Couples Counseling Therapists in Adams Point, Oakland, CA

Hello, and thanks for viewing my profile. Asking for help can be difficult, and finding a good fit in searching for a therapist is essential. Therapy can help us deepen both our understanding of the problems we face and our agency in addressing them. My job is to push you to think critically about your concerns, to live with deeper meaning and purpose, and to find complexity and richness in your lived experiences. In addition to private practice work, I hold a clinical position at UC-Berkeley, and work as the liaison to the Cal Athletics Department and the Golden State Warriors.

Therapy is a way to be kinder to yourself. It provides a chance to get to know yourself better. My aim is to offer people a sense of understanding themselves in a collaborative way. Together, we make efforts to notice the ways you relate to yourself and others, how you’re feeling and thinking, and the reasons why you manage stress in particular ways. I value an understanding of people’s backgrounds, early experiences, and environments. This can help us clarify the roots of current distressing patterns, as well as your existing strengths.

I'm glad you are here. This is a big deal. Whether you seek therapy individually or as part of a couple, the way you relate to yourself, your world, and your people are pivotal to understanding your mental health. I'm committed to supporting couples and individuals at all levels of development who seek a supportive environment in their pursuit of growth and healing. Together, we will explore your present and past to discover your strengths, while making space for the pain and distress you are carrying. Together, we will understand your partner and relationships in a new way and rediscover your capacity to find solutions on your own

You don’t feel like yourself, you push through each day joyless and overwhelmed. Talking to friends, family, or even your partner about how difficult things are often makes you feel more alone. More than anything you want to be excited about this next phase of life, to feel like you can meet this moment with hope and resolve and be there for those who need you most, but instead you are barely treading water. Worse, you and your partner have never felt more out of sync.

Do feelings of overwhelm, stress or unworthiness have you at an impasse? Struggling with the impacts of trauma, abuse or grief? Working through issues around racial identity, sexual orientation, or internalized oppression? Dealing with depression or anxiety? Do you have difficulty establishing healthy boundaries and making yourself the main character of your life? I am here to support you with holding the range of human emotions and experiences with greater ease, and unpacking patterns and behaviors that no longer serve you. Together, we will create a path forward that enhances your sense of agency, peace and fulfillment.

Welcome! First and foremost, I believe your pain is real, and that you deserve space to be seen and heard in it. I work with people across many areas, but those who seek me out tend to be queer/LGBTQIAA2+, trans/non-binary/gender non-conforming, chronically or acutely ill, disabled, fat-identified and/or working on an empowered relationship with their body, polyamorous, kinky, sex workers, and non-traditional family structures. I'll be with you every step of the way as you move toward the relief of true self-compassion, as well as the expression of anger, sadness, and grief around what you've lost, or what you never got to have.

The quality of our relationships determines the quality of our lives. Most of us didn't learn how to create fulfilling romantic relationships growing up. Conflict, distance, not knowing the way forward, these are all common struggles. Fortunately, in depth scientific research has revealed key relational skills that lead to fulfilling relationships. Ground breaking research into gender, sexuality, and eroticism has also revealed core skills that create fulfillment in the realm of eros. With these advanced skills, you can learn how to bring out the best in you and your partner .

I believe that we all have the intrinsic ability to reach our full potential; that "self-actualization is growth-motivated rather than deficiency-motivated". It is our life experiences and toxic interactions with others that often prevent us from realizing this potential on our own. Although I was trained psychodynamically, my approach is integrative and driven by the needs of the individual client. I practice in a warm, relational, and collaborative manner. I have extensive experience working with children, adolescents, individual adults and couples . I help clients identify what is holding them back from effecting positive change. I help clients be more mindful and less fearful, thereby allowing them to attain more meaningful healthy relationships.

I use a warm, down-to-earth approach in my work with children, teens, adults and couples . I collaborate with clients to develop a whole view of challenges and strengths, which is informed by my wide breadth of clinical experience across the lifespan. I have expertise in working with infants and parents, developmental disabilities, trauma, and both anticipated and unexpected crises across all ages. I integrate these perspectives so that I can attune to your needs and provide responsive support. My hope is to help you water the seeds of your inner strengths, push through stuck situations, and live with more connectedness and vitality.

Significant life stressors impact our mental health, including experiencing an identity crisis, burnout, challenging transitions, grief, relationship difficulties, intergenerational trauma, and systemic oppression. Childhood trauma, dysfunctional family dynamics, and physical health challenges influence our mental health too. Do you find yourself feeling burnt out at home/work? Demotivated? Longing for change? Stuck? Confused about where life is taking you? Seeking therapy can offer a space for yourself to make meaning of your past experiences to guide your future, learn new coping skills, and connect to your values.

Confidence and connection are the key ingredients for a meaningful life, but they can be compromised in times of stress or transition. The foundations of the past, once familiar and secure, are shaken. Anxieties encroach. Connections are lost. Yet, I believe that despite the pain and difficulty of these phases, there is immense potential for positive change and personal growth. Helping you discover that potential is what I love most about my work, so I encourage you to reach out to me to get started today. You can email me at vanpeltcounseling@gmail.com or text me at 510-859-4448 to set up a free consultation. I will respond ASAP.

Welcome to Embrace and Flow Therapy! I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Oakland, California. Throughout my career, I have worked with diverse groups in a variety of settings, from outpatient work in a psychiatric hospital, to working with families doing community mental health therapy, and school based clinical work. I have over 15 years experience working with clients across the life span, with a wide range of presenting concerns and diagnoses. I specialize in working with individuals and couples , new parents, athletes, and adolescents.

Many of the people who reach out to me for therapy describe themselves as disheartened and distressed with some major part of their lives. Some feel sadly disconnected in their intimate relationship with a primary partner or spouse . Others feel they can't find a way to communicate and connect with a parent, child or sibling. Other people want relief from feeling anxious, depressed or overwhelmed by stress. What they all have in common is a genuine desire to feel more deeply connected in their relationships and to live more fully and with greater ease. Does this sound like you?

My priority as a therapist is to create a safe space for you. When any of us seeks out therapy, we are likely suffering. To suffer is to be in a very tender place, and I want to honor that. Whether your suffering comes from early childhood trauma, more recent losses, relationship problems, social injustice, adjustment to big changes in your life...I want you to feel safe and companioned as you move toward tending those places of wounding and toward healing.

Do you find yourself struggling in your relationship , no matter what you do? You may be fed up with the constant fighting, worried that maybe this next argument will push your partner over the edge, overwhelmed with the growing distance in your relationship . You might even be wondering- can we make it through this? One thing is for sure: you’re ready for some relief. You’re ready for the arguments to stop. You’re ready to feel excited again to spend time with your partner . Most of all, you’re ready to feel connected and in love again.

Life can be disorienting and, from time to time, we've all felt stuck. Together, we can work through difficult or overwhelming experiences so that you can take steps toward the life you want to live. I base my approach on the core beliefs that you are whole and that you can live a deeply fulfilling life. My aim as your therapist is to support you in creating a more compassionate and mindful relationship with yourself. We will work together to take your power back from distressing thoughts and emotions, so you can discover your path to healing, passion, and fulfillment.