Child Therapists in Piedmont Avenue, Oakland, CA

Children and teens are more aware of their own internal states and the world around them than ever before, while the family unit takes on more stress. This combination can create anxiety, depression, acting out behaviors, confusion, and educational struggles for many. Through a strength-based perspective I focus on communication, relationships, boundaries, and self-care. I work with youth (and families) to explore their patterns of interactions with others and encourage self-awareness and growth in these areas. Developing a relationship with a child or teen takes time and care, both of which I have done for nearly twenty years.

Are you concerned about your child’s behavior? Are you struggling to understand what is happening for your child? Are you finding parenting overwhelming? I work with children and parents to help them make meaning of life’s challenges and work with children and parents, both individually and together. I bring more than twenty years of experience providing therapy, consultation, and assessments with children and their families to my clinical practice. I have experience working with children and families around many issues including, loss, attachment, adoption, anxiety, depression, atypical development, learning differences and trauma.

Do you describe yourself as a “people pleaser”? Perhaps frozen from imposter syndrome or perfectionism? Feeling dissatisfied with your life or work? Or are you a parent who is worried about your child? I've worked with adults, children, teens and families experiencing anxiety, depression, and stress. Additionally, I have experience in working with people diagnosed with ADHD, as they often need support for feelings of inadequacy, regret, anxiety, and depression.

I know that coming to therapy can be challenging and I am committed to creating a warm, empathic, and safe space for our time together. I tailor the treatment to meet your individual needs and goals. My priority is to meet you where you are in order to help you on your journey to a more authentic and fulfilling life. I have an integrative style, drawing on psychodynamic, systems, and attachment theories which allows us to look at the root of issues that you may be struggling with. I also draw on cognitive behavioral techniques, mindfulness and meditation practices to help deal with symptoms by improving coping and self-care.

Your child is struggling with anxious or sad feelings. Irritability, defiance and outsized anger are prevalent in many of your interactions. Children often "hold it together," at school and then fall apart at home. As a parent, you feel triggered and at the same time hopeless when your attempts to understand or comfort fail. Feeling seen, understood and validated are imperatives for healthy development and self esteem. Parents struggling with patience and reactivity to challenging behaviors will find difficulty providing consistent communication and empathy. You seek for your child positive coping skills so that they flourish.

I provide psychotherapy for adults, teenagers and children, consultation regarding parenting issues, and play therapy for children with behavioral or emotional issues. My work with adults has covered a broad spectrum - from people who are having problems with relationships or need help with stress management and coping skills, to people suffering from anxiety disorders and depression. I specialize in women's issues and life transitions. My goal is to help people get through difficult and challenging times and see opportunities for growth.

In my career I have had the privilege of working with children, teens, adults, parents, couples and families, supporting them in their growth process. Therapy is sought out for a variety of reasons. For some of us, life circumstances have impacted us in such a way that effect how we interact with the world and those around us. Life is created by the situations we encounter, and the quality of our lives often depends on the quality of our relationships. Therapy provides an intentional space to explore our relationships with others, ourselves, and the dance that takes place between the layers and intersections of these dynamics.

I have over 20 years of clinical experience, and I have come to trust that the process of a safe, non-judgmental therapeutic relationship can help us feel empowered, and confident in our own healthy sense of self. We may be stuck in the debilitating self-criticism of depression, or paralyzed with anxiety. We may feel lonely, angry, bored, insecure, victimized, or worthless. A trusting therapeutic relationship offers witness, safety, clarity, connection, and validation as we come to know and accept our own vulnerabilities, develop our own language of self, and face the challenges in our lives.

I strive to create an authentic connection with my clients so we can develop an effective partnership in which healing, trying on new ways of thinking, and exploring change can happen safely. I believe that the foundation of mutual trust, empathy, and curiosity that I create with my clients will help them build meaningful relationships with others, mend old wounds, and learn more about themselves and how they contribute to their struggles. Helping my clients see themselves through a new lens will help them achieve the growth and fulfillment they want in their lives. Please don't hesitate to call for help.

I have worked in education for over 20 years. I obtained a Ph.D. in Counseling and Human Development. I am also a Licensed Educational Psychologist (LEP#3002), Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D#1-11-9745), and a Diplomat from the American Board of School Neuropsychology (ABSNP#10246). In addition, I hold a Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) Credential in the areas of: Counseling, Child Welfare and Attendance, and School Psychology. My areas of special training and expertise include school neuropsychological evaluations, functional behavioral assessments, and treatment planning for a range of neurodevelopmental disorders that affect learning and behavior.

Are you living a life of "quiet desperation"? Get to the bottom of your problems by connecting with yourself. Psychotherapy can help identify and overcome blocks that prevent you from being your real self. Are you repeating patterns from childhood despite your best efforts not to? Those patterns were likely formed early in childhood as a survival mechanism and now that you no longer need those patterns, they feel like a prison. Psychotherapy provides the key that opens the door. If you are afraid that you cannot do this, please do not sell yourself short and give yourself a chance.

As a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist, my practice specializes in working with people who struggle with depression, unresolved trauma, anxiety, family and relationship issues, and life transitions. Effective therapy starts with a trusting relationship. In a safe space where you feel understood and accepted, we will work toward your goals so that you feel empowered to change and can begin to make positive changes in your life. Practice specialties: Teens, Young Adults, Depression, Anxiety, Relationship and Family Issues, Stress, Life Transitions, Trauma, and Substance Use.

I am Kalé Woods, LMFT (85539) a California licensed psychotherapist who specializes in helping clients work through past trauma’s, understanding family history, and finding solution-oriented ways to break barriers to progress. We go through this process as a team. I help guide my client’s through the process while they do the work necessary to make long term change. We will begin our process by setting goals and developing a trusting relationship. Through this relationship it is my belief that together we can accomplish the progress that you wish in therapy. I am an integrative therapist and don’t believe that one solution works for

Do you seek relief from experiences of anxiety, depression, or shame? You may be wanting more self-confidence or deeper intimacy in your relationships. Perhaps you long to shed unwanted conditioning and live more fully in your embodied truth. I can support you to identify and move through old patterns that constrict your vitality, helping you to unearth your passion and unique gifts. My approach is warm, grounded, and collaborative. Together we will develop a safe space to explore any wounds and limiting beliefs and allow you to encounter and live into your deepest wisdom.

Welcome! I am a therapist and actor aiming to help you discover your most authentic self and deepest desires. I specialize in bringing the transformational power of theatre and improvisation into the therapeutic space, allowing you to safely explore deep pain and access profound joy. I aim to uplift and heal by employing joy, warmth, comedy, creative arts therapy, and an eclectic array of therapeutic modalities (CBT, mindfulness, ACT, REBT, psychodrama, psychoanalysis, Motivational Interviewing, etc.). I am incredibly patient, strengths-based, and adapt my modalities to the specific needs of each client's unique experience.

Deciding to start therapy is a sign of strength. I believe all people have a natural inclination toward growth and wholeness and sometimes things get in the way. Exploring these obstacles with compassion and courage can help you cultivate the most important relationship of your life -- your relationship with yourself. Whether your challenge is depression, anxiety, grief and loss, relationships, addictions or career challenges, all you need to get started is the desire to change.

I help clients deal with an array of life problems such as; depression, anxiety, IPV, trauma, assault, chemical dependency, co occurring conditions, maternal and postpartum, infertility, grief, etc. Previous clients have expressed therapy sessions with me have led to; better relationships, solutions to specific problems, and reduction of feelings of stress.

I specialize in supporting adolescents and adults facing Anxiety, Depression, ADHD, Attachment Disorder, Life transitions, and Grief. I enjoy working with clients who are honest and open to being vulnerable and are motivated to make positive changes in their lives and I seek to support my clients in learning coping skills and setting goals to address the challenges they are facing in their lives.

My work with you begins from my deep respect for the self-awareness and courage it takes to seek support. From our first session together, I aim to create an optimally safe and trusting relationship, a safe harbor in what may be tumultuous life seas. Gently but actively, I will help guide you through the places inside where you feel stuck, afraid, or are simply in too much pain to examine. In our sessions, I won't just sit back silently; my approach to therapy is warm, interactive, experiential and engaged.