Therapists in Soquel, CA

Life! It's perplexing and mysterious. Challenging and full of unexpected turns. Our fast-paced world presents us with demands that stress our coping abilities and make even the simplest of things seem overwhelming. But life can also be full of contentment and connection. When we acknowledge and explore what is upsetting, we have the potential to expand self-awareness and create a circle of compassion for ourselves and others. This leads to discovering our innate strength and resilience so that we are able to move forward, navigating choices that support the life we want to live.

I've been in practice in Santa Cruz County for the last 25 years. My style is engaging, warm and free of judgement. I believe that we all have the ability to thrive, if given the tools and support needed. I coach my clients to take charge and find harmony in their lives. I provide individual and couple's counseling on issues of anxiety, depression, aging, childhood trauma, grief and loss as well as life's challenges that can contribute to isolation, disconnection, and emotional pain.

Therapy is a chance to explore your feelings and thoughts, to gain a better understanding of yourself, and to make positive changes that will allow you to experience life more fully. I will provide a safe environment for your exploration, and draw on my knowledge of theory and technique to help you access untapped or forgotten resources. I believe that through a respectful therapeutic relationship you will be able to explore beliefs that limit your life, and ultimately you will be able to choose, with awareness, how you want to be in the world.

I support adults, baby boomers, & elders in their move toward HAPPINESS. FREE 15 minute consultation. I invite you to my peaceful, hilltop office to explore & work through feelings of loss/grief, non-acceptance, feeling less-than, life transitions, dissatisfaction, helplessness, & pain. I can help you with empowerment, insight, & moving beyond impeding obstacles. With empathy & sometimes humor, I will guide you through life's crises & challenges. You can learn to stay mindfully in the present, an antidote to fear & helplessness. Life can always be better & we can remember to be thankful for the beauty & the good. I work with individuals & couples.

Entering into the right therapeutic relationship is the first step toward healing and change. Working collaboratively we will explore the origins of any problems or pain you have be struggling with, at a pace that is safe and comfortable for you. As mental and emotional material is explored, the ability to experience greater freedom and enjoyment in your relationships, work, and family life will become more readily accessible and tangible in daily life.

Are you experiencing a personal difficulty, feeling stuck or overwhelmed? The seeds of change are often born in the midst of heartache and loss... Navigating through the challenges of life can be disheartening. It takes courage to reach out when we are feeling vulnerable or when life as we know it seems to fall apart. Sometimes just having someone listen can make all the difference. In a safe and confidential atmosphere, clients tend to discover ways to move beyond past events -- making their life less cumbersome, with more moments of joy and satisfaction.

Perfectionism, procrastination, social withdrawal, and oppositional behaviors can be a common part of child development in today's culture of hyper-achievement combined with technology. Child and adolescent behaviors viewed as problematic are frequently communications to those closest to them about a difficulty they are experiencing in their world. I work with children and with families who are struggling to understand their child's academic, behavioral, and emotional struggles.

From a spiritual reality, I believe that we humans are "gems of inestimable value". Coming to therapy to learn about your own gem-like nature is an act of courage. I ask curious questions and wonder about non-verbal signals, so that you may safely explore the depth and breadth of your own nature. My background is in Process Oriented Psychology (with Jungian roots) and Developmental Psychology. I'm excited to include Internal Family Systems work as a newer modality for me. I'm passionate about helping you discover your inside parts and access your own Self energy to aid you in your healing journey.

I have helped hundreds of clients reclaim their lives with techniques involving cutting edge brain re-training methodology and visualization that are more effective at creating lasting change than talk therapy alone. By rewriting the brain's programs that have accumulated over a client's lifetime, we create emotional well-being and deep levels of peace, as well as self-acceptance. I work with many issues, including trauma/PTSD, depression, anxiety, highly sensitive people (HSP's), relationship issues, conscious uncoupling, addictions, & sexual issues. Texting is now available via this phone number: 831-888-6201.

I work with couples with challenging relationship issues (including infidelity). I work with teenagers and their families (including various "addictions" drug/alc, computer/video games, social media, pornography). I work with people who have been sexually and physically abused. I work with people experiencing grief and loss. I work with couples and individuals who are conflict avoidant and provide skills to work through conflict. I also work with family of origin unresolved hurt and trauma. I help identify the origin of auto-pilot buttons and defenses. Lastly, self-esteem and personal growth challenges. Change is hard not impossible.

Do you feel a sense of disconnection in your relationships? Are you considering divorce or frustrated with your co-parenting relationship? Therapy is a place where you can take a much needed pause from the stresses you face, and explore your inner world and your relationships. I can help you identify what needs attention so you can feel better and more connected to the important people in your life.

After 25 years of hearing from clients that I help them to grow, change and solve the problems that bring them into therapy, I take pride in being a caring, compassionate and skilled therapist. Research has demonstrated that successful therapy depends upon the relationship between the therapist and the client. You can trust me to respect you, understand you and guide you in a collaborative therapeutic process. You can safely bring your frustrations, sadness, anxiety, shame or other feelings into therapy as we work through them in ways that improve your happiness and sense of well being.

I give my full, non-judgmental attention when my clients and I are mutually exploring their concerns, and I'm active and responsive to clients' agendas as we work on the practical changes they're seeking. Establishing a safe, loving space is vital to this process. I've learned that back behind a variety of issues, there are common roots. For example, many of us suffer from unhelpful thoughts that block our ability to see ourselves and our lives clearly. When we examine these, we take an important first step in the sequence of creating greater awareness, making new choices, and then establishing real change.

How can I be of help to you? What has you looking through these profiles? If circumstances are overwhelming you, loaded with challenges coming too rapidly, and you're doubting your ability to handle it all, this may be the right time to enlist the dedicated help of a trained and caring therapist. Depression and anxiety are common reactions when change, loss or discouragement overwhelm you. I work with each client to assist him or her to see their own value and strength as well as the blindspots that can sap your energy and joy.

I am honored to work with individuals; including teens, young adults, children and families, providing a space to understand their inner world. It is in therapy that we invite all parts of the self into the light, and a new perspective emerges. I believe we are all continually moving toward healing. Clients often share that I have a warm, accepting and supportive approach that welcomes and validates all aspects of the inner landscape.

I provide counseling for people of all ages who are struggling to find peace within themselves. We often find ourselves stuck within the grip of anxiety and depression due to the impact of unresolved trauma. These traumatic events can be either "big" or "small," yet they can interfere with the ability to live and love fully. It is possible to learn to love the unlovable and accept the unacceptable through a growth in awareness and compassion towards all that we are. I specialize in the treatment of trauma using EMDR therapy, the Hakomi Method and a compassionate presence.

A fundamental sense of wellbeing is our natural state. Having a sense of fear of what is going to happen next is also a part of our nature. Which experience dominates depends on which parts of our mind and nervous system are in the driver's seat, so to speak. We can use this knowledge to improve our relationships, enjoy our lives more, and feel more optimistic about the future by noticing which parts of our selves are in control and make a shift to access the innate wisdom that we all possess.

I believe that therapy is a partnership between the therapist and you, the client. I will work with you to support the process of growth and discovery as well as to work toward the goals which brought you to therapy. In my work with couples, individuals, families, and children, I use a strengths based, collaborative approach. Whether you want to improve your relationships, learn new coping skills, develop your parenting skills, or work toward other personal goals, I encourage you to give me a call so we can develop a plan which will work for you.

I'm an experienced therapist of over 20 years having spent thousands of counseling hours with individuals, couples and groups. Women's issues such as sexual abuse, miscarriage, abortion, traumatic events, marital/relationship issues, depression, anxiety, grief and PTSD - are my specialty. I have counseled hundreds of couples to improve communication, intimacy/connection issues, trust; and to heal from infidelity, addictions and wounds that threaten the relationship. Issues of teens and young adults are important to address early in life: school, career, sexuality, relationships, traumas. Better to get help sooner than later!