Therapists in Oakland, CA

Do you identify as LGBTQIA+ or queer curious and struggling in your relationships or authentic sense of identity? Or, are you having a hard time managing your anxiety or codependency? Do you experience low self esteem and want to build confidence? Are you living as an adult survivor of emotional or physical abuse? Are you looking for a therapist who practices fat acceptance and celebrates body diversity? I specialize in these areas, and I'd love to support you in finding self-compassion and self confidence. I also have a specialization in Expressive Arts Therapy and find it a deeply powerful tool to care for ourselves.

Carl Jung said, "I would rather be whole than good." Very often we put pressure on ourselves to "be" a certain way, so much that life can start to feel like acting versus living. This pressure tends to place stress on individuals and can often lead to anxiety, depression, and stress. I believe that therapy can be a tool to take off the masks we have learned to put on and begin to live from our whole self; finding freedom and our creativity. I believe that through compassion for all the parts of ourself we step closer to freedom.

We all carry wounds that run deeper than we’d like to admit. Sometimes these wounds continue to affect us in the present, even if we hope we’ve put the past firmly behind us. Maybe you’re struggling with people-pleasing patterns, self-judgment, or perfectionism. Perhaps it’s hard to identify how you feel or what you really need. Or maybe you just have a nagging sense that something isn’t quite right. I help clients address anxiety, codependency, trauma, and more in order to reclaim their lives and build the future they want. As a queer therapist, I also specialize in working with LGBTQIA+ individuals.

Are you wanting to be more true to who you are but do not know if it is possible? Do you often repress your desires and ignore your needs? Does this end up making you feel stuck, unhappy, hopeless, sad, frustrated, depressed and/or anxious? Whether you were raised by people who failed to see you and support you, or in a culture that oppressed you, it is important that you do not give up. You deserve to prioritize yourself and be who you are truly meant to be.

The Codependency Clinic is specifically designed for codependency recovery. We treat Adults Facing Codependency, C-PTSD, Adult Children of Alcoholics, Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families, Adult Children of Narcissists and couples. All of our therapists are trained in EMDR, Somatic Experiencing and The Pia Mellody Model. Our couples' therapists are level 2 Gottman trained practitioners. Our treatment plan is structured and individually specific. We offer individual, group and intensive recovery retreats. Check out our website www.thecodependencyclinic.com.

Dear potential Client, Congratulations on making it this far! Choosing therapy is difficult and even more is taking steps to actually meet with a therapist. I have made this journey myself and found lots of reasons to procrastinate making "the call". If you choose to move forward and contact me, I am happy to consult with you about what you're looking for and how I can support you.

I believe that we all deserve a safe space to process our experiences, and my primary goal is to provide you that space. I offer safe and affirming couples and individual therapy for adults, teens and couples of all identities, with a specialty in working with LGBTQ+, Trans, and Non Binary communities. I work with clients who struggle with self-identity, self-worth, anxiety, codependency, relationships, and trauma. I pull from my training in gestalt, mindfulness, emotion-focused, IFS and attachment theory to create an environment that allows you to develop a greater understanding of what’s holding you back from the life you want.

I work with people who are: exploring their layered identities, dealing with symptoms related to anxiety and depression, exploring their relationship to substance use, codependency, or sobriety/recovery, and more.

As humans, we are brilliantly complex, wired for connection, attachment, and survival. Our experience of joy and suffering are innately human and are connected to our physical and emotional wellness--inseparable realms. In somatic psychotherapy we hold space for the body to have a language of its own, honoring what it has to say, so that we may more clearly see what is beneath the surface. As a somatic psychotherapist, I am a collaborator, guide and mirror, supporting you in increasing your own sense of exploration of conscious and unconscious patterns of behaviors, beliefs, body signals and cues.

I am a licensed clinician with over 15 years experience and an extensive background in trauma, childhood abuse, substance abuse and co-occurring disorders along with codependency and relational/attachment issues. Together we will work to develop healthy coping skills and healing that allow you to navigate life's challenges. In this healing space, we can address your anxiety, depression, fears, anger, grief and underlying trauma in a safe, caring and non-judgmental environment, meeting you where you are in your journey. Let's work together to find a solution that works best for you.

I work with individuals, couples, and families. I tend to be interactive and collaborative; I provide a warm & supportive environment to help my clients achieve positive changes in their lives. I am non-judgmental and open minded. I create an individual treatment plan and approach for each client based on each person's needs and preferences. I offer phone/video sessions if appropriate. I am Certified in EMDR which means I have advanced training in this modality (beyond basic training). EMDR is used to re-process traumatic memories, and it can be applied to other things as well.

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Imagine; you are able to shift harsh self criticism, insecurity, people pleasing, perfectionism, impostor syndrome, codependency, & feeling “stuck” in one or more areas of life. You can finally experience self love and acceptance, fulfilling intimacy, great health, & the ability to enjoy your achievements. You unapologetically set limits &boundaries that are in support of your needs & desires, & let yourself rise into a life where you actually have everything you want because you know in your bones just how worthy you are.

Perhaps you have felt you do not fit in somehow in your family, your community, or the larger world. Perhaps you have been navigating multiple cultural identities inside. Perhaps you have felt like your spirit is tender and the struggles of your life are too much to bare. Perhaps you have felt that other people have figured it out and you have been comparing your insides to other people's outsides. And you have felt alone, maybe scared, and confused. And now you want someone to help you be with it all. Now you want a compassionate heart and a steady presence to navigate these emotional terrains.

I help intuitive, empathic, & spiritually attuned individuals/couples, LGBTQIA+ and/or BIPOC who often identify as non-monogamous &/or non-heteronormative. I specialize in inner conflict, relational conflict, relational trauma, sexual trauma, spiritual trauma, childhood trauma, anxiety, anger, grief, guilt, shame, & codependency. I hold an emotionally safe space to allow you to feel witnessed, understood, & supported as you process your thoughts & feelings to obtain clarity, increased self-mastery, new skills, & the ability to resolve obstacles to pursuing your heart's desires.

If you’re experiencing anxiety or trauma, I can help. Trauma, particularly from early childhood can have a deep impact on your self-esteem, relationships and functioning. You may struggle with perfectionism, people pleasing or codependency. Your nervous system may be dsyregulated which can lead to feeling flooded with emotions and or exhausted. This can lead to adaptions which may have serious consequences. Some interventions I use with clients include EMDR, Internal Family Systems, somatic therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, art, sandplay and play therapy. Which interventions are based on your preferences and fit.

You deserve to feel at peace with who you are. This can sometimes feel impossible, but I work with the paradoxical theory of change- that "change happens when a person becomes what they are, not when they try to become what they are not.” I guide my clients to the mirror and help them to squarely face themselves- their strengths, weaknesses, past traumas and future hopes- and know that they are good enough. From that place of self-compassion we can determine the right tools to support you as you set off on a life path that deeply motivates and satisfies you.

Welcome! I support my Clients' path to arrive at a freer, more empowered version of themselves. I am passionate about working through an intersectional and trauma-informed lens with everyone. I respect my Clients deeply and give them my genuine warmth and attentiveness. I am a good fit for people who are nervous about therapy, people working on boundaries, self love, finding their voice, embodiment, healing from trauma/complex trauma as well as folks from all parts of the LGBT+ family. I am here for gender exploration, questioning, arrival and take a non judgmental stance on all corners of consensual sex/sexuality/kink/non-monog+

Regardless of our histories, healing is possible. I know because I have experienced it myself & have accompanied people in untenable conditions deepen their awareness & access what they need to heal. I provide therapy for people who want to transform limiting beliefs & patterns, heal attachment trauma and abuse, navigate relationships & complex families, & take accountability for past harm. I support people to feel compassion for all parts of themselves & live with more resilience and joy. My clients are queer & transgender people, social justice organizers, survivors, people impacted by the legal system, addiction, and/or violence.