Cognitive Behavioral (CBT) Therapists in Oakland, CA

Your bravery has led you here - welcome! If you’re navigating life transitions, grief/loss, depression & anxiety, the impact of trauma (i.e. abuse, racial, adoption) there is hope for healing. Working with diverse people as a biracial Black woman has shown me how powerful it is to navigate life with the support of a person from a shared set of experiences and understanding. I ask to be a partner in your journey, and commit to provide a safe space to discuss challenges. I offer my reflection and guidance, and accept that your story & culture is uniquely yours and I am only in your life by your invitation to help you meet your goals.

My style is an honest approach to a client-centered model that allows for the client to guide the direction with my support. Together we can navigate through some of today’s hurdles and stress such as depression/anxiety, trauma, relationship/communication issues, loss/grief/bereavement, and family conflict. With the mutual understanding that we may not be able to change certain aspects of our life, I am here to help you process, adjust expectations, cope, improve communication skills, set boundaries, and strengthen your resilience.

We all feel lost from time to time, but there’s always light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve been through my own therapy as a young adult when I was stuck in a bout of anxiety and panic attacks due to childhood trauma. Throughout my years of working with traumatized individuals, I learned first-hand about how childhood trauma can have a strong impact on adulthood. I can help you address unresolved trauma, in order for you to find passion, connection, and purpose in your life.

During challenging times, people often feel defeated and focus on what is wrong. I want to shift the focus from what is "not working" to identifying what is "working." We will work to uncover patterns (behavioral, thought beliefs, relationship), that will lead you to making better decisions. I want to offer a safe place to process thoughts and feelings around issues that can be challenging. I am interested in helping people who experience stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, grief/loss and challenges with relationships (social or romantic). Many conversations are around “adulting” and how to manage life, career, relationships, etc.

Welcome! My name is Anna (she/her) and I offer individual and couples therapy in Oakland and virtually for all California residents. I am passionate about helping you feel more engaged and connected to yourself and the people in your life. Maybe you are feeling lost in your relationships, or aren't getting your needs met. Your partner tells you that you are critical or that you don't open up enough. I understand these patterns. Together we can explore them and the unexpressed emotions or needs that lie beneath. Emotions are a powerful tool and when we can access them and express them to others, we feel more empowered and connected.

Who is driving you crazy? Your partner, your boss, your teacher, your mother? Are you feeling overwhelmed, trapped, unsatisfied? Would you like to be more assertive, establish stronger boundaries & have more satisfying relationships? Would you like to remove obstacles that are preventing you from achieving your dreams? I want to help you develop life-long patterns to sustain a richer, more gratifying life. I specialize in working with adults going through transitions relating to work, school & relationships. I love working with intelligent, creative, motivated & insightful clients.

Do you struggle with feelings of anxiety, depression, guilt or low self-esteem? Do you find yourself avoiding social engagements or so preoccupied with excessive worrying? Finding ways to navigate these difficult feelings can help you get back on track. I use a psychodynamic approach and CBT that focuses on uncovering patterns of behavior and ways of relating to ourselves and others that are often outside of our awareness. I also consider how our past impacts who we are today. Through acceptance and empathy, we will establish a trusting therapeutic relationship and work together toward your personal growth and self-discovery.

Are you unsure about how to solve a problem? Feeling anxious or depressed? Hate yourself? Do the same problems keep reoccurring? Are you struggling with a transition? Do you have concerns about your relationships and struggle to express your needs with partners, friends, or family members? Struggling with a part of your identity? Are you having difficulty sleeping? Do you have no appetite or find yourself overeating? Feeling tired, lacking concentration, and having difficulty motivating yourself? IF SO, I can help you. Therapy will ignite change in your life, and I look forward to supporting you in seeking that change.

Are you like so many, not finding the joy in your life that you deserve? Perhaps your inner voice is telling you lies about yourself which you believe. Could worry and sadness be occupying more space than you want to give, yet you don’t know how to stop it? You might also be self medicating with unhealthy habits, which only worked for a short time. If you’re ready to learn what is preventing you from having the kind of life you deserve, and want to cultivate skills that stands to bring you well being, please give me a call. Since you're reading this, it shows me you have the motivation and desire to make positive changes.

Trauma, anxiety, and addiction can make you feel stuck. The most important step towards healing is to address the unresolved emotion inside you. Healing requires feelings. Acceptance slowly dissolves pain. When we function from the fear and scarring of our trauma, the cycles continue until we learn how to transmute that energy into love. I apply a Holistic approach that integrates physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual forms of well-being, addressing the “whole” self. Through a holistic framework tailored to your unique needs, the goal is to support you develop a deeper understanding of the self on all these levels.

I specialize in helping teens, young adults, and parents with the anxiety and stress of preparing for college. My approach is primarily a mindfulness, acceptance-based cognitive therapy. Teens dealing with the transition in adulthood often behave in ways that are complicated to understand, let alone parent. I prefer work collaboratively, teaching clients mindfulness skills which can enable them to discover useful skills in overcoming anxiety.

I am already so proud of you for being here. Searching for a therapist can be anxiety inducing and daunting and you deserve to be recognized for putting in this work. I am a warm, compassionate therapist that will work with you to set goals, solve problems, and explore emotions. Therapy is all about meeting you where you are and I will always work to find you at that place. While therapy is important to explore the hard stuff, it can also be a fun experience too. I believe that everyone can benefit from therapy. I enjoy working with adolescents, young/emerging adults, and adults.

I have extensive experience working with children, adolescents, adults, families, and couples. This includes treatment for substance use disorders using a harm-reduction model, mental health disorders, dual-diagnosis, severe mental illness, Native American populations, and court-dependent youth. My passion is for people, and believe we all have an intrinsic desire to move toward health and happiness.

Thank you so much for visiting my page. I am a Marriage and Family Therapist with over a decade of experience providing psychotherapy to adults, families, and children. I am a relational therapist, meaning that I deeply value the healing aspects of the therapeutic relationship, and work collaboratively with my clients to ensure therapy is meaningful and aligned with treatment goals.

Experiencing anxiety, depression, and trauma can be hard to navigate on one’s own. Through the use of integrative modalities, my goal is to help you find your way so that you can manage symptoms, feel your best, discover who you truly are, and move forward in the direction of your dreams whereby your past no longer holds you back. Using warmth and compassion, I also aim to provide trauma-informed care to discuss your struggles without judgment and safely process unresolved trauma and feelings.

It is a brave thing to ask for help. When we ask for help, we acknowledge two things: first, that our circumstances are not what we would like them to be; and second, that we don't know how to change them. As a psychologist, it is my job to help those who are suffering navigate to a place of healing. I have many years of experience with evidence-based practices such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Solution-focused therapy. I tailor my approach to my client and draw from different therapeutic frameworks depending on the person and their needs.

I work with individuals of all ages, including couples and families, to foster emotional health and equilibrium. Together, we build a positive therapeutic relationship to explore patterns and find solutions. I bring a tailored approach to treatment that draws on elements of attachment theory, strength-based therapy, mindfulness, ACT, and CBT. I apply these approaches to support clients, including teens and young adults facing anxiety and depression, adults and couples navigating relationships, couples preparing for children, and parents seeking support in achieving work-family-personal balance.

My commitment as a psychotherapist, social worker, and social justice advocate is to explore the depths of transgenerational trauma and peel off the layers of oppression and cultural conditioning so that we can relate to our true self. My experience is working with Black, Indegenious, People of Color (BIPOC), Veterans, immigrant and refugees from Iraq and Syria, foster youth, and LGBTQIA struggling with anxiety, depression, PTSD, stress, and relational issues. I am committed to treating trauma and am certified in Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

In my therapeutic practice, I seek to truly understand and validate my clients’ experiences. No two people or life experiences are the same and by continuously remaining curious about my clients’ experiences, it’s amazing how far back we can uncover unhealed trauma, history and patterns. I often approach therapy through a Family Systems perspective, which allows us to dig beyond the self and analyze how our family of origin, relationships and/or intergenerational patterns influence how we have come to understand the world and our behaviors. I also enjoy utilizing interventions based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Inte