Therapists in Oakland, CA

The past 22 years I've seen an eclectic group of clientele: men, women & couples of any gender/orientation who want to improve their sexual lifestyle. I've helped men overcome ED through increasing their self confidence and women who want to feel more sexually in charge. I've seen over 25,000 couples throughout every stage of their relationship whether single, dating, married, or exploring and experimenting couples to ones who are curious how to stay together and keep the chemistry strong. My clients include stay at home moms, stressed out executives, artists, entrepreneurs & communities: LGBTQ, BDSM, & Transgender Families.

I am not your run of the mill therapist. Oh sure, I listen well and am very compassionate and calm. But I just don't sit there and ask you how you feel. I do care about your feelings but I am more curious about your experience and how we can increase your awareness so that you can make helpful and inspired choices. As you can imagine I help people deal with any issue you can possibly think of- from depression to life transitions to the loss of a loved one or trauma.

You have lost so much in your life, but your biggest loss has been your sense of self. Early on, you learned that it wasn’t safe to be who you are, or be in your skin or your body. So you run away from yourself and become an overachiever in work and in relationships. This hustling for worthiness has left you feeling abandoned and exhausted. You want to trust. You want to heal. You want to be able to dive deep into the beauty of life and laughter that you know is around you. Without knowing yourself, what your heart sounds and feels like - how will you build satisfying relationships and create a life that truly fills you up?

INDIVIDUALS (couples below): Energy Psychology is a group of self-calming practices involving breathing and touching one’s own face and body. Scientific studies and clinical experience are confirming that Energy Psychology can help with anxiety, relationships, and trauma. You will learn practices to calm down during a conflict, sleep better, or let go of things that bother you. These practices help you by enhancing nervous system regulation, changing the way your brain stores upsetting memories, and bringing in more happiness and focus. You'll learn practices to use at home, in moments of stress or to start your day on a good note

You are unique, and therapy should be, too. I specialize in supporting people who have had experiences or identities that are beyond mainstream culture's rigid boxes. I’m a Certified EMDR Therapist with extensive knowledge in Somatic Therapy and Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). Rooted in a compassionate and non-judgmental approach, I use well-researched methods to help people deal with PTSD, anxiety, and events that have upended life.

As a person originally trained in psychodynamics, I care greatly about the experiences and relationships that have shaped you. I am currently perusing more training and consultation in Internal Family Systems and trauma informed approaches. Of primary focus, in my work with clients, is the therapeutic relationship. It is here that our patterns of relating often reveal themselves. Through the safe container of therapy, I invite my clients into new ways of being that invite more creativity, flexibility and deeper relationships.

Finding the right therapist can be hard. Maybe you're facing difficult experiences of grief and loss, serious illness, or family conflict. Maybe you're wrestling with depression or anxiety. Or maybe you just have a general sense that your life has lost meaning and direction. Whatever brings you in, I'll offer a warm-hearted and positive space for us to learn together about your particular situation, and about the possibilities for healing and transformation that can be found within it. Having someone to talk to makes a real difference.

Do you have relationships in your life that are not working, and no matter what you do, it doesn't seem to get better? Are you looking for a partner, but find that it never seems to work out? Do you feel disconnected from others and are longing for relationships that are solid and fulfilling? Relationships take work and psychotherapy is an opportunity to understand who you are in relationship and how to create and healthy and supportive connections. I work with both individuals and couples to explore, cultivate and sustain intimacy.

Are you looking for a new creative way to deal with difficulties in life and get in touch with your best self? Do you feel like you’ve tried everything with your child, but they struggle to benefit from traditional talk therapy? As art therapists, we incorporate talk therapy with art making to help our clients unlock their creative potential, look at problems with fresh eyes, and develop new creative coping skills for managing with difficult emotions. If you or your child is feeling blocked by past trauma, stuck in destructive patterns, or overwhelmed by depression or anxiety, then I encourage you to reach out. You are not alone.

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.

Have you recently experienced a traumatic loss and are feeling lost and overwhelmed with grief? Are you in the midst of a major life transition with your career or relationship? Perhaps you are an artist experiencing a creative block? Art Therapy may be the answer for your or your teen. As an Art Therapist, I specialize in guiding clients through grief and loss, life transitions, trauma, anxiety, depression, ADHD, and blocks in creativity and self exploration. I help my clients to harness the power of creativity to deepen emotional exploration and uncover feelings that may be challenging to otherwise articulate with words.

If you're looking for a therapist, there's a good chance you're having a hard time or want to make changes in your life. That's where I can help. I provide a supportive environment for you to work through the thoughts, emotions and beliefs that may not be serving you. We will develop a plan that fits your lifestyle and puts you on a path toward the fulfillment, ease and well-being you deserve. I will accept you as you are, and help you become who you want to be.

I find it effective to combine behavioral solutions with depth work. Since the unconscious ripples into all aspects of life, I have found that relational therapy addressing unconscious motives can help with most psychological difficulties. In addition to working with individuals, couples & families, I am adjunct faculty at the California Institute of Integral Studies where I teach in the Masters in Counseling Psychology Department and Psychological Services Clinic.

Carl Jung said, "I would rather be whole than good." Very often we put pressure on ourselves to "be" a certain way, so much that life can start to feel like acting versus living. This pressure tends to place stress on individuals and can often lead to anxiety, depression, and stress. I believe that therapy can be a tool to take off the masks we have learned to put on and begin to live from our whole self; finding freedom and our creativity. I believe that through compassion for all the parts of ourself we step closer to freedom.

It's possible to have a fulfilling, meaningful and joyful life. I create a safe space for you to explore how your life experiences shaped your view of yourself and others. As a result of childhood abuse or neglect, intergenerational transmission of trauma and ongoing injustice, we can develop negative beliefs about our worth and what the world will provide for us. These often unconscious thoughts and behaviors helped you survive and even thrive but may not work well now. As humans, we go through many times of growth where we shed what doesn't fit, so we can become even an better version of ourselves.

I specialize in both individual trauma and grief work, as well as work with couples. I am a certified Emotionally Focused Couples Therapist, (CEFT) and I specialize in working with couples to address and remedy destructive communication, breaches in trust, infidelity issues, premarital counseling, and sexual incompatibility. My approach helps couples to reestablish a sense of connection by allowing couples to better understand the areas in their relationship where they have difficulty feeling that they each see eye-to-eye, by facilitating clearer communication of what both are needing from each other in order to feel more connected.

Bienvenidos/Welcome! I am a bilingual/bicultural Spanish-speaking therapist located in the East Bay area of California. I have been working with children, teens, and adults of color struggling with an array of concerns including anxiety, depression, relationship satisfaction, life purpose, trauma, postpartum depression, and spirituality, related to life transitions, family stress, trauma, and grief. Although my work has focused on the unique needs of minorities and underrepresented individuals, being a member of that community is certainly not a requirement for your personal development.

The health of an individual informs and inspires the health of the community. Are you, or a loved one, experiencing anxiety, depression, chronic irritation, grief and loss, fear or stuck in a pattern that no longer serves you? I am a healer and psychotherapist with over 20 years experience serving adults, adolescents and families impacted by interpersonal, community and historical trauma. I am committed to fostering healthy communities and families by supporting individuals and couples to access healing that reveals wholeness. Regardless of the past, you can experience a sense ease and wellbeing.

I specialize in effective couples therapy. I work with adult individuals, and men with issues in the area of sexuality and intimacy. In working with couples I focus on self-responsibility, communication (listening when listening is hard, self revealing instead of finger-pointing), expectations, self-awareness, and remaining intimate through difficulty. Throughout the whole process I integrate a focus on kindness without abandoning or avoiding the truth. I also specialize in assisting and supporting both men and women with building the skill and ability to feel and share their feelings effectively in intimate relationships.