Trauma and PTSD Therapists in Walnut Creek, CA
See all therapists in Walnut CreekNot accepting new clients
Emily Linaman
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, MSW, LCSW
Verified
2 Endorsed
Verified
2 Endorsed
Hello! My name is Emily Linaman and I want to help you work with your strengths, and identify behaviors and patterns that may hold you back from growing into the best version of yourself. Old habits die hard, especially when they are related to past
trauma
survival skills and other coping mechanisms that no longer serve you. As I earn your trust, I hope we can explore how certain behaviors and habits lead to numbing out, depression, dissociation, isolation, self-sabotage and self-harm. Together, we can explore defense mechanisms, the functions they serve, and try out new coping skills to release you from the past and set you free.
Not accepting new clients
Sofia Collins
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified
Verified
My emphasis is on helping people improve their relationships with themselves and others, build self-confidence, overcome
trauma
, explore and learn healthier behavioral patterns, overcome depression and anxiety, connect with their sexuality and sexual practices without shame, and create more room for joy in life.
As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, with over half a decade of experience, I have had the great pleasure in serving individuals, couples, families, and therapy groups in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. I have provided therapy services for folks aged 5 to 65, couples, families,
trauma
survivors, students, and LGBTQIA individuals and couples, supporting them in navigating difficult developmental milestones, career and life stressors, depression, anxiety, relationship issues, substance dependency, and much more.
Dr. Rosilda James
Psychologist
Verified
Verified
I have dedicated over 25 years to provide an avenue for healing to survivors of
trauma
. As an integrative therapist I am not restricted to a particular methodology or school of thought. Instead, I can draw on different methodologies and treatment modalities. I am a therapist who gets to the heart of the matter quickly. I can assist you in finding a higher level of inner peace. In this therapeutic relationship, you are nurtured while dealing with challenges, and together, we will explore practical solutions and strategies for your journey.
Not accepting new clients
Sara M Pollock
Psychologist, PsyD
Verified
Verified
Clinically, I specialize in helping families cope with the challenges of adolescence; I have extensive experience working with survivors of
trauma
, adoptive families, and children and youth with a history of foster involvement.
My work with adolescents, families, and individual adults is both nurturing and direct. I use a relational, strengths-based, and systemic lens. I strongly believe that the relationship we build together is of fundamental importance to the healing process and that therapy is most effective when I create conditions that allow you to bring your full self into the space. I will tailor our work together to address your particular presenting challenges, taking into account your personal history, your socio-cultural background, your many strengths, and the immense expertise you bring about your own life.
Arielle Vale
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
It is brave of you to seek therapy. It is not easy and choosing a therapist and taking the time to find the right space takes time and effort as you look to find the right fit for your personal journey. It is courageous to start this journey! I enjoy working with creative and artistic people who have experienced
trauma
in their past.
Nicki Patricia Cunha
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified
Verified
I have supported teens, young adults, families and
trauma
survivors in a variety of mental health settings, including residential, outpatient, shelter, safe houses, and detention centers.
Are you, your teenager or your family struggling with depression, anxiety,
trauma
, substance use, mood dysregulation, risky behaviors or barriers to communication? Are you feeling stuck, overwhelmed, hopeless and unable to create change? Are you looking for ways to cope, manage or shift how you think, feel and respond to these circumstances? With therapeutic support, you will gain understanding and increased insight, and learn tools to support stabilization, regulation, resiliency, and communication. Through this process, you will develop a stronger sense of self, build healthier relationships, find purpose & create lasting change.
Sheila Ali
Associate Clinical Social Worker, ACSW, MSW
Verified
Verified
I bring a
trauma
-focused care approach to my practice and an informed cross-cultural understanding of complex family structures & diverse communities.
Things that may have felt difficult prior to the pandemic carry a very different load now, as we learn to navigate life with Covid. While the idea of therapy may have felt radical before, it can now offer us a roadmap to developing greater internal strength to steer through the uncertainty. It is deep within our unconscious that we meet our true selves and can then begin the profound work of developing mechanisms for the lives we are seeking. I view it as a great privilege to bear witness to the strength that emerges from the courage of confronting the vulnerability of our own psychology.
Alethea Gard'ner, LCSW
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified
3 Endorsed
Verified
3 Endorsed
Stress, anxiety, depression,
trauma
, and addiction have a way of taking over our lives, leaving no room to experience joy. I'm here to help. Change is often scary and hard, but in a safe, therapeutic partnership, it becomes possible. By creating an empathetic and supportive environment, we're able to refocus your energy so you can rediscover yourself, achieve lasting relief, and ultimately embrace more opportunities to experience joy and fulfillment.
Griselda Oliver Bucio
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
I have over 15 years of experience providing assessments, consultation and psychotherapy for pregnant women, young children and their families around anxiety, depression, behavioral issues and
trauma
.
Becoming a parent is a unique and transformative experience. From the moment of conception through the journey of parenting there is an array of unknown rewards, challenges and experiences. At times parents have no idea how they will feel or react to these challenges and realize that they need help and support through their own journey as parents. Research proves the way we were parented, the environment in which we developed, and the situations around us influence the way we feel and behave as parents.
Matthew Rojo
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified
2 Endorsed
Verified
2 Endorsed
I bring specialized training and experience in working with men, treating anxiety,
trauma and PTSD
, and working with relationship issues and family conflict.
Hi, my name is Matt Rojo. I am a licensed marriage and family therapist. I provide EMDR and Gottman informed therapy, and have over 12 years of experience helping individuals, couples, and families heal and grow. I know that it can be overwhelming to reach out for help, and that you're probably only doing this after you've tried everything else. I promise to provide treatment shown to be effective by clinical research, and to meet you with kindness, honesty, and acceptance.
Aileen Ganding Call
Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, MA, AMFT
Verified
5 Endorsed
Verified
5 Endorsed
The ebbs and flows of life can be hard to navigate at times. There will be times we need a little extra support. Finding that support is the most important step. Are you emotionally overwhelmed, feeling stuck, or struggling in your relationships? Is anxiety preventing you from pursuing the things that matter? As your therapist, I will listen and hold the space where you can be your authentic self. Together we will untangle and demystify all the feelings, emotions, and
trauma
you are experiencing. We will identify your strengths, resilience, passion, and goals to make positive and healing change. We will figure it out together.
Hanna Stensby
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified
Verified
I'm Hanna Stensby, Co-Founder of Flourish Mindset, specializing in attachment, Ketamine therapy, EMDR therapy,
trauma
recovery, and Gottman Method Couples Therapy.
Are you frustrated and feeling unheard in your relationship? Have you found yourself unintentionally choosing partners who are emotionally unavailable? Losing patience with your partner and feeling exhausted by repetitive fights? If you are ready to build a strong foundation and seek to deepen your relationship with your partner, couples therapy can help. If you want to boost your confidence, trust your decisions about your relationships and navigate conflict in a healthy way you are in the right place. Through therapy, I can help you heal from
trauma
, anxiety, or depression using alternative approaches backed by research.
Not accepting new clients
Marinés Novoa
Psychologist, PsyD
Verified
Verified
I have a wide range of experience, including anxiety, OCD, ASD,
trauma
, family substance use, grief/loss, and more.
Deciding to pursue psychotherapy is an important and personal decision. There are various reasons for which someone may pursue psychotherapy, whether it is to cope with current life stressors or to seek support in managing ongoing concerns. Regardless of your reason for pursuing therapy, you should not feel alone in the process and I look forward to working with you on meeting your goals. I am a bilingual (Spanish/English) licensed clinical psychologist who works with children/adolescents, families and young adults, using an integrative approach and tailoring my work to each person's unique story.
Sally LoGrasso
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, MFT
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
I specialize in working with adult survivors of
trauma
,
PTSD
and abuse.
As a psychotherapist, I work to create a warm and safe environment where it is possible for you to be seen and understood. In my work I combine insight oriented talking therapy, with more cutting edge Somatic and Energy therapies. I will help you explore your beliefs and unconscious/habitual responses that are born from your original relationships. In exploring the positive and negative ways in which these beliefs and responses play out in your interpersonal relationships, you will understand yourself in new ways. It is out of this context that healing can take place.
Nadezhda (Nadya) Peeva
Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, AMFT, SEP, MAPP, MBA
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
The main models I use are: Somatic Experiencing - a somatic
trauma
resolution approach; and Internal Family Systems (IFS) - working with inner parts toward harmonizing the mind.
I approach the process of therapy with the deepest respect for the inherent wholeness and dignity of every individual I have the privilege to work with. I will support you in addressing the challenges of chronic stress and the painful effects of
trauma
while holding the conviction that your capacity for connection, peace, and well-being is your birthright. I will accompany you as you begin to find your way back to a truer, more vital and clear sense of who you are and what matters to you. And I will cheer you on as you begin to explore new and different choices and possibilities in your life.
Bj Henry
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified
Verified
I enjoy working with individuals and adolescents. My clients come to therapy to address a variety of challenges. I work in a holistic way often with people who have experienced childhood
trauma
and challenging early relationships with parents or other caregivers. Unresolved
trauma
often results in difficulties in adult relationships, difficulty with parenting, anxiety, depression, trouble with boundaries or maybe general feelings of being stuck in your life. My versatile clinical style allows me to collaborate with you in a unique way to determine what your intentions and desires are and how to arrive at your goals for therapy.
Anna Sasser-Christian
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
Perhaps your child has lost an important relationship, recently joined your family, started a new school, experienced a
trauma
, or just seems distressed.
Children are not mini-adults, despite their best efforts to convince us otherwise! Children are ever-changing, efficiently growing into their next phase of development every-single-day. Imagine, tripling in size and skills in just a year! To make things more complicated, children learn, grow, and communicate through play. No wonder it can be tough to fully know how to help our children through life's surprises. These fast changes can also impact our relationship with our partner, as keeping up with kids is tough!
Michelle Hider
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified
Verified
Expertise include addiction, developmental
trauma
, relational
trauma
, grief, anxiety, depression, bi-polar mood disturbances,
post-traumatic stress
, and spiritual support.
Michelle Hider, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), specializes in working with adolescents and adults who present with addiction, anxiety, mood disturbances, PTS, and self-injurous behaviors. She's a trained Somatic Experiencing, EMDR, and Holotropic Breathwork therapist who integrates strength-based, existential, gestalt, parts work, and culturally sensitive modalities to help people heal and thrive. She supports goals clients identify and believes connection and community are an integral part of healing and recovery. Her main focus is to meet clients where they're at by supporting changes they are ready to make.
Michelle Rodriguez
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified
Verified
For over twenty years, I have worked with individuals experiencing anxiety, grief, depression, loss,
trauma
, substance abuse, and adjustment disorder. My clients are children, adolescents, young adults, and adults. My approach is holistic and focuses on meeting the individual where they are. I incorporate Mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic and Humanistic approaches and EMDR in my work. I see each person, not as a diagnosis, but as an individual with strengths and challenges. I would be honored to walk alongside you and support you in your journey.
Not accepting new clients
Caitlin E Billings
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified
Verified
As a
trauma
-focused therapist, I specialize in practices that use mind, body, and inner wisdom.
You are ready to work; not because your problems are easily solved, but because you want to experience relief from your pain and a live a life that feels worthy of those efforts. You long to feel seen and understood rather than defined by the insecure voice in your mind or the events that shaped your life. You might struggle with the varying symptoms of
trauma
: depression, anxiety, addiction, perfectionism, low self-esteem, hopelessness, or the belief that healing isn't possible. Nobody will understand, you're afraid.
See more therapy options for Walnut Creek
Trauma and PTSD Therapists
When should I seek treatment for trauma?
Not everyone who undergoes trauma needs therapy to heal, but many do. If, after experiencing a traumatic event, you find yourself struggling with symptoms such as nightmares, dissociation, irritability, or emotional numbness—especially if these symptoms last more than a month and are severe enough to interfere with your daily functioning—you may benefit from seeking out therapy with a trauma-informed provider.
How long does trauma therapy take?
Different types of therapy for trauma unfold on different timelines. Prolonged exposure therapy and cognitive processing therapy, for example, each take about three months, while trauma-informed CBT may last anywhere from 8 to 25 sessions. Other approaches, especially those that are less structured or that incorporate elements from multiple modalities, may be more open-ended, though many patients report feeling better within the first few months of treatment.
What happens if trauma is left untreated?
Unaddressed trauma can have serious—even devastating—effects on relationships, career, and day-to-day functioning. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can lead people to distrust or lash out at others, making it difficult to maintain intimate relationships; it can also trigger symptoms such as flashbacks or hyperreactivity that can interfere with a person’s ability to function effectively, personally and/or professionally. Some sufferers turn to drugs to find relief. Symptoms may lessen on their own with time, but there is no guarantee that PTSD will resolve on its own.
Can PTSD come back after treatment?
It is possible for PTSD symptoms to recur months or years after successful treatment. This is because, like most mental health disorders, it is not possible to “cure” PTSD, and stressful life events may cause symptoms to recur in even the most resilient individuals. There is no shame in re-experiencing PTSD symptoms nor in returning to therapy when such relapses occur; indeed, many forms of trauma therapy explicitly encourage periodic “maintenance sessions” to reinforce coping skills and ensure that symptoms stay manageable.