Therapists in Pleasanton, CA

I have many years of experience in providing psychotherapy to teens, adults, couples and families. With Couples, treatment issues may include pre-marital or marital concerns such as unhealthy or difficult communication, infidelity, trust, conflict around equality, in-laws, finances and intimacy. With individual adults, my specialities include depression, grief and loss, stress/anxiety, trauma, and life transitions (work, family or self related). With teens, my experience encompasses delinquent behaviors, trauma, substance abuse, self-harm, depression, ADHD, OCD, identity issues, school problems and parent-child conflict.

Are you looking for a couples therapist? Are you and your partner living parallel lives? Have you lost a sense of connection and intimacy? Are you trying to recover after an affair? Do you find yourselves frustrated, arguing about the same things over and over again? Is it hard to see eye-to-eye on parenting, finances, or division of labor around the house?

Are you feeling low on energy and lacking the motivation to do anything? Do you feel tense or “on edge” throughout your day? Maybe you are feeling hopeless and sad but aren't sure exactly why. Do you feel disconnected in your relationships? These problems don’t have to follow you forever. I support my clients in developing improved relationships in their lives, positive mindsets, increased motivation and more. In my practice, I focus on treating the whole person- not just their symptoms.

My goal is for us to work together short-term based on needs and goals we identify at our first session. My clients learn skills immediately and reduce their symptoms quickly. I have 26 years of experience using Biofeedback and teaching coping skills with many different disorders, cultures, and individuals (adults/kids) & families. I have seen people improve the quality of their life and reduce conflict and suffering. I work with at an Integrative Health Center and we are open and knowledgeable in finding multiple and non traditional solutions so you can move forward and improve your mind and body.

Welcome! You have taken a big step in creating a better, more fulfilling life for yourself. Seeking psychological services takes courage; I respect and honor this as you embark on your journey. My style is compassionate, interactive, and collaborative. You can expect me to listen supportively at times or ask questions or offer suggestions and homework at other times. Therapy is an active process and I enjoy collaborating with each client as a team to reach the goals we have agreed upon.

I am eager to treat diverse children, adolescents, and/or adults, as individuals, couples, families, or groups. My Specialization is in health psychology/behavioral medicine, i.e. eating disorders, stress management, chronic illness, chronic pain management, sport psychology, grief and loss - including of a pet, and I bring forth significant experience with developmental delays/learning disabilities, testing/assessment, adoption/foster care, mood/anxiety disorders, trauma, divorce, substance abuse, and other life transitions. Additionally, I am open to providing consultation for interns taking the licensing exam or tabulating hours. Seeing my clients start life with renewed vigor is incredibly rewarding.

I strive to compassionately work with clients to reveal their true self by identifying the patterns and obstacles that often create internal stress and interpersonal conflict. I work with adolescents, children, and adults. I specialize in working with adolescents and young adults with moderate to severe psycho-social difficulties. I have expertise treating depression, anxiety, mood disorders, trauma, substance abuse, self-harming and psychotic disorders. As a community mental health psychologist I am able to collaborate with educational, legal, and psychiatric professionals. I also provide psychological evaluations, as wells as workshops for parents and trainings to professionals.

I am a Stanford trained licensed clinical psychologist with a specialization is in eating, anxiety, sleep and mood disorders. I have extensive experience in conducting individual, group and family treatment in multiple settings with individuals across the age spectrum. I have a strong background in research-primarily in the areas of treatment of eating disorders and obesity. This foundation of knowledge is invaluable as it fuels my clinical practice and it informs my decisions regarding my ability to provide optimal patient care. Therapy is a collaboration. My style is active, warm and compassionate.

Change comes from within, my role as a therapist is to join with clients on their journey to discovering and utilizing their own resources of strength to achieve overall emotional well-being. Serving as a compassionate other, I apply myself from a mindful, strengths-based and trauma-informed lens to work with clients on developing a meaningful process of being and healing. With a passion for and dedication to fostering authentic relationships with clients and a strong belief in the powers of human resiliency, I provide a safe, open, non-judgmental space of healing.

The journey from childhood and through adolescence is complicated. Social, academic and athletic stressors are frequently overwhelming. The result can bring tremendous pain and confusion to an entire family. I have extensive experience clarifying the source of a problem and consequently providing appropriate treatment. Play therapy, individual talking therapy, family and/or group therapy are all possible tools in the healing process. Past work has equipped me with strong knowledge in each of these modalities. My goal is to provide the best treatment solution.

Perhaps you have tried talk therapy before and it didn't feel productive or inspire you to change or reflect in new ways. Or perhaps you feel like you often don't have the words to describe how you feel, or aren't ready to verbally share about your challenges or difficult experiences. Individuals who can relate to these sentiments may greatly benefit from working with an Art Therapist. Through a combination of talk therapy and creative techniques I will support you in reflective and problem solving processes that will be different, productive and sometimes even playful.

Sometimes you feel like you can't breathe. There are so many demands and not enough time to get it all done. You feel like you're just surviving and wonder how you got here. Thoughts of "what about me and what I want and need" seem selfish which drives you deeper into despair. Negative thoughts, fears, feelings of hopeless can shake foundations and relationships.

With over 25 years of experience and a Dual Ph.D. in clinical and industrial-organizational psychology, I offer mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral therapy to adults, couples, adolescents, children, and families. I combine skills training in emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and mindfulness to help clients with moodiness, irritability or anger, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, racing or worried thoughts, ADD/ADHD, insomnia, relationship conflict, weight gain, or loss, substance abuse, self-injury, or other self-destructive behaviors.

Therapy looks different for different people. I believe that the most effective form of therapy is one where the therapist and the client can have a collaborative, authentic relationship. I work from a holistic, integral model of therapy. I incorporate a psychoeducational approach into my practice, offering an individualized collection of resources and interventions. I am passionate about facilitating client insight and well-being. It is my privilege to be welcomed into your world and to become a partner in your healing.

Is substance abuse preventing you from having the life you want? If yes, you’ve admitted the problem. The toughest step toward recovery is the very first one: recognizing that you have a problem and deciding to make a change. It’s normal to feel uncertain or torn about whether you’re ready to make a change. Committing to sobriety involves much change, including: the way you deal with stress, who you allow in your life, what you do in your free time, and how you think about yourself. Recovery requires time, motivation, and support, but by making a commitment to change, you can overcome your addiction and regain control of your life.

You may experience emotional pain at times, as we all do. You may even have deeper emotional wounds that still need healing, but you don't have to endure unhappiness. YOU DON'T HAVE TO SUFFER. Let's work together to bring the joy back. True, life can get really tough. But psychology research tells us that you can improve emotional well-being and obtain the resilience you need to deal with the tough times, often regardless of challenging life circumstances. By using your strengths, increasing relational connection, positive experiences and engagement with what you value most you can find satisfaction and meaning in life.

I believe you are your own source of strength, healing and recovery. I will empower you to find the wellness that lies within. My name is Elizabeth Purto Bahner, the therapist of Wellness Within Counseling. I am a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor who is here to help you face a difficult time or make a change in your life. I have over 9 years of mental health field experience including working with individuals, families, children, young adults and specialized populations like the Assyrian community, the LGBTQ community, postpartum and new mothers. I speak Assyrian fluently.