Substance Use Therapists in Emeryville, CA

For nearly 20 years, I have worked with adults, families, and couples both individually and in group settings. Some of the areas I have provided treatment for include substance use/abuse, depression, anxiety, grief/loss, and adjustment disorders due to life transitions. I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in the state of California and obtained a Doctorate Degree in Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) in 2005.

"I see things differently." I see you fully able to achieve your goals. I see you as one who likely needs a non-judgmental place to talk about things: your future goals, how drug/alcohol use, etc fits w/that future, & how you see yourself getting there: abstinence, sober curious. moderation. I'm a collaborator, one who's committed to listening deeply & providing a space to talk about anything, for individuals/families/all. I am not a therapist; my main focus is on today & tomorrow though we may visit the past. And I follow the science of change & addiction; it shows there's no one way to recover/change & that's great news!

I am passionate about recovery and being of service. I believe effectiveness is the measure of truth and if you can conceive it you can achieve it. I utilize a comprehensive approach to dealing with life on life's terms. I specialize in treating addiction as a disease in mind, body, and spirit. Happiness is something we find along the way, not something we get at the end of the rainbow. When the pain of staying the same outweighs the fear of change then change will occur. Sometimes we feel powerless and our lives become unmanageable so it's important to find support and guidance to help create a life you don't need to escape from.

I practice Cognitive Behavioral Therapy which allows clients to see and understand connections between their stressful situations, their thoughts and beliefs, and resulting emotional difficulty. While I also employ the use of a Strengths-based model and collaborative treatment planning the therapy I practice is structured and makes use of agenda-setting at the beginning of sessions and homework after the session is completed. The homework is not overly time-consuming and it enhances therapy much like the saying "The more you put into something the more you get out of it."

A little bit of stress is a good thing. It gets us out of bed in the morning and motivates us to work towards our goals. But too little or too much stress are problems that interfere with our ability to be the best possible versions of ourselves and can prevent our minds from being at ease to deal with life’s daily tasks or pursuing opportunities. Often too much stress can lead to anxiety and depression. Through CBT and other modalities, we will discuss your thoughts and emotions as well as ways to help your motivation and any barrier that may be getting in the way of leading the life you would like.

Anxiety. It's part of the human experience, but too much of it, experienced for too long, wears us down, affecting both our mental and physical health. If you are isolating, cutting yourself off from friends and the world; if you spend too much of your time trying to mute your anxiety with drugs, TV, the internet; if you lie awake counting catastrophes and replaying the day's missteps, I can help. Take a couple of long, slow, deep breaths, and call me. Let's talk.

I listen deeply, with compassion and without judgment, to give you a place where you feel safe to express thoughts and feelings, My strength is how I work, using minimal interpretations but instead allowing your inner core to experience the genuineness of your own truth when it surfaces. I thus avoid diagnostic labels and preconceptions. Love and work is how we express ourselves. I hope you will let me help you with relationship issues, both in love and at work. My goal is to help you discover your inner creativity and resilience.

I have extensive experience working with individuals, couples, and families struggling with addiction and mental health, utilizing a variety of counseling approaches. These include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Narrative Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Solution-Focused Therapy. My approach is relationship-focused and Strength-Based with a healthy dose of humor. I am dedicated to creating a supportive environment for my clients to thrive.

Perhaps you are visiting today to obtain answers to confusion, peace in the torment, clarity from the chaos, healing from the pain. Maybe you just want someone to understand your pain. You might be feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or hopeless. Whatever your reasoning may be I am dedicated to helping you achieve hope and healing. Thank you for taking the first step to work toward your personal healing journey. I am passionate about understanding, accepting, and empathizing with my clients. I approach therapy holistically, which encompasses spirit, body, and mind.

I work with individuals to help gain insight into what is happening in order to move forward and achieve a more fulfilling and productive life. My goal is to help you understand yourself more and assist you with living a more free and conscious life. I use attachment theory to assist people in understanding how their past impacts their present. I specialize in treating addiction, trauma, codependency, relationship issues, and axis II disorders using a holistic trauma informed approach and dialectical behavioral techniques.

My name is Brock Pistel, Ph.D. and I really enjoy what I do. I’m a licensed psychologist in the state of California, working with clients via telehealth. I provide individual therapy to adults experiencing difficulties with anxiety, depression, substance misuse, and trauma. I primarily use a cognitive behavioral therapy approach but often I adapt my approach to best suit my clients. Rather than adhering solely to one specific theory or approach, I use some of the best combinations of interventions I believe the field has to offer. I believe in using interventions best suited to a client.

I'm here to support teenage youth, parents/families, and adults in meeting their emotional, psychological and practical challenges. If you're a teen struggling with school problems, family difficulties or hoping to improve your mood, confidence and relationships, I can assist you in breaking down obstacles and achieving your goals. If you're a parent trying to manage and communicate with your "coming of age" depressed or rebellious adolescent, I provide counsel and safe opportunities to explore the conflicts and confusion that block resolutions.

Welcome to my practice! Are you currently navigating a challenging phase in your life and seeking support? As a psychotherapist with over 20 years of experience, my passion lies in assisting people during difficult times. If you're facing hurdles in your relationships, whether with yourself or others, you're not alone. I support clients navigating life's intricate transitions by offering strategies for managing feelings and behaviors no longer serving their growth. My commitment is to empower you to foster healthier and more helpful patterns, while cultivating self-awareness and empathy for both you and those in your life.

Many of us don’t seek help or try to make changes until something becomes so uncomfortable that we can’t bear to stay the same. My goal is to help you make positive and lasting changes that ultimately result in decreased distress and help you live a more meaningful and present-focused life. I take a nonjudgmental and holistic approach by helping you to address problem areas that have caused you distress. I do this by providing a supportive and safe environment for you to explore what is inhibiting you from living aligned with your values and collaborating with you on how to identify flexible approaches to meeting your goals.

Therapy is a sacred process that has the potential to heal and catalyze growth. The most important ingredient in this process is the alliance between the participants sharing the therapeutic space. This relationship serves as the foundation from which change may spring, and attendance to this relationship is integral to the way I engage in therapy. My approach honors this alliance while maintaining space to creatively develop practical treatment goals that align with your values and needs. I hope that clients leave treatment with tangible and actionable tools that they can employ outside of the session in service of their wellness.

My practice emphasizes integral, psychodynamic psychotherapy and consultation for a variety of psychological, relational, medical, cultural, and spiritual issues. I specialize in working with adults who grapple with anxiety, depression, loss, stress, health, disability, identity, sexuality, relationships, transitions, trauma, creativity, spirituality, life path/purpose/meaning and fulfillment. I also enjoy providing consultation to colleagues. Building on my fifteen years of private practice experience during my twenty years as a licensed clinician, it is my joy to combine private practice in Oakland with my teaching at CIIS.

Welcome! I am a licensed clinical psychologist and I specialize in neuropsychological and psycho-educational testing for children, adolescents and adults. Some concerns I assess commonly include: learning difference, giftedness, twice-exceptional, autism spectrum disorder (both children and adults), mood disorders, impacts of traumatic brain injury, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, anxiety, cognitive processing issues, issues related to aging, personality disorders, and much more. If you have a particular need or question, please call or email and ask!

I bring to my work understanding, compassion and extensive training as a psychotherapist and psychoanalyst. I have years of experience working with issues related to addiction; depression and anxiety; trauma; relationship, parenting, and family issues; life transition and questions like "What do I really want?" and "What is important to me?" I believe psychotherapy is a process that offers a way to understand troubling experiences and relationships that result in unhappiness, disappointments, and dissatisfaction, which build up over the course of life. Working with me offers new ways of thinking, feeling and relating.

I have over 20 years of experience with a individuals, couples and families. I also have a background in chemical dependency and codependency.