Eclectic Therapists in Palo Alto, CA

Hello! My name is Judy Craig and I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, licensed in CA, WA, and NY. My goal in working with clients is to offer a supportive, collaborative, and engaging space where together we can better understand the past (family of origin, intergenerational trauma, cultural influences, socioeconomic experiences, etc.), accept the present, and identify empowering shifts in beliefs and actionable steps to repurpose previous thoughts, emotions, and expectations to improve self-image, confidence, and hope for the future.

Therapy shouldn't have to be complicated - it's really about sitting down and talking with another person. What is most crucial - perhaps even more important than credentials and education - is that you feel comfortable with your therapist; otherwise, the therapy won't work. I am a licensed marriage and family therapist (in Texas and California) as well as a certified alcohol and drug counselor. I have been in practice since 1994 and work with individuals, couples, families, and adolescents.

I offer holistic integrative psychotherapy for adults and couples, helping bring integration and wholeness to all major dimensions of our humanness: mind, heart, body and soul. My style is warm and unconditionally accepting, open-minded and open-hearted. I am always honored to be of help supporting each person in her or his unique journey towards happiness and life satisfaction. I have been fortunate to receive the 'Best of Palo Alto' Psychotherapist award for 2014 and see clients in my Rockridge-Oakland and Palo Alto offices. My approach is both pragmatic, offering near term relief, and deeper change, growth and transformation.

Are you feeling overwhelmed or stuck? It takes courage to ask for help and commit to making significant life changes, so I commend you for taking the first step on your journey. Often my clients are struggling with limiting beliefs and old patterns of behavior that are holding them back. My approach is warm, authentic, and interactive and my goal is to support my clients on a path to healing and a more fulfilled life. I am unique in that I balance listening with offering concrete tools and interventions, and am straightforward when I sense resistance or ambivalence that might be keeping the client from moving forward.

I work mainly with adults and couples suffering from the effects of childhood emotional neglect, physical, and sexual abuse. I help individuals and couples separate from their Childhood wounds that prevent them from being successful in their present life and relationships. I use the tools of psycho-education; hypnotherapy; imagery; anger release therapy; chair work; personality testing; career testing; journaling; as well as group therapy to enable individuals and couples to accomplish their goals.

Welcome! I specialize in helping couples and individuals overcome the roadblocks they face in the most intimate aspect of their relationship: the intersection of their humanity and their sexuality. In my years of work as a marriage and family therapist, I have found that sex is often about the full spectrum of life-issues which we encounter as human beings.

It has been my privilege to provide counseling and psychotherapy services to individuals and couples for over 20 years. I work with clients experiencing a wide variety of issues including anxiety, depression, life transitions, stress related to work, family, or relationships, parenting, grief and loss, addiction, and medical and aging concerns. I view therapy as an active partnership in which my clients and I work together to identify core concerns, solve problems, and reach goals. With guidance and support, my clients make the changes they desire to feel healthy and satisfied.

As an integrative therapist I combine tools from cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic, interpersonal, and mood regulation therapies. I treat adults and older adolescents battling mood, anxiety, eating, interpersonal and life transition challenges. I consider treatment options as they relate to a patient's needs given the empirical support available. I find the psychotherapy process to be most effective when done collaboratively. For the past 22 years in addition to maintaining a private practice, I worked as a Clinical Associate Professor at Stanford's Department of Psychiatry until July 2015. I was trained at UCLA (Ph.D) and at Oregon Health Sciences University (post-doctoral fellowship).

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” —Viktor Frankl. Suffering comes in many forms. Mainly, I believe it comes from how we relate to ourselves and to others. I hope to help you develop tools and insight to manage challenges and stressors to help you learn how to suffer less. My goal is to get to know the essence of who you are and understand how your life and experiences have brought you to this moment.

Dr. Smith is a licensed clinical psychologist whose patients include adolescents, adults, and families. She uses insight-oriented and supportive techniques to help patients work through difficult events and feelings. While Dr. Smith defines herself as a generalist in the field of psychology, she does have areas of further experience, including but not limited to the following: Depression, Anxiety, Anger Management, Drug and Alcohol Treatment, Academic or Work Difficulties, Parent/Adolescent Conflicts, Family Conflicts and Resolution of Grief Issues. Dr.Smith also works with Transgender and Gender Diverse Children and Adolescents.

Our relationships, work, and health can be stressful or fulfilling. There are specific, practical, scientifically proven methods for increasing happiness, success, and well being for yourself and in your relationships and significantly reducing anger, anxiety, stress, job loss, relationship conflicts, and hypertension. I have 15 years of clinical experience in bringing together best practices that work! I teach Stanford University's courses in Wisdom, Emotional Intelligence, Career Development, and related Research regarding the best and most practical methods for effectively reducing anger, anxiety, and stress, and significantly improving personal and professional relationships, health & well being, and professional goals and success.

For more than 15 years, I am practicing in the field and guided by the goal to help people gain hope and relief in their lives. Life can present us with challenges; we sometime struggles with stress, difficulties in relationships and overwhelming life events. If you are interested in productive and meaningful change in your life I would like to invite you to work with me.

Relationships can be hard. Partners struggle with communication, conflicting parenting styles, sexual expressions... Life's challenges, hurtful fights, history of trauma or infidelity make it difficult to sustain trust and closeness. How can you create desired connections, and not lose yourself in the process? How can you be true both to self and to your partnership? I invite you to explore these questions together with empathy and curiosity, letting go of habitual judgments, self-deprecation, and shame. I work with individuals, couples, and families. Both traditional and alternative lifestyles are welcome, and no issue is a taboo.

I believe everyone deserves some time to sit down with a strong listener and/or problem solver about their life. The feedback that I receive is, that I empathize & mirror the key issues quickly and help you brainstorm. I then help you get at "reframing" the negative situations and help you motivate and prioritize what is needed to do to actually change. I can work well with all mood issues, chaos, panic, addictions affairs and all relationship issues. Every session you should walk away with substantial suggestions to help in different areas. I also work with work ADHD, parenting, and women with breast cancer.

Welcome to Life Empowerment! Would you like to experience more satisfaction and meaning in Life? I offer counseling, coaching, and consulting services for personal/professional well-being in Life. I am best-suited for those interested in a coaching-style of therapy (i.e. strength-based, solution-focused, body-oriented, attachment-informed (EFT), ACT/CBT/DBT, and Mindfulness-based approaches) with a touch of curious playfulness. What this means is: I am your compassionate collaborator on your healing journey in Life -"la Vie"!

Are you concerned about your relationship with your partner, your children, or your job? Have you tried to figure it out but can't seem to make sense of why things aren't working? Do the evenings and weekends with your family seem like a chore? Do you feel stuck and want to do something but don't know what to do? Somatic psychotherapy is a way of getting things moving, feeling more connected to yourself and to your world, and creating the space you need to grow and thrive!

Are you or is someone you love struggling and trying to find help? Are you worried about a child who is unhappy at school, has trouble making friends, or seems sad or anxious? Are you feeling disconnected, stressed, or hopeless? Are these feelings and worries making it difficult for you to be the kind of friend, spouse or parent you want to be? Perhaps you are unsure how to help your child or yourself cope during this difficult time. I hope to provide a safe, caring, empathetic space so together we can explore and understand all of these difficult feelings.

The search for a therapist can be a daunting task filled with anxiety and skepticism. I believe the therapeutic relationship starts with comfort and trust, and it is important to feel a genuine connection with your therapist. It is important to feel valued and respected by your therapist as you may disclose the most vulnerable aspects of your life. With the right connection, you can feel supported to explore parts of you otherwise locked away.

Are you struggling in your relationships with others, or with how you view yourself? Do you have problems at work, or are you grappling with a loss? Many times we may feel unhappy, or bland but are not clear about the causes and what we can do. Personal growth is a lifelong process, and at times, choosing to embark in a psychotherapeutic relationship can help. We all have the capacity to better understand ourselves and improve our lives. In our work together, you would begin to understand the relationship you have with yourself and how you navigate other relationships.