Couples Counseling Therapists in Grand Lake, Oakland, CA
See all therapists in Grand Lake, Oakland
Allie Frank
Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, MA, AMFT
Verified
Verified
Life can be hard... And we don’t have to do it alone. I work with
couples
and individuals ranging in issues of anxiety, depression, grief/loss, self esteem, relationships, and parenting. My own painful experiences, and the work I have done to heal, have afforded me the ability to be present and sit with people in their own pain. I have a natural inclination to seek out deep connection with people which informs my work with clients. This can help my clients to deepen connections with others, outside of the room. I work with
couples
to strengthen connection, deepen intimacy, and find their voice within the partnership.

Mira Levi Elwell
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified
3 Endorsed
Verified
3 Endorsed
I am a LCSW with over a decade of social work experience in clinic, school, non-profit and community settings. I specialize in working with adults, adolescents and their families, members of the LGBTQI2S+ communities, and with working artists. I have an understanding and dedication to working within a social justice framework, and strive to maintain a practice that is affirming of all identities, experiences and orientations. I believe that any strong therapeutic
relationship
is built on collaboration, honesty, and the belief that change is possible.

Catherine (Cat) Haueter
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA
Verified
3 Endorsed
Verified
3 Endorsed
I specialize in working with individuals,
couples
and families around gender and sexual identity.
I believe that experiencing loving, nurturing relationships is the best part of being alive. I also recognize that for many of us, creating and maintaining such relationships can be incredibly hard. I view psychotherapy as a means to explore whatever is currently blocking our path to healthy, fulfilling and supportive connections--both to others and to ourselves. Sometimes that means building skills we never learned in the first place. Other times that means examining challenging past experiences. Whatever the circumstances, I am here to support your journey toward growth, fulfillment, and ultimately, greater joy.

Chelsea DeMarte
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, MFT
Verified
Verified
Our
relationship
is intended to restore balance, build resilience, and transform suffering.
Navigating through our human journey can be daunting, and everyone can benefit from support along the way. My role as a therapist is to help you gain more insight into the nature of your inner world and a greater perspective of your outer circumstances so that you can become empowered to create the intentional and meaningful life that you truly desire. With compassion and deep presence, we will identify unconscious patterns that are limiting you so that you can gain the awareness and tools needed to create effective changes for yourself.

Sherna Perez
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified
Verified
We all struggle with emotional upheaval during times of stress and transition. Excessive worry, sadness, shame and hopelessness impact our daily lives and those who love us.
Couples
and families are challenged with the loss of connection and attachment that leads family conflict and a lack of mutually gratifying relationships. By defining our values and our goals we can learn to clarify what is important in our lives and how to enjoy life despite the many challenges we face.

Molly Mulanax
Associate Marriage & Family Therapist, MA
Verified
Verified
The most important component to a successful psychotherapy is the therapeutic
relationship
.
I specialize in treating women struggling with anxiety, depression, codependency, history of family dysfunction, history of family substance use, perfectionism and /or low self esteem. My goal as a therapist is to help you reach a greater understanding and compassion for yourself, heal from painful experiences and to find new ways of coping with stress and interacting with others. I am committed to learning about who you truly are and working with you to make long lasting changes.

Jan Chess
Marriage & Family Therapist, PhD, MFT
Verified
Verified
I am experienced in
couples
therapy and enjoy work with older adults.
Are you struggling with how childhood experiences, losses or trauma continues to influence your life? Are you discouraged at repeating difficult situations or find it hard to get out from under depression or anxiety? I'm glad to see how we can put our minds together to understand your dilemmas and see things differently. Change is possible no matter what your age or your life circumstances when you feel seen, accepted and appreciated for who you are and where you've been.

Inga Chegai
Marriage & Family Therapist Intern
Verified
Verified
Axis Mundi would like to present Inga Chegai. Inga is Marriage and Family Therapist & PCC Associate supervised by Elysha Martinez LMFT93493. I work with trauma, depression, anxiety, abandonment issues, loss of purpose, identity, parts of self, insecurities, anger, PTSD, addiction, patterns in
relationship
. Most patterns in our responses to events, people and our behaviors are learned. How to unlearn learned behaviors if this is all you know? Why just understanding the problem will not change trauma? How can we use a challenge as a way to see what we need to work on? I can help to find answers to those questions.

Bobby Dulai
Pre-Licensed Professional
Verified
Verified
Being an experienced educator of almost 20 years has really helped me gain insight into
couples
, families, teens, adults and the human experience as a whole.
Telling your story, and making space for the feelings, in front of another person is courageous and can be healing. The human experience is an exhausting one. Acknowledging its impact on your functioning, and where that comes from, can help you access the meaning and beauty life has to offer. My aim is to help you alleviate your pain by fostering a non-judgmental, safe space. With curiosity, we’ll explore your story to become more aware of your feelings and patterns of relating to yourself and to others toward deeper fulfillment.

Carmelinda Martin Mann
Psychologist, MA, PhD
Verified
4 Endorsed
Verified
4 Endorsed
I work with individuals,
couples
, parents, families and children to develop a therapeutic
relationship
based on their needs and goals. Through this process, clients get to know themselves better in a safe and supportive environment. I consider therapy a collaborative process that offers unique opportunities to manifest your ideal self through honesty and trust. I draw from the varied types of training and experience I have to find what works best for you and I create a safe space so you can explore the emotions that arise from difficult and painful experiences. I support
couples
and families in developing empathy, trust, and healthy

Eleanor Ruckman
Marriage & Family Therapist, MFT, ATR
Verified
Verified
Recently a new client expressed to me: "This is what a therapeutic
relationship
feels like!" If you are ready to make positive change, and would like to receive supportive understanding, down-to-earth guidance, and immediately applicable tools, please contact me.
Life is challenging. We all benefit from receiving support as we navigate transitions, relationships, and the constancy of change. I have 20 years' experience supporting people who span a diverse range of ages and cultural backgrounds. My approach integrates body and sensory awareness with relaxation practices. I offer information about how neurobiological processes impact functioning and experience. The therapeutic
relationship
is collaborative and dynamic as we observe and shift unhelpful patterns of thought and behavior. Some people choose to make art as part of most meetings; others prefer to mostly talk.

Erica Elena Berman
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified
2 Endorsed
Verified
2 Endorsed
I am a relational somatic therapist, which means that I approach issues through the
relationship
and the body.
I specialize in developmental trauma through somatic therapy, a mind/body interpersonal approach towards emotional and mental health. We hold a lot of unexpressed emotions and trauma in our body, and finding ways to notice and work with them with another person can help us create shifts and cultivate tools for day-to-day life. Unlike traditional therapies, you will find the tools of connecting with your body and working with what comes up in the present moment can generate long term changes in your entire constitution. Using guided mindfulness, movement & safe somatic touch, you can move forward to where you want to be.

Jessica Muzio
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified
Verified
I am a Certified Emotionally Focused
Couples
Therapist and love working with
couples
to increase connection, intimacy and trust.
If you're looking for a therapist, there's a good chance you're having a hard time or want to make changes in your life. That's where I can help. I provide a supportive environment for you to work through the thoughts, emotions and beliefs that may not be serving you. We will develop a plan that fits your lifestyle and puts you on a path toward the fulfillment, ease and well-being you deserve. I will accept you as you are, and help you become who you want to be.

David Chung
Pre-Licensed Professional, MA
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
I welcome working with adults,
couples
/unions, and adolescents 12+ who are experiencing depression and anxiety, fear and shame,
relationship
issues, or need support with major life transitions.
I care deeply about supporting clients on their evolving journey towards healing and returning to the truth of who they really are, and I will always honor your autonomy and unique life experiences as essential to your unfolding. Coming from a first-gen immigrant family, I know that our lives can often be impacted by layers of familial/cultural/systemic pressures, intergenerational trauma, and childhood wounding. I hold compassionate space to explore these aspects of experience through a holistic and trauma-informed lens. As an integrative therapist, I use a variety of approaches depending on your preferences.

Amy Leibowitz
Psychologist, PsyD
Verified
Verified
I have particular expertise in helping clients consider their
relationship
to alcohol and drugs, openly and nonjudgmentally.
Welcome. I provide a warm, confidential space for adults of all ages to consider themselves in a new light. My belief is that we all have a natural inclination to develop and grow, to find connection and joy. Psychotherapy with the right person can help one move past roadblocks - whether new or longstanding - with an increased sense of meaning and ease. I work with clients from diverse backgrounds to clarify and expand their strengths, grieve losses, and reconnect with inner wisdom.

Laura (Lo) Wesely
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified
Verified
I also work with
couples
and young individuals and have extensive experience working with LGBTQIA+ and gender-expansive kids.
Whether sitting with individuals or partners, I am here to remind you of what you already know but might have forgotten: you are enough. Many clients find their way to me because they want to work through challenges related to their identity, acculturation, sexuality, gender expression,
relationship
formation, and early traumas. My identities as a queer, non-monogamous, sex- and kink-positive, immigrant woman tend to attract potential clients who share some of these positionalities.
Not accepting new clients

Carly Stock
Licensed Professional Counselor, MA, LPCC, NCC
Verified
Verified
Together, we can work on changing the
relationship
you have to your thoughts, instead of falling into a cycle of hopelessness or judgment.
Hi! I'm Carly. Do you ever find yourself stuck in a cycle, able to see options but making the same choice over and over? Is it hard to be patient and kind to yourself? I help individuals notice behavior patterns and make space for difficult thoughts and feelings.

Heather Buchheim
Pre-Licensed Professional, AMFT, APCC
Verified
2 Endorsed
Verified
2 Endorsed
Your
relationship
with yourself is key to how happy you are at home, at work, and beyond. I collaborate one-on-one with clients to cultivate self-compassion and heal from old wounds so they can move from surviving to thriving. I act as a guide and sounding board, with a commitment to respecting each individual as the expert on their own experience. As a queer, genderfluid therapist and activist, I support partners in monogamous and consensual nonmonogamous relationships, and I’m committed to honoring and uplifting the lived experiences of people from underrepresented racial backgrounds, abilities, genders, and sexualities.

Zena Caputo
Marriage & Family Therapist, MS, LMFT
Verified
Verified
The care and support that allows each person to grow and thrive is unique. Whether you're hoping to reduce the impact of life’s stressors, heal from traumatic experiences, improve your sense of self-worth, or explore your
relationship
with drugs and alcohol, our work together will recognize your individuality and be driven by your goals. I focus on building a
relationship
in which you feel you are treated with respect, understanding, and compassion, where you can experience a sense of safety in sharing about sensitive parts of your life.

Jordan Stern
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified
3 Endorsed
Verified
3 Endorsed
Currently full up and not accepting new clients! - In
couples
therapy with me, I help by teaching you communication strategies to help lessen defensiveness and increase empathy and warmth in your
relationship
. I intervene to stop or change interactions that are keeping you from getting the connection you want. I provide mediation and structure for difficult conversations. And by teaching in-the-moment self-regulation and co-regulation techniques, I help you and your
partner
to speak from and listen with your best selves.
See more therapy options for Grand Lake, Oakland
Couples Counseling Therapists
Does couples counseling work?
Research shows that couples counseling is effective; it can reduce relationship distress and improve emotional awareness, communication, empathy, intimacy, and overall relationship satisfaction. For example, emotionally focused therapy was found to be effective for about 75 percent of couples, and those benefits lasted at least two years.
When should a couple seek counseling?
Couples can benefit from counseling if they consistently struggle in their relationship. They may have lost the ability to communicate effectively, become entrenched in harmful patterns, begun to fight more than usual, broken the other’s trust, suffered from a mental or physical illness, or faced any number of other challenges. Many therapists offer free consultations, so if a couple isn’t sure whether therapy is necessary, asking directly can provide clarity.
How can I get my partner to go to couples therapy?
The decision to seek couples therapy is often driven by one partner, who then convinces the other to participate. When discussing the idea, the initiator should be direct and assertive. They can state the problems they see and explain how the relationship would benefit from therapy. In more serious cases, they can also explain how their relationship may suffer without making any changes or seeking professional help.
How does a couple prepare for couples counseling?
The anticipation of beginning couples counseling can be difficult—sometimes more difficult than the first session itself. Taking a few moments to reflect can allay those concerns: What are the current challenges? When and how did they begin? What do they want the relationship to look like in the future? Reflecting on these questions can help individuals or couples articulate their goals. Of course, the therapist will also ask questions and guide couples through the process.