Therapists in Oakland, CA

With a background including a Stanford B.A./ UC Berkeley J.D., a previous career as an innovation leader and startup founder, and journeys through heartbreak and illness, I bring eclectic personal experience to therapy practice. I combine formal training in psychodynamic therapy, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), EFT couples therapy, mind-body/ somatic work, meditation, and yoga therapy to provide an integrative, holistic approach to healing and personal growth. My work is informed by modern, evidence-based methods of psychotherapy as well as spiritual wisdom and practices from Buddhism, Hinduism, and Judaism.

I am a queer, disabled, cis woman of white and indigenous descent, well-versed in the nuances of navigating life with a disability. Often, therapists without disabilities either overemphasize or underplay its impact. In our sessions, we'll find the right balance for you, focusing on what truly matters—whether that's disability, queer issues, or other areas of your life. You’ll have a supportive space to discuss any topic without needing to first educate your therapist about your disabled and queer identities, ensuring our time is focused on your growth and well-being.

You may feel lost, but you are not alone. We all experience suffering as a part of the human condition, yet sometimes our symptoms of stress, despair, worry, or self-criticism stand in the way of living the life that we want. If you find yourself troubled by a particular life problem or psychological condition, or generally lacking a sense of vitality and purpose, working with a clinician can help you reconnect with yourself and your strengths. Therapy often helps us to make useful connections between our actions, our thinking, our emotional reality, and patterns in relationships that we have developed over years.

Whether you or your child struggle with depression, anxiety, phobias, trauma, grief, life transitions, addiction or other conditions, I would be honored to accompany you or your loved ones on your healing journey. Our work will focus on creating the safety and acceptance that allows for change. Because our lives are shaped by the culture in which we live, we can also consider the social forces that may have shaped you, including racial, gender, and class biases.

Are you looking for a consistent touchstone in your week or every other week that offers support in what you're navigating in your life? If you are looking to build your toolbox and develop your sense of empowerment to navigate this world, then we can work on that together. I work with clients seeking a combination of talk therapy and mindfulness practices to develop their intuition and a compassionate relationship with their inner world, and who are seeking to build more peace in their nervous systems, relationships, and environments. If you’d like to take a step, contact me today for a consultation.

I consider myself to be a neurospicy therapist, who is authentic and direct. My style is anchored in cognitive science, attachment theory, mindfulness, social justice, parts work, and somatic psychology. I value science equally with the domain of intuition and art, and I consider myself an especially huge nerd with evolutionary psychology. I'm queer and LGBTQIA+ aligned, and I'm fluent in polyamory and kink relationship dynamics.

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I have 16 years of experience as a psychotherapist. I utilize psychodynamic/solution focused/CBT/ trauma informed techniques. My work is influenced by my belief in social justice, and humanism. I will work with you through the difficulties of your life and support you in your journey to create the life you deserve.

INDIVIDUALS (couples below): Energy Psychology is a group of self-calming practices involving breathing and touching one’s own face and body. Scientific studies and clinical experience are confirming that Energy Psychology can help with anxiety, relationships, and trauma. You will learn practices to calm down during a conflict, sleep better, or let go of things that bother you. These practices help you by enhancing nervous system regulation, changing the way your brain stores upsetting memories, and bringing in more happiness and focus. You'll learn practices to use at home, in moments of stress or to start your day on a good note

As children, and throughout our lives, many of us are taught, through our families, our peers and our culture, that parts of the truth of who we are—our feelings, thoughts, desires, expression or identity—are bad or wrong, and that we must cut off and bury those unacceptable parts of ourselves in order to be loved. We spend much of our lives living with a fractured sense of self, without ever really knowing why we suffer, feel incomplete, ashamed, and never enough, filling the holes in our hearts with poor substitutes for the acceptance, love and connection we so truly need.

Therapy provides such a rich opportunity for growth and learning, helping persons to recover from the aftermaths of trauma, abuse and loss, meet the hardships of their lives and thrive. In times like this, with so much anxiety about our collective welfare, it can be an invaluable lifeline. In response to the Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, we are now offering teletherapy (therapy by phone and online by video) for all our clients, whether new or established. Also called telehealth or telebehavioral health, teletherapy can provide vital care and support to individuals, couples and families.

I specialize in whole-bodied therapy to heal anxiety and trauma for children, teens, and adults. I offer attachment-based, trauma-healing, body-oriented approaches (EMDR, Havening & Somatics), play therapy, integrative talk therapy, & nature-oriented outdoor therapy. I also provide therapy for hopeful, awaiting, and new parents who are navigating the fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum journey. I provide therapy online across CA and outdoors if you are local to the East Bay. In-home therapy is also available for children and families.

I work with Individuals and Couples developing better skills for communication, coping with stress and life transitions, and relationship building skills. I offer deeply attentive and compassionate Therapy that doesn't shy away from hard conversations and is culturally responsive. I am active in your sessions, asking thoughtful questions, observing strengths and progress, and checking in. I use an eclectic mix of Attachment Theory, Somatic Therapies, Gottman, and RLT. I help people reconnect with their inner knowing to become their best selves. I work with lots of LGBTQ Clients in Couples, who work in Security, and who are teens.

I am EDMR certified and Internal Family Systems (IFS) Level 1 trained. I use these powerful tools and others like ACT to help you tap into your mind and uncover and transform limiting patterns and beliefs. Healing is about bringing the unconscious to the conscious level, which allows our true self to emerge, and my techniques are designed for this purpose. I create a safe space for you to explore the links between past and present, to see what you are still holding onto and to help you finally let go. I also teach a variety of skills and tools. Perhaps you've tried talk therapy and are ready to go deeper. If so, this may be for you.

Counseling can help you through challenging times and be life changing. I have dedicated myself to helping people with serious life challenges by providing therapy and education to empower my clients to make sense of their feelings, re-frame their life narratives, and develop healthy coping skills. I specialize in depression, anxiety, life transitions, grief/loss, health issues, family conflicts, immigration/cultural/racial issues, domestic violence/abuse, and death & dying. Originally from Romania, I grew up in Germany, and have lived in the Bay Area for 30 years.

There are elements to all of us that are hidden and unknown until we encounter right timing. It is important to uncover these secret parts of self, yearning to be discovered, with the right support. A few things you should know about what it's like to work with me: My style is warm, witty, compassionate + forthcoming. I value transparency, kindness, justice + joy. I'm directive when called for + I like to challenge my clients to go deep. I draw from my own experience of trauma + healing.

Are you struggling with trauma, PTSD, or complex trauma? As a therapist, I focus exclusively on helping people heal from trauma. I will help you learn to release fear, anxiety and depression and build resilience while healing your traumas. I believe trauma leaves a long-lasting impact on our body, mind and soul. I use several modalities when I work with trauma including: Somatic Experiencing, EMDR, and Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy. I am very creative in my approach because everyone is different. Releasing trauma requires careful guidance and it’s important to find a therapist you trust.

Sometimes amazing things can grow under pressure. Living with stigma - related to a mind that works differently, a body that's unruly or "too much," or a sexuality that doesn't fit behind a white picket fence - asks us to be creative and fierce. The wisdom that can grow here is astounding. But the burden of stigma is heavy, and sometimes it grips us in painful positions. Whether you're feeling exhausted, sick of yourself, or just don't know quite how to relate to other people, therapy with me can help.

The combination of strong anxiety and strong intellect poses special challenges for those caught in the crosshairs. I help individuals with active, analytical minds to work through anxiety-related problems such as panic, worry, avoidance, and compulsive thoughts or habits. My approach is warm, practical, and evidence-based, grounded in both mindfulness and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

Feeling overwhelmed or hopeless? Facing a crossroads? Exhausted by endless responsibilities? Relief may seem impossible when you are faced with chronic stress or extreme difficulties... but it is possible. My name is Lotus and I may be able to help. I am a Licensed Therapist and Gender Specialist with nearly a decade of experience specializing in Gender Dysphoria, complex trauma, depression, anxiety and disordered eating across the entire lifespan. Whether you are seeking support for you or your child, no topic is "too much" for me. I have supported hundreds of children and their families and adults build balanced, joyful lives.