Trauma Focused Therapists in Rockridge, Oakland, CA

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.

Most people I've seen in my many years of practice seek psychotherapy in response to personal loss, trauma, relationship difficulties in love or work, or self defeating thought or behavior patterns that have become unmanageable. As we begin to meet on a regular basis, the anxiety, depression or crisis that propelled them into my office starts to calm. Broader questions like “Why do I keep waiting to live my life in the way I always imagined it to be?” and “Why have my personal or professional accomplishments not provided the fulfillment I hoped for?” then begin to emerge.

The people who choose to work with me often want something more than traditional talk therapy. People come to me who are experiencing challenges in relationships with themselves and others. This includes struggling in the relationship to being in your own body. I combined talk therapy with a number of mindfulness and somatic based modalities to meet you where you are and explore together what healing can look like. I work with individuals and couples or other relationship configurations. I also offer psychedelic integration integration therapy.

I provide compassionate, thoughtful treatment which helps clients to achieve meaningful change. My approach is tailored to each individual's needs and comfort to support the process of healing and growth. I attend to many aspects of identity and circumstance and work with clients to co-create an understanding of themselves and their difficulties.

Somatic Therapy, Breema Bodywork, and Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). As a trauma-informed somatic therapist, I work relationally to support children, teens, and adults looking to deepen their life and soul purpose. Common issues include anxiety, depression, overwhelm, boundaries, grief, self-doubt, self-worth, and childhood neglect. In conjunction with identifying day-to-day struggles, we explore family legacy, ancestral patterns, symbolism, and archetypes for guidance. I keep in mind that we all have a story, and we are all influenced by time and place; our families of origin, our communities, and the state of the planet.

While you may have been struggling for a long time, you are ready to examine the life you’re living, get curious about patterns you used to take for granted, and pause in moments of discomfort to wonder what it means to be you. You want therapy that weaves together talking, pausing in mindfulness and connecting with sensations. You may question the systems around you, and wonder about different patterns you might be holding. You may have a reverence for the mysterious, esoteric and dreamlike, while also working to stay grounded in the here and now.

Sometimes we get stuck, in our own heads, in unhelpful behavior, or as a couple. We strive for change but soon fall back into old habits, patterns, arguments or results. "It will be different this time, once again starts looking frustratingly familiar, but only with added dissappointment and sense of repeated failure. To some this may feel terrifying, to others hopeless. Whether you feel exhausted from worrying or trying to please others, or angry and frustrated with the situation, there is help. Toegther we can shift away from bandaid approaches with the goal of root-level healing and change.

I provide a warm, supportive environment that is uniquely yours, dedicated to your life and development. We will pay close attention to your thoughts, feelings and behaviors, helping you to better understand all the different parts of yourself. Together we will identify and explore the patterns of behavior and negative self perceptions that may hold you back from a life of balance, vitality and inner peace.

I welcome you to journey inward with the support of another person by your side. In our work together, I hope to make space for all parts of your experience to come forward, especially ones that have seemed unacceptable or unwelcome in society. My approach to psychotherapy is holistic. It is descriptive rather than prescriptive, and focused on the whole person and their environment.

The goal of our work together is for you to live freely and fully and to reconnect to your inherent power. With a holistic approach and a deep understanding of the process of healing and growth, I offer skilled support and insight. I work relationally because change is hard–care, connection and accompaniment are essential in the process. While I work with you to untangle the feelings that are causing you struggle and pain, we will simultaneously harness the power of healing and transformation.

You never expected this journey to feel this way. The path to becoming a mother or finally settling into the role of raising your child looks so different than you imagined. Negative experiences from the past might be so suffocating it feels like you’ll never break free. The demands and pressure on you keep adding up and you’re trying to balance it at all, but your well-being always ends up on the back burner. You're putting on a brave face for everyone, but inside, you're feeling broken. Honestly, you just wish you could start feeling better or finally get what you've you've been craving for so long.

If you are struggling with difficult feelings or situations I might be able to help. I enjoy connecting with clients and getting to know the uniqueness of each person I work with. I can help you make sense of your life experiences and together we can find new ways for you to be able to cope better and feel more fulfilled in your life. I really enjoy helping people to thrive and become more authentically themselves. My style is collaborative, genuine and interactive. I believe humor can be an important part of getting through difficult times.

I work with elite athletes in CA and NV, at the collegiate, Olympic, and professional levels. I support in the promotion of optimal mental health (awareness of one's emotional experience, tools/skills/strategies, strong support system), and peak mental performance (mental skills training- imagery, goal setting, routines). I assist the elite athlete in designing a high performance mindset that can benefit them in their sport and in life. I am the first ever Mental Health & Sport Performance Specialist for the Oakland Roots SC. I am listed in the USPOC Mental Health Registry. I am also listed in the NFLPA's Clinician Directory.

Concierge therapy offered in Palo Alto, Rockridge & SF locations. You decide on the day, time, location, in-person or online. This modality is for busy professionals/students who want to graduate psychotherapy fast. Sessions are fun and focused. Most clients can graduate from therapy within 3-6 months for life transition problems. For severe trauma and mental health cases, it can a little longer. Specializing in teens, couples and individuals struggling with trauma, abuse, substances abuse, depression, anxiety, grief, suicide, trust, abandonment, severe mental health and anger.

Clarity, growth, and connectedness are our natural tendencies. However, life's challenges can cause us to feel temporarily clouded, stuck, or disconnected from ourselves and others. When these blocks get in your way, what do you do? If you want to return to a state of flow and make lasting changes in your life, I can help. Together we can explore your past memories along with your present-moment experience as inroads to self-discovery and healing.

Are you so overwhelmed that you can't focus on your partner, kids, or other meaningful relationships? Do you feel like letting go of patterns is challenging and find yourself obsessing about your body to the point that eating becomes an ordeal? Do you feel like the past is weighing you down and you can't put it where it belongs, that is in the past? Do you engage in behaviors such as drug, alcohol, or other reckless endeavors that bring about tension and conflicts at home, at work, or other social settings?

In my practice, I see children, adolescents and adults who are seeking help for a variety of reasons. Common areas of need include depression, anxiety, trauma, grief and relationship difficulties. With children, these concerns may express themselves through externalizing behaviors at school and/or at home. I offer an open, non-judgmental, and safe therapeutic relationship. My approach is adapted carefully to individual needs and is inclusive in regard to gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, culture, class, and religious/spiritual orientation. I work with many LGBTQ+ individuals in my practice.

I seek to help people from diverse backgrounds who are looking to liberate themselves from subconscious self-limiting beliefs and patterns and desire to experience more vitality and authentic alignment with who they really are. I specialize in supporting people who identify as healers who support others but don't get enough personal support, people-pleasers, perfectionists, and folks who are burdened with the residue of trauma from difficult life experiences who want to build resilience, or need space to deconstruct/reconstruct the affects of living within failed and broken systems.

Do you have difficulty maintaining healthy relationships? Are you anxious or depressed? Are you having difficulty connecting with others? I am here to support you in expressing your feelings, acknowledging your lived experiences, and navigating relationships.