Trauma Focused Therapists in Grand Lake, Oakland, CA

I am a LCSW with nearly 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.

I provide psychotherapy to adults utilizing EMDR therapy and specialize in addiction, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, anger management, and post traumatic stress. I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Certified EMDR therapist, and Certified Eating Disorder Specialist. With over 15 years experience in the field of mental health, and with both undergraduate and graduate degrees in Psychology, being a therapist has always been my passion. With my education and experience, along with my own journey of healing and transformation, I offer psychotherapy to adults using the tools that I know are effective.

CURRENTLY NOT ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS Individual, Couples/Relationship, Teen Counseling. LGBTQIA+, Poly, Sex-Positive, & Kink friendly. Folks tend to come to me when they are feeling stuck around their anxiety or depression. They usually are holding questions around their sexuality/identity, life transitions, and processing grief or loss. They know that they have the wisdom to resolve these feelings inside, but they are feeling stuck on how to access them. Everything feels a little garbled, and I help them clear the way to access the answers to the questions they are holding.

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.

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.

Taking the necessary steps towards mental, emotional, spiritual and physical well-being is not an easy task, and does not have to be done alone. My commitment is assisting and supporting you in finding the unique tool you need to move towards long term healing. My focus is on mind, body and spirit as we work together. I respect the unique and intricate experiences and identities you bring into the therapeutic relationship.

I am a queer Afro-Latinx (Dominican-American) spiritual activist, former pre-school teacher with experience working with children, adolescents, adults and families. I am bilingual in Spanish and English. I am excited to support BIPOC, LGBTQAI+, children and youth healing from dissociation, feeling disconnected to self and recovering from childhood and recent traumas. I love supporting people of all ages to deepen their relationship to self as a spiritual practice. When appropriate clients and I explore how family, society, identities and individual perceptions affect their current situation.

Are you struggling with behaviors that you know are not good for you? Are you worried and depressed about your life and your relationships? Let me help you sort out your thoughts and feelings and help you get back on track. I also love seeing couples and families. You may bring significant others to your therapy if you wish, to help focus you in your relationship goals.

I find it deeply meaningful to hold sacred, safe spaces where people can be truly seen and known - and, from here, can step into the power of their unique, authentic selves. I am passionate about, and find it the greatest privilege, to meet people in this courageous place. I have worked in many settings - health & youth centers, schools, jails, SROs, camps, clinics - and have been told that I bring thoughtfulness, intention, heart, and presence to my time with people. I am not afraid of the complex, messy, grief-filled parts of our lives, and can stand with you in these places with compassion, curiosity, creativity, and soulfulness.

Often times in life we have experiences that cause us to disconnect from our true selves. This can lead to and come from fear, shame, and uncertainty that impacts our relationships to others and ourselves. Reconnecting to our innate wisdom and remembering who we are can be a challenging process and my goal is to work with you to journey back to yourself. Drawing on depth work, art therapy, mindfulness, dream work, and emotional and somatic processing, I will work at your pace to navigate what is most meaningful for you as we find ways for you to authentically reconnect to yourself and others.

My clients come from diverse communities, and many share a history of masking or suppressing traumatic experiences. For this reason, I utilize a trauma-informed perspective, integrating somatic tools to support the mind-body connection; increase emotional balance; process trauma, and foster resilience.

Do you struggle with anxiety, or low self-esteem? Are you tired of feeling like there's something wrong with you or that you're not good enough? Through a mindfulness-based, somatic, and trauma-sensitive approach, I support you in exploring your experience with curiosity and compassion, so that you can let go of limiting beliefs about yourself, feel at home in your own skin, and be free to live the life you want. After working with me, my clients report feeling more grounded and confident, and are better able to navigate relationships, life transitions, and daily stressors.

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

Are you feeling overwhelmed and stuck? Maybe you are noticing unhealthy patterns in coping or connecting with others, and you have a sense that there’s a better way. You want to feel at ease, experience a quiet mind, and take action towards your goals. You’d like relationships that feel more balanced and nourishing. Confidence and assertiveness are possible. Change doesn’t have to be scary or complicated. Creating a space to identify, explore and rework can be exploratory.

Body-mind therapy for women and families with young children (ages 2-6 years old). Perhaps you are struggling regularly with how you see and feel about yourself, or relationships feel difficult and unsatisfying. I enjoy creating a therapy to address your particular concerns, and respect and support your values and personality. Psychotherapy is quite a unique experience, it does help with alleviating symptoms and coping with difficult life circumstances, it is also a unique relational way to see and find your true self, an opportunity to process your feelings, develop insights, and get support in discharging traumas and more.

Hello and welcome! I offer therapy to adults, teens and couples. I believe therapy is a collaborative process; you can think of me as a companion as we travel down the roads of your growth together. If you have been thinking about starting therapy, I invite you to contact me. You deserve to heal and grow towards your best life. I have helped many clients with issues such as anxiety, depression and life changes. I am committed to helping my clients become the most authentic version of themselves. I love working with issues around sex, body image, gender & with members of the LGBTQIA2+ community. Take a look at my website for more.

Folks come to therapy for a variety of reasons that all boil down to change, whether they're struggling to handle it or make it. Many of my clients' lives don't align with societal norms, either intentionally coloring outside the lines or struggling to fit in. Folks may find themselves overwhelmed, dealing with big emotions, the effects of complex or single-event trauma, complex medical issues, or chronic pain. I am passionate about working with the LGBTQ+ - including trans kids and their families, disabled, and neurodiverse populations. I like to work with individuals, couples, polycules, and families of all shapes and sizes.

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.

I believe in the wisdom of the body, it is constantly communicating something to you, and your emotions are the messenger. I want to help you become an expert at your own body language so that you can heal what has happened to you, and make room for the truth of your soul, by learning to listen to your body's deepest desires.

I am trained in EMDR, Emotional Focus Therapy and Hypnotherapy to support clients move past traumas that are interrupting their life. My area of specialization is relational trauma. Common symptoms of relational trauma are social anxiety, generalized anxiety, feeling disempowered to create the life you want, a painful inner critic, and you may struggle to trust your choices especially in relationships.