Therapists in Uptown, Oakland, CA

Hello! Welcome to my personal profile. I am Steve Foster, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist The majority of my experience has been in working with couples, married and otherwise, to improve communication in their relationships. "Taking the war out of words",and learning to take one another's perspective increase the likelihood of success in intimate relationships. I've also worked with those coping with substance dependency. I am a strong believer in the value of family, and in the power of living a clean and sober, recovery-centered life. Please feel free to call me to discuss your concerns.

I look forward to addressing your individual needs. I specialize in treating adolescent issues of all types with a specific focus on depression and mood disorders. I also offer services for people suffering from addiction, in all its forms. I work with adolescence, adults and couples, and of course with the entire family when indicated. I am considered a technical eclectic, which means I use whatever theoretical approach I feel will work best for your situation. We will also draw from film, literature, culture and spirituality in our sessions so that we can make use of your unique personal interests.

I am a change oriented therapist and would like to support you in finding new solutions to old problems. I am part of a group practice that provides individual and group DBT, and I have experience working with addiction/alcoholism, trauma, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and psychosis. My other passion is parenting and pregnancy as I ran a parenting program for 12 years. I understand the stresses facing parents with young children, and will provide a trusting relationship where you can develop skills and experience more joy in parenting.

We all need support during difficult times. If you have a history of trauma leaving you feeling overwhelmed or totally stressed, we can use EMDR and IFS to stop the past having such an impact on you now. Perhaps you grew up in a dysfunctional family and wonder "what's normal, what's healthy?" Even if you don't have major problems, talking through challenges and gaining perspective is important. If you are a parent I have specialized training to help build your confidence as a parent including play therapy for young children. I will meet in person under strict COVID guidelines.

Unpleasant, earlier life experiences often cause mental & emotional scars. Overcoming emotional pain or the effects of generational attachment trauma can feel daunting. I focus on the challenges that Black people & other POC face when approaching relationships, as well as challenges experienced in the workplace. Because the quality of our relationships determines the quality of our lives, both at home & at work. In my work with relationships, I use my understanding of any past experiences of each partner that may be negatively impacting the relationship, as well as any repeated interactional patterns that cause pain to one another.

I believe that we all have more potential than we know, and no matter where we might currently find ourselves or where we have been in the past, we each have the capacity for psychological and emotional growth. I have a special interest and passion providing therapy to couples, and individuals struggling with transition, and experiencing feelings of disconnection, isolation, and grief. In my more than 20 years of working in mental health, most of my work has been centered around supporting people in healing attachment wounds, trauma (complex, historical, intergenerational), and all symptoms that manifest as a result.

Dr. Findley is a Certified Gottman Couples Therapist and AASECT certified Sex Therapist. A UC Berkeley graduate with training and education from Stanford University, Yale University, Harvard University, the Gottman Institute, and Modern Sex Therapy Institute, Dr. Findley uses the knowledge and tools she gained to help others make meaningful change in their lives. She utilizes the latest, most effective treatment.

Over the past 17 years I have been healing the families of Alameda County. I am most known for my ability to reach hard to engage high risk clients in the African-American Community. I believe that my calling is to guide my clients to the roads of self-control, self-love, and self-motivation. Knowing that once one knows and loves their true self they are able to have better relationships with their children, partners, and family.