Psychoanalytic Therapists in Berkeley, CA

Therapy can help you overcome difficulties, live creatively, and feel more alive. Many people become stuck in ways of thinking and living that no longer serve them. Through a caring therapeutic relationship, you can develop the courage to live in a meaningful and fulfilling way. Over the past 17 years, I have helped people with a wide variety of issues work through significant challenges, freeing them to make better choices. In addition to my clinical work, I teach and supervise at various training programs throughout the Bay Area, and am the Director of Counseling at California College of the Arts.

Life can be hard. Things that may feel easy at one time, feel impossible at another. Sometimes, there are issues that feel like they'll never go away. I work to create an environment where we can think together about what is troubling you and get to the root of the issues, so lasting change can be possible.

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 struggling with depression, low self-confidence, or anxiety? Are you having difficulties in your relationships or at work? Are you finding it hard to cope with a loss, life transition, or illness? I have brought warmth, knowledge, and compassion to my work with individuals & couples for 25 years as a Psychologist. My approach to psychotherapy is to create a safe environment through listening and empathy that will enable you to talk about patterns in your life that are causing you distress. My goal is to help you achieve greater life satisfaction, healthier relationships & new sources of self worth.

I believe that each client is unique like are the reasons sought for healing. As Depth Psychotherapist (Bilingual Spanish), I bring my clinical experience to the field of Bach Flower Therapy by providing guidance and counsel to each client wanting to benefit from its applications towards finding psychological and emotional balance. I see my therapeutic role as co-creating a safe/caring space that assists you embodying your most fulfilled and creative self. It is deeply inspiring for me to assist you on your sacred journey towards self-growth and healing.

Therapy with me will have you leaving my office with tangible ways, for you or you and your loved ones, to facilitate changes in what you want in your life from the very first session. I will challenge you hard but with compassion. I enjoy helping people develop an enthusiasm for the process of self-discovery and healing. I make authentic contact with people help them cultivate a taste for their own Truths while making space to grieve the loss of old ways or relating to people and the world around them. I see starting therapy is a sign of intelligence.

The people I work with all have one thing in common: they want to feel better. They may come to me with a discrete crisis or a problem with work, family, or relationships. They may simply feel bad and want to talk with someone who can listen and understand. Whatever their concerns, they have the curiosity, courage and desire to feel better in order to achieve their personal goals .

Have you survived a trauma but can't shake the effects of it? Do you want help reclaiming your thoughts, feelings and relationships? I specialize in treating people who have experienced traumatic events such as sexual assault, sudden loss, childhood abuse or divorce. I work with my clients to treat common trauma symptoms such as depression, anxiety, issues with sexuality, and chronic pain. Because trauma affects the body, I combine traditional psychotherapy with a somatic focus to bring relief to the whole self. Ultimately, we work together to alleviate distress and create a life you love.

Therapy offers a profound opportunity for growth and change. I'll be curious about your experience, and we'll pay attention to what feels most important to you as we talk together about your thoughts and feelings. Through this process you'll gain a deeper understanding of yourself. You'll also come to better know your own strengths and resiliency. I am warm, thoughtful, and engaging in my approach and believe that a safe and supportive therapy relationship is essential in easing feelings of discomfort and vulnerability that normally accompany change.

Change is often difficult. You might be seeking therapy because your best efforts to change yourself or your relationships have proven unsuccessful. You may be in the grip of emotions that seem beyond your control and understanding; these might include feelings of sadness, anger, loneliness, fear or self-destructiveness. We will work together to better understand the meaning of the feelings and behaviors that have become problematic, to help recognize old patterns that block growth, and make way for deep and lasting change.

I am a Harvard trained psychologist with over 15 years experience in the mental health field. I specialize in working with individuals and families who are feeling stuck in their lives. Many of my clients report feeling overwhelmed with feelings of depression, hopelessness, anger, or low self-esteem. They may have experienced relationship or career conflicts, personal loss, trauma, or be in the middle of important life transitions. I also have advanced post-doctoral training in working with individuals who engage in potentially harmful behaviors and young adults struggling to develop their life path.

If you hold yourself back in life, work and relationships, worry too much about things you've done or things you're about to do, are often bummed out, or would like your relationships to be more satisfying, then these are good indications that you may benefit from the type of psychotherapy I offer. I have helped many people through all of these issues, and others. Give me a call, and if I'm not the right fit for you, I promise to help you find the therapist who is. You don't have to keep suffering alone.

In my 30+ years practicing psychotherapy, I have had extensive experience working with adults who are trying to adjust to the problems that life presents to us---a difficult childhood, trauma, anxiety, depression, postpartum depression, stress, working with a child who has a difficult mental illness, sexual abuse,couples' relationship struggles (heterosexual, gay, and lesbian), and grief from the loss of someone treasured. Always my treatment goal is to facilitate the improvement in the quality of life for each individual and to look for the creative aspect within the destruction. Healing is a natural process, but sometimes it is difficult to remember that fact.

I am a seasoned clinician with expertise to accompany you on your inner journey. I am flexible in my approach so that I can respond to the particular needs you bring to therapy. At one point you may need support and practical tools for addressing experiences that are painful or challenging. At another time, you may need room to explore the patterns of thought, feeling or behavior that are puzzling to you, including more unconscious factors that may be exerting their invisible influence on your life. I see people from a variety of backgrounds, including many therapists.

Thank you for visiting my site. This is your first step towards your journey to healing. My specialty areas are in trauma, anxiety, and grief/loss. Life can present challenges and create roadblocks to your growth and success. You deserve to thrive and I would be honored to work in collaboration with you on your journey of healing and rediscovering your full potential. I provide a safe, non-judgmental and supportive environment. My therapeutic style can be best described as empathetic, interactive, infusing scientific wisdom, curiosity, and clinical intuition.

*****Please see my website at: www.janvitekphd.com/.***** A genuine, empathic, and caring relationship is at the heart of meaningful and helpful psychotherapy. I focus on creating a safe, warm, and reflective environment in which to explore thoughts and feelings and identify patterns of behavior. I seek an optimum balance between safety and nurturance and challenge and directness. Good psychotherapy is about making better choices about how to take care of yourself, how to form satisfying relationships, and how to attain your personal goals.

Chances are you feel some dissatisfaction with the things or people in your life. Maybe you feel overwhelmed and stuck, frustrated in your relationships or worried about the future. Maybe you already have some ideas about what things you'd like to be different. I will support you to make changes by helping you make the necessary contact with parts of yourself that influence the way you think, feel and act. In our sessions I will help you discover in a more full way what might be holding you back from having the life you want. We will explore your thoughts and feelings in the moment, which can lead to profound healing and change.

Are you at a place in your life that no longer feels comfortable and you're unsure of how you've have gotten there? It's impacting your personal and/or work relationships and your self-image. I provide a safe, non-judgmental space allowing you to gain insight into your journey thus far and give yourself permission to change. I will help you move to a place of self-forgiveness, self-acceptance, and self-love.