Therapists in Oakland, CA

You realize what you're doing no longer works for you. You are ready to learn new coping skills and techniques to reduce stress and anxiety. Life transitions have led you to this point, and you are seeking therapy to assist you in healing and moving forward into the life you want to live. You long to thrive! I believe that each person carries the resources within themselves to create the life they envision. You will learn to access your inner resources to navigate life experiences and deepen your connection to Self.

Therapy is a highly transformative and fascinating process. It has the power to heal, enliven, and repair. I enthusiastically invite you to begin this process with me. My warm, engaging, curious, and playful approach can help you feel like your personal experience and unique point of view is consistently appreciated. From this place, you may begin to feel more empowered and liberated in your life. I am a doctor with over 20 years of professional experience treating adults, couples, and adolescents.

Sometimes life brings us challenges that are difficult to negotiate on our own. My clinical approach can help you find new ways of experiencing yourself and approaching life's challenges. I have over 25 years of clinical experience working with individuals and couples. My approach is gentle and effective and includes psychodynamic, somatic, cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness therapy practices. I am a trauma-informed therapist with specialized training in attachment trauma, complex trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as anxiety and stress reduction.

As a clinical psychologist I specialize in treating anxiety and depression in the context of trauma, work stress, relationship problems and family conflict. I help people deal with issues including grief and loss, substance abuse, domestic violence, and childhood trauma. My approach is to seek immediate reduction in symptoms while carefully addressing long-term, underlying problems.

The combination of strong anxiety and strong intellect poses special challenges for those caught in the crosshairs. I help individuals with active, analytical minds to work through anxiety-related problems such as panic, worry, avoidance, and compulsive thoughts or habits. My approach is warm, practical, and evidence-based, grounded in both mindfulness and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

WELCOME to Gaylesta: The Psychotherapist Association for Gender and Sexual Diversity. Our members provide mental health services including therapist referrals, education, and consultation. We offer a wide range of specializations, allowing us to serve as a unique resource both the LGBTQ communities and to other service providers. Explore our site to find a therapist, learn more about us, or become a valued member.

Damaged relationships with the world and our families can affect us deeply throughout our lives leaving us feeling isolated, uncomfortable in our bodies and generally unsafe. Our energy begins to decline along with our enthusiasm for life. Its confusing. We quietly stonewall everything and everyone while wishing for the right partner, right career and right friends. Feelings of insecurity, loneliness or shame can spiral into deep bouts of depression, acting out, despair and suicide. Prioritizing the needs of everyone else can lead to unhealthy behaviors and choices supplanting authenticity and joy, while swapping virtual reality for real relationships and happiness.

I work with individuals who want to overcome persistent behaviors, thoughts and emotions that inhibit their ability to live a life they love so that they have meaningful relationships, deeply fulfilling work and self-confidence. My approach is based on the belief that in order to benefit from therapy the therapeutic relationship must be grounded in direct communication, collaboration and compassion. You need someone to be real who will both challenge and care for you. My patients often reflect they are relieved to finally work with someone who engages in conversation and shares responsibility for the progress of each session.

Welcome to my practice. I have been in practice since 2007 and have been featured on ABC, NBC, and KCAL as an expert psychologist. I work primarily with men who have hit “rock bottom” and would like help getting up. These men are often in crisis when we first meet. The issues I address are typically related to unhealthy sexual behaviors, infidelity, financial recklessness, gambling, drugs/alcohol, dishonesty/lying, and relational conflicts. My therapy approach is a combination of psychoanalytic, cognitive-behavioral, and the 12-Step recovery model. I also share insight from my own painful but redemptive recovery journey.

My background is in Health Psychology and I bring a Mind-Body perspective to my work. With any change comes growing pains, which is why I specialize in working with professionals navigating important life transitions including career decisions, romantic relationships, friendships, and adjustment to parenthood. Often individuals present questions on how they can feel more fulfilled or satisfied in life. Or how to grow in confidence, or become more grounded in oneself. Many look to find better ways to find meaning and fulfillment in our Modern, Technology-Focused culture.

Welcome, I work primarily with clients that are within the LGBTQIA+ and Kink/BDSM communities. I also am body positive, sex positive, poly positive, geek/nerd positive, and trauma informed. I feel that the therapy space should feel safe and build on your strengths. If you’re here, you’re probably struggling with a significant burden in your life. Whether it’s anxiety, depression, trauma, or even difficulties with relationships, I want you to know that researching your future therapist is a great first step. In fact, having a good relationship with them has been known to be a major factor in achieving progress in your therapy.

Offering CA-based Telehealth ideal for BIPOC: Black, Indigenous, &/or People of Color, including white-passing & mixed-race BIPOC. Also welcoming Families & Partnerships with 1 or more BIPOC in regular attendance. I offer Xychotherapy: psychotherapy that recognizes therapeutic experiences existed long before psychotherapy was invented, and incorporates psychotherapy into global therapeutic wisdoms and practices.

People search for therapy for various reasons. Most often these reasons include feelings of sadness, experiencing difficulties adjusting to life changes, difficulties dealing with chronic physical pain, emotional pain, trauma, depression, anger, stress and anxieties. Perhaps you are trying to heal from a difficult relationship breakup, leaving you feeling sad and defeated. It could be that you are a part of a newly formed blended family, living together for the first time, and instead of joy you are experiencing chaos. You may be seeking help, because your spouse has received orders for yet another deployment with the military.

My main goal in the therapeutic relationship is to provide a safe, non-judgmental, trusting environment where individuals can explore their feelings in their search for a more fulfilling life. I provide therapy personalized to your unique situation and needs, treating each person’s problems within the context of each circumstance. I will work towards developing a relationship with you where you can feel safe to express your thoughts and feelings and what is holding you back from living life more fully. I am not just a passive listener, I will give you feedback in a direct and honest way.

**Accepting New Clients** Feel cared for and heard, experience a safe and authentic connection, find clarity, heal from a past or more recent traumatic event. As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Provisional Art Therapist and Mindfulness-based Practitioner, I offer a person-centered, strength-based holistic approach to healing. In addition to traditional talk therapy, I work with the creative mind, this work includes art and expressive mediums to understand how our earliest experiences in life create the implicit, behavioral patterns that we can potentially carry with us for a lifetime.

I am a licensed social worker with 8 years of experience providing grief support and counseling to clients in need. I received my Bachelors degree in social work from Stephen F Austin State University and my Masters in social work from the University of Texas Arlington. I am a passionate and empathetic counselor that has experience helping children, families and individuals working through grief and loss.

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.

Psychotherapy can alleviate psychological pain, help you know yourself better, and create opportunities to build healthier relationships. We will work together to get to know you, paying attention to your cultural context. This endeavor can bring to your awareness important unnoticed or unnamed patterns that have been causing you pain or difficulty. Most importantly, sharing your story with someone who empathizes can bring great relief.

Going into psychotherapy or coaching should be like putting the finishing touches on your life. My goal in working with clients is to assist them in discovering their strengths so they can use them to create the life they most desire. I believe clients move towards growth when time is right. Most clients enter therapy or coaching when they have reached a critical life transition. In our work, we will explore how your thoughts, behaviors, and emotions are all connected. As a result of our meetings, you will gain tools to feel better, more confident, and satisfied with your life.