throughout the year I participate in small consultation groups with thought leaders in these fields in order to stay current with research and advances in treatment.

I specialize in working with neurodivergent children , adolescents and adults who have one or more of these qualities. They are: highly intelligent and verbal, often feel like they don’t fit in, but may form fewer and deeper friendships, throw themselves enthusiastically into the things they’re passionate about, struggle to find appropriate outlets for intense emotions, have “geeky” hobbies like roleplaying games, collectible card games, computer games and science fiction and fantasy literature and TV shows, and identify as neurodivergent, autistic, or a person with ADHD, with or without a diagnosis.

I work with clients of all ages to find a unique path through the difficulties they are seeking help with and in their efforts to live fully. My approach is relational, depth-oriented, playful, and based in compassion. Psychotherapy can be a deeply personal and enlivening process, through which you may notice an emerging sense of self and find greater internal freedom. With adults, this involves creating a space where you feel recognized, understood, and safe enough to explore the depths and complexity of your emotional experiences as well as the forces (internal and external) impacting the areas of life most concerning to you now.

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.

It can be difficult as a parent watching your child or teen struggling with feelings and situations in his or her world. Finding the right therapist can be a tough decision. I help children , teens and families find their strengths and facilitate learning to use those abilities to navigate challenges, difficult times or situations, repair relationships and rediscover excitement and joy in their lives. Bringing together advanced degrees in both child and adolescent development and clinical psychology, our work together focuses on helping you, your child or teen, and your family find the path that is right for you.

I work with children , adolescents and adults, helping to support them and to make meaning as they respond to life's challenges, such as childbirth, adoption, loss of a child , death of a family member, infertility, early childhood trauma, and other life transitions. In addition to working with adults and parents in individual therapy, I specialize in Child -Parent Psychotherapy, working with the dyad to develop a mutually satisfying and enriching relationship. I work individually with children and adolescents, including infants and fussy babies.

I am a leading authority on healing shame. I co-created the Healing Shame – Lyon/Rubin method and am the Co-Director of the Center for Healing Shame, a continuing education provider that offers workshops to therapists and other helping professionals. In my private practice, I developed therapy techniques integrating somatic and expressive processes to work with the all-pervasive shame and trauma that underlie toxic family dynamics, depression and eating disorders. I integrate Emotionally Focused Therapy and AEDP with Drama Therapy, Hakomi, Focusing and Expressive Arts. I work with the imposter syndrome and voracious inner critics.

I offer you an open space in which together we can explore and understand difficult feelings and thoughts. Through this collaborative process you will have the opportunity to deepen your understanding of yourself, allow your emotions to be processed, and work through uncomfortable/ difficult feelings. As a result, life becomes easier to navigate and more meaningful. Like any relationship, it has to feel right to you. What I bring to the relationship is my warmth, curiosity, compassion, honesty, years of expertise, and the ability to dive deep into issues without judgment leading to long-term change.