Substance Use Therapists in Oakland, CA

I am a California licensed clinical social worker with over 10 years of clinical experience. I specialize in working with individuals presenting with anxiety, depression, substance use and mood disorders.

I specialize in the treatment of trauma and PTSD/c-PTSD with adults and LGBTQ individuals. I have years of experience working with people who have experienced traumas like emotional abuse, burnout, intergenerational trauma, attachment trauma, womb/birth trauma, sexual assault and the impact of the criminal legal system. I also support people who are sober, sober curious or seeking harm reduction strategies for substance use .

Welcome! My name is Sukhpreet Kaur, and I am a first generation American. I believe that we are the key to our own healing, therefore it is important to me to hold a space for you that is safe, collaborate, and empowering for healing and exploration.

Sometimes we’re not able to make the changes we want in life without additional support. Congratulations on taking this step! It is a scary one, especially when there can be cultural barriers and stigma to receive therapy. My goal is to support you to remove barriers to growth and change, so you align with your most authentic self, have healthier relationships, and feel a sense of peace. I am dedicated to creating a space that is warm, compassionate and accessible where you feel safe to explore the way in which you can build a more fulfilling life.

A licensed clinical psychologist, I provide psychodynamic psychotherapy to individuals and couples throughout California. I offer compassion, patience, and safety as we endeavor to better understand what has brought you to therapy, and how to move through to something new. My work is trauma-informed and grounded in principles of empowerment.

EMAIL IS THE FASTEST WAY TO REACH ME! If you are new to therapy, struggling with current life stresses, have unresolved issues in your past or simply want to dive further into your capacity for self awareness, please reach out for support! Together we can structure sessions to address what may be preventing you from being your best self. Whether your progress needs to include improved relationships, increased motivation, stronger sense of self-worth, greater career or home success, a reduction of painful emotions or unwanted behaviors; I will strive to help you learn to relate to yourself & others in new, often healthier ways

I want to assist you in examining why you feel like your life is not where you think or sense it should be. Why you have a nagging feeling that perhaps you're wasting time and not living your life in a more deep and fulfilling manner. You may think you're “not good enough,” or “if only this would have/not have happened," life would be different. The activities you do feel banal, going to work/school is dreadful, relationships and family are difficult, and the values and beliefs that once held you have lost their ground. You feel lonely, depressed, anxious, and perhaps substance use is worsening. You’re wondering about doing therapy.

I am a non-judgmental, active therapist, specializing in substance use /addictions, anxiety, depression, trauma, chronic pain and illness, relationships, and work stress. Prior to private practice, I was the Clinical Director at a San Francisco non-profit serving veterans. I enjoy working with adults, older adults, older teens (16+) and couples. Whether you want to get support around new changes in your life that are causing you pain and worry, or work through problems that have been with you for years, my goal is to help you feel relief, feel empowered, and work through the things that are out of your control.

I work with individuals and couples who seek support at making sense out of great and small questions. I provide a safe space to explore feelings, habits (food and substance use ) and experiences that have challenged our expectations and sense of self. I won't shy away from the hard stuff. I am trauma-informed, and can hold your story. I will join you to identify and shift patterns where you get stuck and help you find strategies to deepen communication, repair hurt, and recover creatively. The therapeutic encounter is a unique journey. We cannot control what crosses our path, but we can see ourselves as brave enough to face it.

We all have the capacity to feel a full array of emotions, which serve to both protect us and connect us to others. However, often due to socialization, family of origin, or individual temperament, we learn that some emotions are dangerous to feel and express. Through individual therapy, the therapist is the "trusted other" who can help both acknowledge and witness the emotions that may have been long hidden. When these emotions are uncovered, we can more easily discover our true want and needs.

I provide individual psychotherapy to adults struggling with anxiety, depression, relational problems, work stress, life transitions, and addiction or substance use concerns. I take a collaborative approach when working with clients to identify treatment goals and integrate evidence-based therapies in order to build coping skills and increase resilience. My goal in working with clients is to create a supportive non-judgmental space that is conducive to self-reflection and self-compassion. After all, self-loathing and shame are not motivators for change; they get us stuck.

I have extensive experience working with children, adolescents, adults, families, and couples. This includes treatment for substance use disorders using a harm-reduction model, mental health disorders, dual-diagnosis, severe mental illness, Native American populations, and court-dependent youth. My passion is for people, and believe we all have an intrinsic desire to move toward health and happiness.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who approaches therapy with a trauma informed and culturally sensitive lens. I have been a resident of Los Angeles for five years, and in 2018 I earned my Master of Social Work degree from the University of Southern California. Since graduating I have worked extensively in community mental health settings with adults diagnosed with substance use disorders and severe and persistent mental illnesses, as well as survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse.

As a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist, my practice specializes in working with people who struggle with depression, unresolved trauma, anxiety, family and relationship issues, and life transitions. Effective therapy starts with a trusting relationship. In a safe space where you feel understood and accepted, we will work toward your goals so that you feel empowered to change and can begin to make positive changes in your life. Practice specialties: Teens, Young Adults, Depression, Anxiety, Relationship and Family Issues, Stress, Life Transitions, Trauma, and Substance Use .

Life in the Bay Area is challenging and the additional stress associated with being LGBTQ+, a woman, pregnant, a parent or all of the above can push it over the edge. Sometimes, especially if you didn’t feel protected or cared for as a child or if something bad has happened to you, life can feel like you’re in over your head. Relationships feel out of control and painful, sleeping is hard and you can’t seem to take care of yourself the way you know you should. Emotions can feel like a roller coaster and daily responsibilities like work or kids are overwhelming. It is possible to feel better and good therapy can help.