Couples Counseling Therapists in Lafayette, CA

As a second-generation South Asian immigrant, my hope for my practice is to continue reducing cultural stigma and improving access to mental health services, especially for people of color. My work focuses on major life transitions such as divorce, graduating from high school, moving into the workforce, and aging into retirement. I also work to support those suffering with anxiety, depression, isolation, caregiver fatigue, grief especially as lasting effects of the pandemic.

Maybe you are here seeking therapy for yourself, your gifted or highly sensitive child, or perhaps you are looking for real change in your relationship . I’m here to be curious about your experience in this world, to value your strengths and help guide your growth. I get divergence and have experience working with the many difficulties that accompany giftedness, highly sensitive, autistic spectrum and ADHD. My hope is that I can be a part of a much larger journey of finding yourself in a world that creates so much pressure to be something else.

I believe patients come to us because they feel grief, anxiety, depression and traumatized or alienated from themselves and others. The suffering you experience comes in many forms and you do not always have the words to say what you feel. I specialize in working with adults and adolescents whom have experienced trauma, depression, anxiety, creative blocks, ADHD, chronic somatic pains and/or are experiencing grief and loss. I also work with couples and families. I have a specialization in expressive arts therapy and sandtray for those who may have difficulty expressing their feelings, memories and experiences through verbal means.

As a psychologist, teacher, mother and trauma specialist, I enjoy working with teens, young adults, adults and couples who are trying to feel better. If you are wanting to stop the challenging patterns in your life, we may be a good fit. If you are wanting to find (or re-find) the joy in life, we may be a good fit. If you are wondering how your history may be affecting your current life, we may be a good fit. If you are looking for a psychotherapist who will help you help yourself, we may be a good fit. You and I will develop a warm, accepting, compassionate environment where we work to establish hope. Give it a try!

My belief is everything is interconnected. When we hurt in one area of our lives, often times the other areas hurt with it. As simple as it may sound, sometimes feeling our feelings can be hard work. Truly understanding and being honest with authentic selves can be challenging and sometimes scary. No one should have to do this alone. Together, we can deeply listen and nurture your authentic self to help you heal and grow. We are not just talking together, we are experiencing. To learn more, visit my website at: nakaimatherapy.com

Welcome! I’m a bicultural, bilingual psychologist with 13 years of clinical experience working with children, tweens, teens, adolescents and parents of diverse backgrounds. My clinical background is in trauma, attachment, adoption, parent/child dyad therapy, anxiety and mood diagnosis, school or social difficulties. I’ve worked in community, home, school, and clinical settings. I work with co-parents and children as they navigate their new experiences and feelings after a separation.

Are you feeling stuck? Cynical about relationships? Anxious? Troubled by anger? Confused? Overwhelmed? By building on the power of the therapeutic relationship , I encourage self-discovery, authenticity, and offer coping skills that help people work through these challenges. use a personally tailored approach designed to promote clarity, insight, and growth. Let's find your blindspots. My special interests are: EMDR for trauma; life transitions such as aging, grief, divorce, and retirement. It's time to break old habits and get off of automatic pilot! "An unexamined life is not worth living." --Socrates

Thanks for choosing to learn more about my practice. It is my hope that together we can work on healing old wounds and achieving peace and fulfillment. Areas of specific interest: empowering young adults in their identities as they move toward independence from their family of origin; helping clients to improve communication, increase connection, and strengthen boundaries where needed in their relationships; and working with parents to better understand and address the feelings/unmet needs behind a child's behaviors and helping parents to prepare for their child's emerging independence and the eventual "empty nest."

Are you tired of feeling overwhelmed, or stressed, or just not like yourself? Are you feeling frustrated in your relationships? Sometimes messages or experiences from the past, faulty beliefs, or challenging relationships keep us stuck and out of touch with our well- being. Couples are helped when each has an opportunity to feel heard, and when early attachment styles and emotions underlying the problem can be better understood.

Although I work with a variety of clients, my primary speciality is children (and their parents) who struggle with behavioral and/or emotional problems, using playful and positive means to help them with anger management, expression of feelings, and relationships with friends and family. I always welcome the opportunity to work with parents, families and couples under stress. Let's face it: aren't we all? No situation is beyond hope; my clients leave our sessions with real insight and tools with which to move beyond their troubling issues.

I work primarily with adults who are managing change and transitions, depression/anxiety, relationship concerns including divorce, women’s issues, parenting support, and grief/loss.

Struggling with anxiety, depression, low self esteem or negative self talk? Looking for a supportive, caring and empathetic therapist? Life can be challenging and even unfair at times, as life continues to move forward we may be activated or stuck as things from the past, future and present resurface in a way that feels unmanageable on your own. I work with clients to walk along that path with them as we explore what has brought them to therapy and together create meaning, process challenging events from the past, create insight, create new ways of coping, overall self growth, and positive change for the present and future.

I offer treatment for both individuals and couples , primarily addressing depression, anxiety, stress, trauma, relational issues, family conflict, life transitions and health issues. I focus on the comprehensive picture of each person’s circumstance in order to bring about change that is sustainable and lasting for you. I will work with you in a collaborative manner, discovering your strengths in order to build upon the tools and skills that you already have to work towards your objectives.

I offer evidence-based treatments to address presenting concerns that include, but are not limited to: anxiety, depression, stress, life transitions, grief, and relationship issues. My hope during our time together is to go beyond coping tools and symptom management, to provide therapy that leads to psychological resilience, growth, and development. I am theoretically-minded, and many of the sessions focus first on unraveling and exploring concepts, after which the ideas will be practically applied.

I employ an empathic, collaborative, and highly creative approach to working with clients. I have extensive experience working with children and adolescents, and I enjoy working with parents to manage and reduce stress. I am attentive and mindful to the needs of individual clients who are wrestling with life transitions, relationship difficulties, grief and loss and anxiety. I also offer skillful supervision for graduate students in their practicum. My high-quality therapeutic services will give you the support you need to shift your mindset, manage your stress, and achieve your life goals.

Are you stuck in behaviors that hurt your health or risk your relationships? Are you caught in self-defeating habits? Many of my clients pressure themselves into doing it all, which can lead to problems at home or work. Some want resolution of trauma or mysterious health issues and don't know what to do next. Others turn to food, wine, pills or poor relationship choices to manage their situations. My Habits Into Health System is a skills-based model that helps ease emotional symptoms, quiet busy minds and invites soulful action. This approach can help you unwind outdated patterns so you can form a more peaceful and powerful future.

Quality psychotherapy can be life-altering, especially when one is motivated and open to the process necessary for change. I enjoy working with individuals who are looking to develop a more grounded sense of self and seeking meaning and direction in daily living. Adults of all ages come to my practice to improve and enrich their relationships with partners, children, family members, friends and colleagues. I work with Individuals who are looking to deepen trust and connection, learn communication skills, and resolve repetitive conflicts in order to cultivate resilient and joyful partnership.