Adults Therapists in Downtown, San Jose, CA

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.

Do you feel as though your experiences have left you fractured, disconnected or lost? We can’t erase them, but together we can help you make sense of your history and heal painful emotional wounds. My treatment is based on trust and safety: understanding how these may be difficult for you and finding ways to develop them with me. With this foundation, my patients find that they are able to gain new understanding of and compassion for themselves as multifaceted individuals. Our therapeutic relationship will be dedicated to holding space for all parts of you and your story, especially those that feel too challenging to explore alone.

My approach to therapy consists of creating a strong therapeutic alliance between myself and my client. I believe that the core of therapy works through the rapport built and feeling of safety my clients have in my space. I value building on strengths and I believe my clients are better able to do the hard work of therapy through understanding their strengths. I utilize a trauma informed and multi-cultural lens through my work to help clients process/understand difficult pasts, while also highlighting the importance of how race and ethnicity plays a factor in our views of the world.

Are you feeling stuck or overwhelmed? Do you long for a greater sense of well-being and fulfillment in life? When our needs are unmet or injured, it can result in distorted thinking and ineffective behaviors. We may feel unable to move past anxiety, depression, grief, fear, despair, anger, or trauma, and move into self-protection, isolation, or avoidance in order to cope. By creating a nurturing, nonjudgmental environment where it's safe to express feelings and emotions, I believe that we will identify root issues and move beyond coping to restoration. Contact me for a FREE 15-minute phone consultation!

I would like to acknowledge and welcome you for taking a bold first step toward your wellness and recovery journey. My goal is the prevention and reduction of risk factors for emotional and behavioral problems and the promotion of metal health wellness. Utilizing evidence-based practices, I will work with you to help you learn to manage your difficult emotions and develop tools that work for you. I believe once something becomes shareable, it becomes more bearable.

Now we, as a community, are moving into a new phase of living. I want to use my training to help my clients find their peace and strength to survive these trying and stressful times. My ideal client is someone who wants to explore their “negative” stories about themselves; explore your anxiety or find clarity of what they want in romantic relationships. I am also available to meet online. As an employee at Process Therapy Institute, I have access to many compassionate and wise therapists to share their wisdom.

I view the therapeutic process as a journey I travel with each of my clients. I aim to provide an open and nonjudgmental environment, which helps facilitate the development of insight into oneself and experiences with others. By providing a sense of acceptance and understanding, I aid each client in realizing their inner strength to enact the change desired in their lives.

I like to offer you a safe and compassionate space to explore your relationship with yourself and the significant people in your life. Together we can support you to develop clarity on what you want/need and how to express/communicate them to your family, friends and coworkers. Through psycho education and examination of how your past experiences/attachments have shaped your behavior and the lens from which you see the world, you can make the changes you hope for and heal from past traumas. I have faith in your wisdom to develop a healthy relationship with yourself and others.

As a licensed marriage and family therapist, I warmly welcome clients from diverse backgrounds, including those who've faced homelessness, incarceration, and trauma. My expertise enables me to compassionately assist individuals dealing with anxiety, depression, substance use, and adjusting to change or loss. I provide a secure and accepting space for those feeling stuck, guiding them towards positive steps in their lives. My non-judgmental approach fosters a therapeutic environment where all clients find support and healing. Together, we navigate life's challenges, promoting growth and resilience.

My clinical philosophy is to approach you as a whole person and not just your target symptoms. Empathetic and thoughtful, I tailor a personalized, cutting edge treatment plan specifically for your needs and level of readiness. Although typically described as gentle and warm, I offer tough love too as I will hold you accountable as you work to confront your fears. Together we can uncover what is stopping you from living according to your values and help you to remove those barriers. Ultimately I will help you to achieve measurable progress toward your goals.

——Currently accepting new clients—— Working with me is easy. We’ll have a conversation, but one that puts you into deeper touch with yourself: your thoughts, your feelings, your goals, your unhealed wounds. Together, we’ll talk about these and we’ll figure out what in your life is limiting you from feeling as good as you can. Then we’ll walk through the steps of healing and overcoming them.

I want to work closely with my clients to develop a collaborative and respectful relationship. Clients who are facing difficulties in their lives, and who feel that they need to make changes in their relationships with others and with themselves, will find in their work with me a compassionate, supportive, non-judgmental and empathic listener.

I graduated from the University of Luton in England and continued her education, earning her Master’s Degree in Marriage, Family, and Child Therapy from the University of Phoenix. I am a licensed marriage and family therapist with a background in crisis intervention. I began my career as an MFT, working in an emergency shelter program for survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking with substance abuse and severe mental health issues. I provided individual and group therapy in residential and outpatient transitional housing programs.

I see us each born with a sense of ease, a sense of knowing that we are loved and worthy. Life sometimes challenges us with more than we can manage. We endure events and experiences that feel like cuts and bruises and we have to find ways to navigate threats to our well-being. Sometimes these cuts feel so deep that we’re not able to easily heal and we cringe in pain each time someone, knowingly or not, touches one of our open wounds. The pain can be unbearable and until we mend and heal the source of the suffering, the symptoms may persist in the form of physical, emotional or spiritual pain.

I am an Italian who has been living in The Bay Area for the last 40 years. I am fluent in English, Italian and Spanish. I have extensive experience and training in Hakomi, Somatic Based Psychotherapy and EMDR. I have more than 15 years of experience with Santa Clara County, Department of Families and Children Services, providing support and services to individuals, children and families who have been involved with the Child Welfare System. I also have 5 years of experience providing therapeutic services at a Medical Hospital Specialized in Treating HIV/AIDS patients who suffer from Addiction, PTSD and Trauma.

Are you feeling anxious or overwhelmed? Have you tried everything you can think of to solve the problem, change your circumstances, or just feel better on your own? If you're deep in the mire of anxiety and depression, trying to make a positive change, or just barely managing to make it through the day, it can be tough to think that things could be different. You can feel frustrated, disconnected, and stuck. Getting the right support can be the ticket to moving out of being stuck and taking steps toward living the life you'd like to be living.

We all have moments when we struggle with emotions and stressors that seem overwhelming at the time and take us away from enjoying all that life has to offer. Utilizing my more than 22 years of experience and training, I will work hand in hand with you to understand and address the problems that have prompted you to seek help. I create a safe and non-judgmental environment to support you or your family as together we discover a path for your healing, growth and change.

I work with couples, individuals, and teens seeking help with relationships, grief, anxiety, low self-esteem, anger, or depression. If any of these make some days a struggle or keep you from enjoying life, I'd like to invite you to talk with someone with compassion who can appreciate your struggle. Counseling can bring real change to reach decisions, manage conflicts, handle stress, improve relationships, or work on deeper personal matters. You'll feel truly heard and valued as we explore as much or as little as you want at a pace and direction of your choosing.

Need someone to talk to? I'll give you every ounce of my undivided attention and help you conquer your challenges. I'll provide a haven for you to freely express yourself, process your problems and part with your pain. If I have the opportunity to work with you, I won't see you as a diagnosis, I'll see you as a human being, just like me, on a journey through life. My approach is holistic and humanistic and my presence is warm and engaging. My method is practical, results-focused and non-judgmental and has been shaped by a life of athletics, the arts, meditation, fatherhood and travel. I'm here to help you build the life you want.