Therapists in Santa Cruz, CA

Sometimes hurts get stacked on each other & we assemble a life that protects against the pain, so it doesn’t ever hurt like that again. But in that process of armoring ourselves, we build a structure that also limits our capacity to enjoy life. We each have a much more unconstrained life that wants us to live it. By knowing ourselves through discovery, we work to be accountable to our own position & condition in life, forgive ourselves & others, & create a life that rewards us for this beautiful & courageous effort. Sessions will likely include mindfulness, humor, creativity, compassion, empathy, accountability, & problem-solving.

I accept Central Ca Alliance insurance as well as others, see below. I have a few openings available to meet online in the mornings, Wed through Sat. I work with symptoms of anxiety, panic, sadness, grief, and depression. Many of these issues contribute to social challenges and relationship conflicts with friends, family, and partners. They can affect self-esteem, self-image, work productivity, personal boundaries, and healthy communication. I am passionate about social equity, social justice, and the empowerment of women. I am committed to allyship with the LGBTQ+ community and other targeted populations.

People seek therapy for all kinds of reasons, but common to all of them is the fact that their life is not working as well as they want. This can be for a multitude of reasons; anxieties, depression, relationship issues, lack of fulfillment, purpose or meaning. Psychological symptoms are signals that alert us to examine the obstacles that hinder us from moving through life more freely with a sense of aliveness and agency.

I work with individuals and couples to untangle from patterns of drama, criticism, and codependency. I teach clients how to turn arguments into proactive conversations with win-win solutions. Our work together can include healing past hurts and trauma, feeling more sexually connected, and creating positive life changes. I am most interested in supporting my clients in finding relief from suffering and being truly happy.

We've all had moments when we felt lost, confused, stressed, depressed or anxious and longed to feel better. I believe that within every person is a core foundation of strength, and that with guidance and support we can use that strength to find health and happiness. I am a licensed clinical psychologist with over 20 years experience helping people cope with emotional distress and discover a better quality of life. My approach to therapy involves working with you to create a set of strategies and skills to help you move forward toward better emotional, spiritual, physical and mental health.

I feel strongly that we have the capacity to heal and thrive within the context of safe relationships. For this reason, I am passionate about offering therapeutic services to assist in exploring strengths, gifts, and complex challenges. At this time I work with adults and adolescents seeking therapy for a range of issues including relationship challenges, depression, anxiety, trauma, and parenting.

I help adults who are overwhelmed by anxiety and depression and struggle with trauma, grief, and loss. Using mindfulness, self-compassion practices, CBT, and EMDR, I help them enhance their inner skills to navigate adversities and strengthen their capacity to stay grounded. Through our work together, my clients regain a sense of ease and inner peace and rediscover joy and meaning in their lives.

The Beginning of Wisdom is Self Awareness." This simple statement is a lifelong process, and central to the work I do as a psychotherapist. Taking the time and space to know ourselves can be exhilarating, but it can be daunting and sometimes terrifying when done alone. Working with another person through the complexities of our lives makes this endeavor richer and much more satisfying. My work with clients is intended to be a shared, collaborative experience.

I believe the most important element for positive change is the relationship between the therapist and client. If the client can truly trust their therapist, he or she can allow themselves to explore, heal, and integrate all aspects of themselves. This leads to a feeling of wholeness and relief from anxiety, depression, low self esteem, and other issues. I use intuition and compassion, in addition to my training and education. I care about my clients, and feel honored to witness their efforts to grow and change. Buddhist philosophy informs my overall orientation towards the enduring resilience of the human spirit.

Are you in emotional pain, numbed out, or in conflict and want to change that? We all learn patterns of relating to ourselves, others, and the world that may no longer work. This can show up as relationship difficulties, depression, anxiety, grief, emptiness, confusion, or a lack of direction and meaning. I help folks experience more ease, joy, connection and the ability to live the life of their dreams. I am a relational therapist, curious and compassionate. I facilitate exploration, healing and growth, as we uncover your powerful, authentic self from which you are able to live your best life and contribute your unique gifts.

Life can be hard but I'm guessing you already knew that.  All the hard stuff can leave us feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, or sad. Sometimes life's challenges become too difficult to overcome alone. Finding a safe and collaborative place to explore and address what is troubling you is the first step toward healing.  Perhaps you are struggling with anxiety, depression, grief, or challenges within a relationship. While there are no guarantees of what you will experience in therapy, research shows that therapy helps people. It works. Psychotherapy can elevate feelings of self worth, purpose, and improve your overall quality of life.

I am an experienced therapist who has the natural ability to make almost anybody feel comfortable. I have a compassionate and relaxed personal style, which can be good potential fit for therapeutic work with people of many ages and backgrounds. Along with working with individuals, I enjoy working with the interpersonal where there is often powerful opportunities for change. I work well with couples, because I am able to see multiple points of view and I have a disarming presence, which makes me easily approachable.

I have been practicing psychotherapy since 1988 and I love my work. I work with adults who suffer with depression and anxiety, trauma and grief. I also have 25 years of experience helping people become free of eating disorders and body image problems. I love to work with adults in transition. I no longer treat children and teens under 18. I am practical, generous and warm in my style. I believe that our struggles can be used to shape us into wiser, more empathic, loving people. I never blame people for their suffering, I don't like theoretical models that do. I live in Santa Cruz and work entirely on Zoom.

Dr. Black specializes in trauma, TBI/concussion, insomnia/sleep issues, anxiety, depression, and coping with chronic illness. The therapies Dr. Black specializes in are biofeedback, ketamine assisted psychotherapy (KAP), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), existential therapy, motivational interviewing (MI), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT),and cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I).

Congratulations for taking a step towards creating change. Finding a therapist can be challenging and it is important to find one who is right for you. I offer a free introductory session which we use to get to know each other. Clients often come into my office feeling hopeless or nervous, but usually leave feeling more hopeful and relaxed. I love to see people grow and thrive with the support of therapy. My style is warm, empathic, and collaborative. In our work together we draw on your strengths and wisdom and my goal is to empower you to create a more joyful and fulfilling life.

Personal, professional, family and community issues can be challenging. Compassion, honor of the unique individual, plus methods to navigate positively, heal wounds, make wonderful shifts needed! People seek ways to change emotional, spiritual and mental habits internally, while navigating real life difficulties. Honor for your sensitives and uniqueness is given here. I have effectively helped people from a vast array of cultural backgrounds to find ways to healing and positive life change. I go deeper than talk therapy offering all kinds of tools for change from IFS, to EMDR, to hypnotherapy, to somatic to expressive, and more.

At points in life we all find ourselves in a place of not knowing. Not knowing how to manage feelings, thoughts, and experiences; not knowing what to do about or how to recover from life events; not knowing how to be with others or with the difficulties that arise from being alive and human. I view therapy as a tool for healing and healing as something that begins when we learn how to listen to and relate to ourselves differently in times of uncertainty. I help individuals, couples and families of diverse backgrounds and identities transform how they relate to themselves and to others in a way that opens the door for healing.

Are you are unhappy with aspects of your life, struggling to break free from old patterns, and unable to move forward? My approach is collaborative, supportive, non-judgmental, and based on your unique needs. I work with a wide array of concerns including anxiety, depression, relationships, self-judgment, loss and grief, addiction and compulsive behaviors, trauma, spirituality, and purpose. I am trained in Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy and have helped many clients recover from food, body image, and exercise addiction issues by reconnecting them to their emotional experience rather than their obsessive thoughts.

I am a Jungian psychologist specializing in psychotherapy for depression. Also, I am a licensed psychologist and have been licensed in California since 2002. Jungian psychology can be an effective approach for dealing with a wide variety of psychological problems, but it is particularly effective in working with depression. In general, Jungian psychotherapy helps a person lead a deeper and more meaningful life. Oftentimes symptoms brought into psychotherapy, like depressive symptoms, have deeper, symbolic meanings that encourage a client to grow. Once the purpose of a symptom is understood, the symptom often decreases in severity, or goes away altogether.