Therapists in Lafayette, CA

As a therapist for over thirty years, the focus of my work is helping people to create and sustain healthy relationships, and to learn how to thrive in their lives. I listen carefully to the nuances of what you say and don't say, and help you to become more aware of your unconscious beliefs and the energy that you hold in your body that may be an obstacle to your creating the life and relationships that you yearn for. Together, we take the journey of understanding and resolving what is in your way, so that you can discover new pathways to live your life with more joy, ease and connection.

At some point we all struggle to adjustment to life's changes; it's normal to feel stuck and I believe people have what it takes to adjust. For the past 20 years, I have been working with children and teens who are struggling to balance the demands of school and their social life. I integrate parents in my work as much as possible. I also work with adults and Couples often come to me for help in distress and are confused about how or why their relationship has derailed. I am dedicated to helping people build stronger; more intimate relationships and I use several modalities when attempting to help couples in distress.

You may be feeling unhappy, lonely, or unmotivated. Perhaps a relationship is in crisis or an important part of your life is changing. Therapy practiced well by the right professional is an effective way to sort out a wide range of problems. My goal is to create a space where we can talk and think together about the particular difficulties you are experiencing and how to find a way through. I have learned to listen carefully and will approach our conversations with an attitude of curiosity and acceptance. Although getting started is often a big step, you’re likely to find it a valuable opportunity to reflect and move forward.

At some point we all struggle to adjustment to life's changes; it's normal to feel stuck and I believe people have what it takes to adjust. For the past 20 years, I have been working with children and teens who are struggling to balance the demands of school and their social life. I integrate parents in my work as much as possible. I also work with adults and Couples often come to me for help in distress and are confused about how or why their relationship has derailed. I am dedicated to helping people build stronger; more intimate relationships and I use several modalities when attempting to help couples in distress.

My approach is generally solution-focused, and based on the premise that it's easier to make changes based on our strengths than our deficits. My style is down-to-earth, friendly, and collaborative. There is no problem too big that we can’t resolve together in a collaborative style. I build a therapeutic relationship on mutual respect and support people in using their strengths to overcome challenges. I very much enjoy my work and consider it an honor to be invited into the lives of the people with whom I work.

I am eager to treat diverse children, adolescents, and/or adults, as individuals, couples, families, or groups. My Specialization is in health psychology/behavioral medicine, i.e. eating disorders, stress management, chronic illness, chronic pain management, sport psychology, grief and loss - including of a pet, and I bring forth significant experience with developmental delays/learning disabilities, testing/assessment, adoption/foster care, mood/anxiety disorders, trauma, divorce, substance abuse, and other life transitions. Additionally, I am open to providing consultation for interns taking the licensing exam or tabulating hours. Seeing my clients start life with renewed vigor is incredibly rewarding.

At different times we experience unresolved situations that affect our sense of clarity, calm and balance. As a therapist and guide, together we will strive to remove those obstacles and restore hope and engagement. We can achieve this through developing goals and ways to cope that address those often unexpected and sometimes familiar patterns of living. My practice serves individual adults, children/teens, parents including parent and child therapy and elders. My wish for all clients is to find a trustworthy therapist in me. Please refer to my website for detailed education/training. karenapetersen.com