Therapists in Saint Elizabeth, Oakland, CA

You don’t need to suffer so much. In these uncertain and unsettling times, I create the safety to explore difficult feelings and navigate challenges in relationships, work, health and spirit. For over thirty years, I have helped couples and individuals let go of the unnecessary suffering that comes when we try to escape the realities of our lives. While I work with a wide variety of clients and issues, one aspect of my approach never changes – we seek truth. I have found that being with the truth of our lives is the most reliable path to positive and lasting change.

I am a relationship therapist. Utilizing secure, flexible, state-of-the art, online video therapy, I help couples in relationship distress. Many of the couples I work with come to therapy feeling lost in conflict cycles which they don't understand and desperately want to change. I understand how much courage it takes to reach out for help and to let another person get inside your relationship, especially when you are feeling hurt, discouraged, angry, or humiliated. If you are searching for a safe place to explore what's not working in your relationship, and support in creating solutions, please contact me.

I truly enjoy helping people move from a depressed, anxious or troubled state of mind to one where goals are set and achieved, relationships are thriving, and one is engaged in life like never before. I love to help people understand why they are struggling or stuck in unhealthy patterns, and how to use that knowledge, along with their thoughts and feelings, to guide them to change for the better.

I believe that the most effective route to change and healing is through self awareness, I strive to work towards that end in all the therapy I do, both with couples and with individuals. I have found that there is no more powerful tool for breaking old patterns and affecting real change than self knowledge. With people who are curious and willing to look inward, I can help them do deep work and find out who they are and why they do the things they do..

"I see things differently." I see you fully able to achieve your goals. I see you as one who likely needs a non-judgmental place to talk about things: your future goals, how drug/alcohol use, etc fits w/that future, & how you see yourself getting there: abstinence, sober curious. moderation. I'm a collaborator, one who's committed to listening deeply & providing a space to talk about anything, for individuals/families/all. I am not a therapist; my main focus is on today & tomorrow though we may visit the past. And I follow the science of change & addiction; it shows there's no one way to recover/change & that's great news!

Whatever your current struggle, loss, transition or self-limiting behaviors are, I am committed to helping you access your own wisdom and healing potential. I am interactive, supportive, engaged and solution-based, tailoring interventions to your personal needs. Goals can include helping you: Find personal freedom, hope, and self-compassion that are the calling beneath fear/anxiety; Become happier and stronger as you navigate through loss and change related to career, relationships, aging, etc; Find balance in your life and what really brings you passion and joy; Relinquish problematic behaviors and beliefs and find a more workable and heartfelt connection to yourself and others.

I'm not the stereotypical therapist who will listen to you and then reply with "Uhmm hmm. And how does that make you feel?" I prefer to be real, interactive and engage in a conversation with you. My hope is that collaboratively we can generate creative solutions to the issues that brought you in to my office. I enjoy working with individuals, couples and families. I believe that people are more than the sum of their problems and I approach my relationship with you from this perspective.

I have over 20 years of experience working with adults, children, adolescents, and couples in a variety of settings. My approach involves warmth, honesty, insight, compassion, and humor. My philosophy is grounded in the core Humanistic principles of genuineness, empathy, and respect. Through my work, I have helped people from diverse backgrounds achieve improved health and move toward greater satisfaction in their lives and in themselves. I encourage individuals to tap into their own inherent strengths to find new, and more constructive, ways of navigating life's problems.

I work with you to help you identify your real issues, and honest feelings about yourself, your life, your loves,your work,your family. I'll help you create real goals unlock emotional skills and intelligence to accomplish them. If you want to find out how to get practical skills and solutions to your issues, call me and set up a meeting.

Trauma takes many forms; often in the guise of unprocessed grief and loss. Loss of employment, financial insecurity, divorce, separation, domestic violence and abuse; all must be mourned. We become stuck; often not understanding our own reactions to people, places and things. Our partners, children, colleagues and superiors can appear to feel unfairly entitled to what we have to offer. Our ability to tolerate distress is limited.

Have you been feeling hopeless or unsupported? Have you been depressed or anxious? Is your wife, husband, or partner not willing to talk with you about problems you've been having? There's professional, empathetic, supportive, and good-humored help available. We're a group of therapists who help adults, teens, and children face difficulties and dilemmas. We also help couples with conflicts of all types, including infidelity, who may want to save - or simply improve - their relationship.

Working with individual adults and couples, I have 35 years experience supporting men and women who want to heal and grow. Stress, depression and anxiety often stem from relationship and workplace concerns. My couples counseling focuses on communication skills. To help heal childhood pain, I use varied modalities, including trauma work, EMDR , Adult Children (ACA) work, and parent/adult child conversations . Another specialty area is adults with addictions, family members with addicted loved ones, and codependency. I support the changes that come with each decade of life, along with retirement , aging and end-of-life issues.

In my work with individual adults, new parents and couples who are struggling with all sorts of life-stressors, I have found the most effective approach to be one that is warm, collaborative and process-oriented; where the client(s) feels seen, heard and understood. Studies show that the one of most important ingredients in therapy is the relationship between therapist and client. I agree with this wholeheartedly and work from that perspective. Attachment, Family-Systems, Relational and Psychodynamic theories are all woven together to inform my work, as well.

I understand you want to change something; possibly many things in your relationships, in yourself, and in your work and that you are both fearful and hopeful about coming to therapy. I will help you to resolve underlying conflicts, relieve symptoms, and discover what feels meaningful and enjoyable. My personal style reflects who I am in warmth, compassion, knowledge, and authenticity. I work with individuals, couples, and families, using an interactive approach that focuses on long-term psychotherapy as well as short-term strategic problem solving. Through this unique process you will achieve your goals and live the life you desire and deserve.

I work with individuals, couples, and families, on facilitating communication, conflict resolution, and often healing old wounds from childhood that cause difficulties in present relationships. I also work with children and their families on parenting issues. I work with couples having infertility issues and adoption.