Therapists in Oakland, CA

You are here! The first step is often the hardest step. In Black and Brown communities seeking mental health treatment is taboo. Stigmas attached to therapy are REAL! Let's work on building a better understanding of what it truly means to be 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? In constant state of turmoil? These are all normal feelings. Internal struggles rooted in our childhoods show up as chaos in adulthood. It is okay to work on YOU! I can help.

I believe that therapy is a sacred space in which the client-therapist relationship can be reparative. I offer tools around self-regulation, body scan meditations, and other techniques to soothe the nervous system. If you are dealing with PTSD or past traumas I provide a safe place for you to unpack your feelings and memories, while learning to soothe and empower yourself. Two important factors in healing trauma are learning self-soothing while uncovering a narrative (of what happened) that makes sense to you.

I use a warm, down-to-earth approach in my work with children, teens, adults and couples. I collaborate with clients to develop a whole view of challenges and strengths, which is informed by my wide breadth of clinical experience across the lifespan. I have expertise in working with infants and parents, developmental disabilities, trauma, and both anticipated and unexpected crises across all ages. I integrate these perspectives so that I can attune to your needs and provide responsive support. My hope is to help you water the seeds of your inner strengths, push through stuck situations, and live with more connectedness and vitality.

I believe that understanding and compassion are vital for building trust, mutual respect, and openness, all of which are essential in forming a therapeutic relationship that can encourage change. My style in therapy is a mix of person-centered, solution-focused, cognitive-behavioral, and psychodynamic theories. With children I utilize a variety of expressive therapies including play, art, narrative, sand tray and bibliotherapy. In working with children, adolescents and adults, I use a cognitive behavioral therapeutic approach.

When individuals, couples, families or children make the difficult decision to come to therapy they are usually feeling stuck and often scared. Each of us has our own strength and wisdom which we don't see when we are troubled. My goal is for us to work together to rediscover those qualities. I use a cattail plant as a symbol of how I see therapy. Why? Cattails are found stuck in a marsh and often regarded as weeds. But when looked at carefully they are graceful and strong. Let me help you find your strength and grace.

I have extensive experience working with adults and children as young as 3. I specialize in helping children other therapists describe as "difficult to treat," including children who are traumatized, emotionally unregulated, physically aggressive, or have difficulty connecting with adults and caregivers. I will work with your child whose needs have not been met in schools or by other therapists. I help children through play, physical movement, games, art, and words. I help overwhelmed parents with sound psychological guidance. I have fourteen years' experience and I teach and train other therapists.

Your body is always communicating information to you, and your emotions are the messenger. Maybe it's the consistent feeling of overwhelm, or the throws of depression. Maybe you are experiencing physical pain as a result of emotional pain. Whatever it is, I believe in the wisdom of your body and I want to help you become an expert at your own body language so that you can have more autonomy over your life.

If you find yourself seeking new ways to be in relationship to your life, yourself and others, the sensitive and attuned psychotherapy I provide can help. Using inquiry, dialogue, guided imagery, Enneagram explorations and the arts, we can work together to explore and untangle your distress and illuminate the creative solutions that lie within you.

Finding the right therapist can be daunting, and for some, it can be the most difficult step. I offer a free 15 minute phone consultation so that you can assess if we are the right fit. I work with teens and adults presenting with concerns such as depression, anxiety, trauma, grief/ loss, chronic health concerns, relationship issues, and life transitions. In our work together we will explore your strengths and root you in them. We will define your values and explore how to live your life in harmony with them. We will also create space for the areas in your life where you want change and navigate the path to get you there.

You may have a goal of living a meaningful life in all of its richness - and are seeking help with mental health concerns, such as depression, anxiety, trauma, and/or somatic concerns. Childhood or long ago emotional wound may continue to impact present day relationships, and/or day to day life. Or, perhaps, more recent incident(s) of distress or significant strain? A collaborative person-centered approach can help with self-reflection and exploring your life experiences, while working towards your goals, and healing.

My approach balances compassion with being direct. My clients experience care, acceptance and belonging, while also feeling challenged the right amount to grow, change and decrease suffering. I offer empathy while actively engaging my clients by setting weekly treatment goals, building coping tools/resources, and providing skills/knowledge to build self-awareness and integration. We are deeply influenced by our cultural identity and heritage. I am committed to the values of respecting and celebrating diversity, and supporting social/political policies of equal rights and opportunities.

Are you experiencing marital conflict? Do you worry about how conflict with your mate affects your children? I have over 20 years experience working with clients dealing with a wide variety of issues, including family conflict, divorce, child custody, parenting issues, depression, addiction, and anxiety. Research has proven that the parental relationship directly impacts a child's self esteem and social skills. I am a warm, dynamic and solution oriented therapist. I work along side you, to help you identify and overcome the problems which are causing pain in your life.

I am bilingual in Spanish, and offer therapy for individual adults, couples, families, teens, and children 6 and older. My specialties include trauma, interpersonal violence (IPV), and loss, especially for human beings who have experienced displacement and/migration. I offer services for expecting and new mothers to aid in the transitions and attachment issues that arise. Also I am interested in bridging periods in human development. I embrace a culturally humble stance, and am LBGT welcoming.

I am a licensed psychotherapist working with individuals, families, couples, adolescents, children, and groups using EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy,Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and humanistic modalities.I embrace cultural diversity and am experienced with treating a broad spectrum of clinical issues such as trauma/PTSD, anxiety, depression,addictions,grief and loss, marital, relationship,life issues, and stress management among others.I work with all ages, starting from age 3 on up.

I believe patients come to us because they feel grief, anxiety, depression and traumatized or alienated from themselves and others. The suffering you experience comes in many forms and you do not always have the words to say what you feel. I specialize in working with adults and adolescents whom have experienced trauma, depression, anxiety, creative blocks, ADHD, chronic somatic pains and/or are experiencing grief and loss. I also work with couples and families. I have a specialization in expressive arts therapy and sandtray for those who may have difficulty expressing their feelings, memories and experiences through verbal means.

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.

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.

I am an experienced children's psychotherapist, with a private practice in Alameda and have provided therapeutic services for children, teens and families for 20+ years. I have been able to help families deal with a variety of issues including trauma, loss, family-conflict, children/teens with learning disabilities and a variety of behavioral issues, as well as familial substance use issues, post-divorce issues, severe anxiety and depression.

Are you tired of feeling misunderstood and disconnected? Sometimes it feels like the world will only accept you if you fit in a neat little box. I can help you reconnect with the parts of your identity that have been overshadowed by outside expectations. As a biracial tri-cultural woman of color, I am uniquely qualified to provide a compassionate, non-judgmental space to explore your identity and create the life you want and the relationships you desire. I work with people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds and spiritual orientations.