Play Therapy in Saratoga, CA

Life transitions usually become more stressful and even intimidating when doubled up with unprocessed trauma. Anxiety, stress, fear, anger, low self-esteem, grief, and/or depression are just some of the symptoms. Our brain is an incredible processing machine, which digests and organizes our experiences. But life encounters are just too many. Much of our experience, including childhood trauma, family of origin and attachment issues, can be frozen in an unawakened state. As a therapist, I work with clients to promote the processing clients need for emotional release and healing.

Finding the right therapist is important. The fact that you're on this site shows that you may be searching for help or relief from everyday problems. In therapy, you can learn new and important things about yourself and others, identify and change negative behaviors or thoughts, and explore relationships. If you're a parent, maybe you're struggling with how to help your child who is experiencing difficulties with attention or organization at school, feelings of anxiety, worry or anger or doesn't know how to share painful memories.

I believe therapy is about getting to know yourself on a more intimate level. I listen in a caring, compassionate and non-judgmental way that allows you to see more clearly what your issues are about. i hold space with the awareness that you are a soul with the wisdom and intelligence to deal with whatever life is offering you at the moment. i am highly skilled with working with people looking for self-actualization, therapists in the making and those interested in self-growth and transformation.

Navigating life’s ups and downs can be challenging. Taking a pause and realizing that you aren’t living the life you want is an important step. As a therapist I recognize that moving towards change can be difficult on your own. I respect that it takes courage to reach out for help. Many of my clients seek out therapy to address stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and/or the impacts of trauma. They have come to understand that they are stuck in some way and want movement in a new, healthier, more fulfilling direction.

I bring empathy, compassion and 30 years of experience to my holistic work with adults, children and teens. You are unique and my intent is to listen for your strengths and build on the positive as we gently remove blocks, trauma, thoughts, stressors and old relationship patterns that are holding you back. My style is warm and interactive and I incorporate my own intuition and creativity as I help people to make meaningful life changes.

I work with adults, teens and children as young as 3 years old. My work with children relies heavily on play and metaphor to unlock deeper layers of a child's psyche. Teenagers tend to need a safe, private space and having someone understand what they are going through and providing supportive listening and feedback. Adult therapy often explores strengths, core wounding, the private inner narrative, the stories we tell ourselves, and the energies we have carried with us possibly since birth. I find that often, seemingly maladaptive behaviors are simply ways we have learned to get our needs met and survive in a complicated world.

Mustering the courage to begin the process of relational healing is not an easy move, yet here you are! Your curiosity in starting this journey might mean that you desire change & personal growth in your life that you no longer wish to go through alone. I would like to ease your doubts & concerns by providing a safe place where we explore the experiences that matter to you most while building a relationship of trust & respect along the way. Together, we can discover the fundamental issues that have created barriers in your life, understand how they have affected you, & set goals for improving your quality of life & well-being.

Struggling with a mental health or emotional issue? A difficult child/teen? In your relationship? Difficult life transitions? Addiction issues? Gender Identity? Family reunification? I can help you overcome your problems and embrace a healthier lifestyle. You deserve a therapist who will truly strive to understand the way you think. I will take the time to understand your thought processes, emotions, fears, and concerns. Of course, seeking therapy is not always easy; but you deserve to get the help you need to live a happy, fulfilling life.

We all go through ups and downs and it's okay to be not okay, I am here to help. I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and have been in the field for 5+ years. You might be thinking "What can she do anyway? I've done this before; I've heard it all." Or, you have never been to therapy and would like to give it a try. Either way, I am glad that you are here and would like to help you to begin the journey to heal.

I help patients solve their emotional and psychological problems. They learn tools to overcome depression, anxiety, and stress and are facilitated in stopping inappropriate use of food, alcohol and drugs. Parents and stepparents learn skills to become more effective. Patients acquire methods to re-parent themselves as well as techniques in how to be more satisfied in their personal and professional relationships. Individuals gain insights that enhance their ability to feel more confident and be more productive by setting goals to achieve positive results and outcomes. Children and adolescents learn to improve their relationships with themselves and build better social and interpersonal relationships.

Are you concerned for your children in an ongoing high conflict divorce or another highly distressing situation? I consult, support, offer parent/child coping strategies to prevent longterm effects of severe stress & trauma for children/affected others. Even the youngest can demonstrate remarkable resilience. We attend to their confusion, impaired awareness, degree of distorted cognition. Parents cultivate enhanced attunement, insight, learn to see beyond children's distorted appraisal. We co-create more accurate thinking, safer, more healthy relationships, make space for more realistic understanding, provide predictability, constancy, enhanced trust, explore feelings, support emotional regulation, form new, hope-filled stories to replace frightening, traumatic ones.

Each of us are unique individuals; complex and ever-changing. We are often affected by family, relationships, work, and even spiritual dynamics. I strive to understand my clients' point of view so that I may collaboratively develop a treatment plan that is as unique as they are.

Are you experiencing challenges with anxiety, depression, stress, or trauma? Do you find yourself in a relationship that is distressing, overwhelming, or distant? Emotional and relationship struggles can leave you feeling stuck. You want relief and change. Therapy can help you address what isn’t working, what is missing, and what needs to shift. In therapy you can learn to recognize your emotions, regulate, and become more emotionally present. You can take steps towards honoring your own needs within relationships and creating healthy boundaries.

Is there conflict in your home or in your relationships? Do you suffer from feelings of anxiety or depression? I am a holistic psychotherapist who considers the whole person — body, mind, spirit, and emotions — in order to achieve growth and wellness. I integrate a variety of effective psychotherapy methods tailored to meet your individual needs, which will help you to increase awareness and actively challenge any roadblocks that may be getting in the way of your healing. I will help you discover your natural strengths and resources and improve your relationship with yourself and others.

A positive therapeutic experience consists of rapport building and establishing a strong connection with your therapist. Kate is passionate about providing honest and open therapy that helps clients explore their lives and move towards change. As a systems based therapist, Kate likes to process a person’s upbringing and childhood experiences to understand how they affect their current relationships today.

Are you or your child struggling with anxiety, low self-esteem, or emotional pain? Do you and your spouse fight all the time or have difficulty communicating? Do you feel like you are stuck, getting left-behind, or just not "good enough"? In therapy we will build on your strengths, helping you or your child gain confidence, self-compassion, and self-acceptance. You can learn to better express your needs to your spouse and to yourself. You can gain coping skills for managing difficult emotions and for more effective parenting. In couples therapy you will learn to create a more nurturing relationship. I am looking forward to helping!

Promoting healing & trustworthy engagement for children, youth, their families, adults who come seeking shelter, emotional safety and refuge (see abbeypsychservices.com). Even the youngest demonstrate remarkable strengths with precise, attuned, attention to their levels of awareness, given new experiences to help transform distorted cognitive appraisals of themselves, others, relationships, the world. Working together, we cultivate more accurate appraisals of internal/external experience, shift into clearer, more realistic thinking, enhanced empathy, healthier, more effective coping styles. We co-create new, hopeful, cooperative stories to replace hopeless, repetitive, "traumatic reliving" within the safety of a predictable, nurturing, skillfully maintained therapeutic environment.

Are you looking for a genuine, warm, and engaging therapist? This is how I show up for my clients, and I'm sure my passion for this work shows. I want my clients to feel comfortable with fully expressing themselves and working through their hangups. Stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, and relational issues are problems I generally help people with. I specialize in helping clients be better versions of themselves, and have extensive training using In-Depth, body-oriented, mindfulness, trauma informed, and child therapies. I treat clients of all ages and families.

Finding a therapist is hard! It doesn't help that there are so many to choose from. I think the most important part is actually liking the person you are talking to. Take a look at my page (and website), and if you think we may be a good fit, I encourage you to call me for a free 15 minute consultation. If we end up working together, I will do my best to find which methods align with you so that I can help you get to the place you want to be.