Trauma Focused Therapists in Santa Rosa, CA

Hello and welcome! I use strength-based practices to support clients in building self-compassion, self-awareness and personal strengths to heal and relieve psychological suffering. I'm a bicultural/bilingual (Spanish-speaking) psychologist, and enjoy working with children (ages 5 and up) and adults on issues such as anxiety, depression, trauma, and abuse.

Trauma is not what happens to you. Trauma is what happens inside you (as a result of what happens to you). -Dr. Gabor Mate.

Relationship is regulation dependent. Do you suffer from chronic dysregulation? Do you need support with healthy, connected relationship? I can help you find the peace that you long for. I can assist you in giving and receiving the love that gets pushed away, due to dysregulation and pain. I am adopted. I am an adoptive parent, as well as a step parent. I both live and work with intensive treatment special needs children and families. Childhood developmental complex trauma hits hard; relationships need regulated individuals to be safe and enjoyable. Learning to calm down, be mindful, and enjoy life takes practice and skill.

I’m a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Certified Child and Adolescent Trauma Professional and have been practicing for over 5 years. I have a passion for working with teens, children, young adults and families. I have spent the last 4 years of my career working in Residential Treatment supporting children and teens that have complex trauma and a variety of mental health concerns including: PTSD, attachment challenges, grief and loss, panic disorder, anxiety, depression, mood disorders and ADHD.

"Sometimes when you're in a dark place you think you've been buried, but actually you've been planted"--Christine Caine. There is something painful in each of us that is waiting to be retrieved, healed and shaped into something beautiful. Our grief and longing draw us closer to our truest selves and help us surrender to being reshaped. Are you aware of what is withering inside of you to make room for the flowering of your Truest Self? Together we do more than just "fix" what troubles you...together we "craft the medicine" that truly heals.

In need of a safe place to process a new or ongoing challenge? I am here to support you.

At times in life we experience suffering and struggle. Therapists can help navigate the complexities of life, our patterns, struggles, and pains. I can help clients find balance and relief as well as a sense of hope and purpose in life. For thirty-five years I've helped many find their curious and awake mind, and the wisdom of the body experience. The process of unraveling struggle, reprocessing trauma, learning skills, and awakening is a beautiful life-affirming one. I use ancient traditions such as mindfulness, and current findings to help my clients find their vitality, awareness, and well-being.

I provide quality mental health care for diverse populations. As a mental health therapist, I assist many by providing bilingual and bicultural therapy, consultation, coaching, workshops, presentations and more. I have over 20 years of experience working with children, youth and families in Sonoma County and beyond. I work with a variety of issues including anxiety, depression, relationship problems, life transitions, work/career changes, intergenerational trauma, the acculturation process and dealing with everyday stressors. I work with adults, children, and families, and have experience with diverse populations including BIPOC.

Many of my clients are people who despite their successes, still find themselves saddled with a fierce inner critic. They may struggle with feelings of anxiety, or low self esteem. Sometimes people begin therapy with me because they feel disconnected from their passion and purpose in life or they wonder what holds them back from having more satisfying relationships. With help you can learn how to feel calmer and tame the critic. By paying skillful attention to your feelings we will uncover the blocks that keep you from being fully engaged, allowing you to reclaim your zest for life.

I specialize in helping my clients manage stress, create emotional stability, heal trauma and improve their relationships with themselves and their loved ones. As a yoga instructor, when appropriate, I integrate mindfulness techniques, and yoga into my work with clients (yoga therapy.) I am a certified EMDR therapist. I work with PTSD and attachment traumas.

Finding the right therapist is so important! Over and over studies show that you feeling understood by your therapist is the best indicator for how well you will do in therapy. It is important that you feel like your therapist 'gets' you, that you have a safe place to be fully you, and that you feel like you and your therapist are working together to help you feel fully alive.

My practice specializes in mental health, family life, trauma and addiction recovery for teens and adults. I am experienced in treating co-occurring issues of addiction, depression, anxiety, grief, life transitions and trauma. I have worked with pervasive mental illness, substance abuse, eating disorders, mood and anxiety disorders as well attachment wounds and early childhood trauma. I help families and individuals untangle relationship and behavioral patterns and find new ways of relating to self and others, regulate emotions, identify core values and make meaningful and positive life changes.

Many of us reach points in our lives when we feel anxious, overwhelmed, depressed, or just generally unhappy. Making the choice to go to therapy can be a difficult decision. However, once that choice is made, it sets the healing journey in motion. With this one decision, you will have the opportunity to explore those places within yourself that need tending in a caring, supportive environment. My practice is guided by the idea we sometimes need support, and by working collaboratively we will find the tools and insight to build a foundation for a more productive and satisfying life.

Are you overwhelmed and stressed with life's challenges? Are you seeking relief from the constant worries or sadness that keep you from feeling satisfied in your life? I offer a warm and compassionate space for you to share the challenges you are facing. It can be a great relief to know you are not alone, grappling with life's complexities. Together we can explore the patterns of thinking, feeling, and behavior which may be keeping you from stepping into more fullness in your life and relationships.

Sometimes looking for what you need is harder than you thought. Our Keystone team provides services that meet people in the different stages in their lives and goes along side you through your own self-determined growth process.

Are you searching for ways to understand and connect with yourself and others? Do your emotions sometimes feel overwhelming? I believe that within each of us is the capacity for growth, healing, and connection and my role as your therapist is to support you in uncovering and anchoring in this experience within yourself. You may be suffering with loss, loneliness, depression, anxiety, losing a sense of purpose or belonging or you may be grappling with the after-effects of traumatic experiences in your life, and a return to wellness is possible.

Psychotherapy can offer a process to better understand the relationship between our thoughts, feelings (emotions and physiology), and behaviors. I work with people from all walks of life and specialize in treating anxiety, depression, grief/loss, trauma, career/identity issues, and adjustment difficulties related to life transitions and illness. Some of my therapeutic goals include helping clients manage symptoms of distress with healthier coping, improving relationships (with self and others), and exploring the ways in which current problems may be linked to unresolved issues from the past.

Therapy is about a relationship. It's about your relationship to yourself and finding ways to move out of stuck places. I want to get to know you and help you know yourself better. I'd like to help you find some tools to help yourself. Non-judgment, awareness, acceptance and willingness are characteristics I'd like to help you develop. I have experience working with anxiety, depression, divorce, work stress, trauma and codependency. Creating a safe space for you to look at your issues is my goal.

Life can be difficult. You don't have to go it alone. My approach is engaged and practical, with the goal of meeting you where you are. My work is grounded in the belief that the relationship between therapist and client is the foundation for therapeutic change. With couples, I incorporate the work of Sue Johnson/EFT, Dan Wile and The Gottman Institute. Prior to working as a therapist I enjoyed an extensive career in the business world. In Sonoma County since 1993, I hold an MA in Counseling Psychology and a BS in Business Administration. Grounded. Collaborative. Creative. Respectful.