Black and African American Therapists in Oakland, CA

The first step is often the most important step. You are here! In Black and Brown communities seeking mental health services is taboo. There are all sorts of stigmas attached to therapy. Let's work on building a better understanding of what it truly means to be mentally healthy. Feeling lost, stuck or confused? Having trouble communicating your needs? Finding it hard to set healthy boundaries? Need help setting goals? Suffering from anxiety and depression? These are all normal feelings, at times we all struggle to express ourselves, it is okay to put your needs first. It is okay to work on YOU! I can help.

My framework as a psychotherapist is inspired by black feminist sci-fi writer, Octavia E. Butler who saw the possibility of many more worlds than just our own. I believe that transformative internal healing is critical to envisioning and building these worlds without the presence of imperialism, white supremacy, capitalism and cishet-patriarchy. The tools I use to support the exploration of individual, interpersonal and intergenerational trauma are shaped by abolition that rejects punitive and scarcity mindsets and disability justice which strives to value every body.

I am dedicated to providing culturally responsive and identity-affirming therapy to BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities. More specifically, I focus on Black women and other Women of Color. I work to create a space where you can feel validated and empowered by acknowledging the issues of power and privilege that affect women and other people whose identities have been marginalized in our society.

I work with a diverse clientele and specialize in providing social justice oriented psychotherapy to Black people and other POC, as well as members of LGBTQIA+ communities. I provide culturally responsive therapy, which focuses on the strengths you already have. I tend to use a cognitive-behavioral theoretical approach (CBT), while also paying attention to your environment and access to social support. I work with you to build a safe space where you can share your experiences without the fear of being judged, and where you can focus on becoming clear about what you want, and how you want to go about making that happen.

We all can benefit from having a space to discuss our thoughts and learn more about ourselves. But deciding to go to therapy can be hard. My experience is working with Black , Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. I have worked with people with various issues including, with anxiety, depression, stress, relational issues, social/racial identity, people pondering life choices, grappling with belonging, dealing with health conditions, struggling with sleep, the elderly, engineers at NASA, and people in the Silicon valley technology community. We all need to be listened to and heard by others.

Life is full of challenges that generate varied degrees of stress, anxiety and depression, even substance abuse. Challenges may include: Personal and family relationships, finances, career, illness and loss of creative engagement with your self and the world. Psychotherapy can offer time and a special place for self discovery, reflection, revitalization, resilience, insight, empowerment and access to your creativity; creative expression and creative living. Our lives can be what we imagine and want them to be. We can develop our active imagination to envision a life of purpose, meaning and the joy we are meant to have.

My work has focused on repairing relationship bonds. Please view my Website at www.paultgulloryphd.com for more details. I am Certified in Emotionally Focused Therapy both as a Trainer and Supervisor. This means I have successfully under taken rigorous advance training and been approved by the International Centre for Excellence in EFT. I am the author of: "Emotionally Focused Therapy with African American Couples: Love Heals. I am dedicated to helping couples address and resolve conflict, repair emotional injuries, and revitalize their bond. I also offer Masters level Training in Emotionally Focus Therapy.

My commitment as a psychotherapist, social worker, and social justice advocate is to explore the depths of transgenerational trauma and peel off the layers of oppression and cultural conditioning so that we can relate to our true self. My experience is working with Black , Indegenious, People of Color (BIPOC), Veterans, immigrant and refugees from Iraq and Syria, foster youth, and LGBTQIA struggling with anxiety, depression, PTSD, stress, and relational issues. I am committed to treating trauma and am certified in Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

I enjoy working with folks who need support in managing a wide variety of issues from self-esteem and identity concerns to the stress of dealing with multiple roles, relationships, and life demands (as students, partners, friends, parents, new professionals, family members, community activists, etc.) My clinical interests include multicultural and women's issues, racial/ethnic identity development (especially among biracial/multi-racial/ethnic/cultural individuals), sexual and gender identity development, adjustment and transition issues, and building healthy relationships through assertive communication and positive self-esteem.

I believe we are all whole but sometimes life circumstances, the way we grew up, the way we are treated by society/systems based on our identities, etc. can cloud the way in which we see ourselves or which tools we have access to. I specialize in working with clients who have experienced complex trauma due to race, gender, sexual orientation, abuse, violence, historical events and poverty. My hope is to help create more tools, help unpack the trauma, identify YOUR strengths and your understanding of yourself and help you navigate the world in a way that feels true to YOU.

I’m excited to meet you! Therapy is a relationship. I believe in empowering my clients and helping them to take a collaborative role in their mental health care. Listening and getting to know you is crucial. I work with Black clients, LGBTQIA+ clients as well as clients from diverse backgrounds and use my training and understanding of human development to inform my therapeutic work and help my clients identify and understand their challenges so they can set meaningful goals. I work from an integrative perspective that incorporates diverse evidence based practices.

We work with a diverse clientele and specialize in providing social justice oriented psychotherapy to Black people and other People of Color as well as members of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQIA+) communities, neurodivergent clients, performers, educators, professionals, and caretakers. We provide culturally responsive and affirming therapy, which focuses on the strengths that you already have and work with you to build a safe space where you can share your experiences without the fear of being judged. Then we help you to focus on your aspirations, and how to make them real.

I enjoy working with people who want support as they engage in self-exploration and attempt to make sense of the complexity and intersections of their identities, including race and ethnicity, spirituality, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. I also believe that it is important for the people I work with to approach therapy as more than a culmination of sessions, but as part of a lifestyle and commitment to take time and space to prioritize one’s health. Additionally, I understand the power of self-study and that my role as a psychologist is to provide guidance and reminders as people connect with themselves and others.

Deciding to engage in therapy is an important step in one’s life and I am honored by the opportunity to join in this journey with you. My work with clients begins from a place of genuine curiosity and authenticity. As a relational-cultural narrative therapist I believe that the person is not the problem. The problem is the problem and we work together to develop and implement effective tools aimed to address the problem. People are also defined by stories. When these stories become problematic, people can become stuck. Together we will examine these stories and help you develop new and healthy stories for your life.