Therapists in Berkeley, CA

I provide a safe place to address what's not working for you in your life. We will explore your life journey while bringing issues to light, encourage better life choices to be made in the present. I've worked with a spectrum of issues that leads someone to seek psychotherapy. We will recognize how you came to behaviors that may impact your ability to function and discover what will work better for you to live more comfortably. By creating a healing relationship within therapy we can work together to shed light on issues, developing your motivation to make adjustments.

Since 1991, I've counseled both those who have been hurting and those who have had healthy lives and wanted more; the juvenile offender and the diplomat; migrants or multi-generational Americans. Each individual was uniquely capable of compassion and love, each had his/her own times of strife, and each was capable of flourishing with warm support and a willing ear. My role is to ensure that the work done in the therapy room endures beyond our time together and fosters resilient, warm, supportive relationships indefinitely. I welcome all wanting to heal...to overcome obstacles to a rich, happy, peaceful, and love-filled life.

I have been in private practice as a psychotherapist in Berkeley since 1994, working with adults and teens individually and with couples and groups, on recovering from relationship and betrayal trauma. This trauma may manifest as recurring intrusive reminders of overwhelming and unresolved past experiences and as emotional / somatic distress in your present life. Or it may result from inadequate nurture and protection in childhood (attachment trauma). Often, both contribute to the need and desire for relief and a better life beyond trauma. Individualized trauma therapy addresses the need for a new relationship with your past.

I am a licensed couple's therapist with over a decade of experience helping couples and families overcome relationship challenges. My counseling style emphasizes open communication, empathy, and problem-solving techniques to strengthen and mend relationships. I strive to create a safe, non-judgmental space for couples and families to explore and resolve their issues. With specialized training in Emotionally Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Gottman Method Couples Therapy, I customize therapy to meet each client's specific needs and goals.

Your choice to work with a therapist can be an enriching experience. You are bringing your unique challenges and/or quests into a collaborative relationship. I can assist you whether your desired changes are explicit or are awaiting discovery in a process of exploration. I have extensive experience in Relational Therapy, Individual Therapy, Anger Management, Sex Addiction, Depression and Trauma. Perhaps a Life-Style Coach or a Transpersonal guide is what you seek at this life cycle stage--I can help and change can come.

I have been a licensed Psychologist for over 25 years working with individuals, couples and families. My practice is informed by Mindfulness-Based principles and practices and am trained in Psycho-dynamic and Depth Psychology, including MB-CBT. I also use Somatic methods to complement our discussions and inquiry. Most importantly I seek to offer a safe, open and welcoming space for you to explore your sense of self, your life history and the challenges you may be facing at this time. I have found this to be the basis for discovering your own capacity to make meaningful change and to promote growth and well-being in your life.

Sometimes life is hard. Inevitably it may occasionally feel intolerable, tremendous, or overwhelming. At times, challenges may feel insurmountable, and appear to require courage that is assumed to exceed our current capacity. And, especially during significant change, may evoke questioning the fundamentals of identity, relationships, and/or the external world. Although challenges in life cannot be avoided or prematurely alleviated, they can be shared in the space and experienced with healing. Within this process, there is a depth of potential for the parts of the self that hold the strength and resilience yet to be discovered.

We are wired to connect, but sometimes our ways of connecting feel counterproductive, even painful. I support clients who are looking to heal their relationships, past or present. This can be healing themselves from trauma, finding ease and satisfaction in current relationships, or to explore new ways of being in relationship. I offer a trauma-informed approach to work with individuals, families and couples, to help them explore patterns that don't work, to process loss and grief, and to find authentic connection.

My approach is interactive and relational and I will meet you where you are with a great deal of warmth, respect and patience. I see therapy as a collaborative process and I am dedicated to providing a welcoming, non-judgmental space where we can address your hopes for therapy together. I enjoy working with individual adults, adolescents and couples.

COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL COUPLES THERAPY: Conflict Resolution Skills: Anger management.Infidelity Counseling.Reproductive Counseling. Resolve one issue at a time: diminish name calling/condemnation: hold one another accountable for behavior: minimize mind reading: eliminate verbal/physical abuse: work towards full honesty: build an emotional bank account: improve ratio of favorable/unfavorable interactions: acknowledge each partner's authority. Emotional Maturation: Learn appropriate emotional expression: identify/heal childhood emotional triggers: differentiate between reasonable/unreasonable expectations. Character Development: Improve listening skills: take responsibility for your actions: increase empathy: practice sincere apologies: acknowledge limitations: distinguish:needs/desires: ask for what's important. Eliminate domestic violence. RESTORE ROMANTIC LOVE.

Rejection Hurts. Miscommunication leads to misunderstandings and hurt feelings, feeling disrespected and taking things personally. • Are you ‘filling in the blanks’ with your own assumptions? • Do feelings of rejection turn into self-blaming, shaming and self-rejection? • Is resentment growing in your work or personal relationships, barely leaving room for connection or intimacy? And if you are ADHD, you likely already know how rejection sensitivity affects you.• Consider how you will benefit from practicing respectfully direct communication and effective checking-out skills? • Let's tap into and enhance your resilience!

I am a non-judgmental, active therapist, specializing in substance use/addictions, anxiety, depression, trauma, chronic pain and illness, relationships, and work stress. Prior to private practice, I was the Clinical Director at a San Francisco non-profit serving veterans. I enjoy working with adults, older adults, older teens (16+) and couples. Whether you want to get support around new changes in your life that are causing you pain and worry, or work through problems that have been with you for years, my goal is to help you feel relief, feel empowered, and work through the things that are out of your control.

Are you struggling with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, borderline personality, sexuality issues or addiction? These are some of the areas I specialize in. I believe therapy can help you find the solutions you need to move forward to have a happier life. Have you struggled to find an effective type of therapy that works for you? I tailor my therapy approach to you based on what has and has not worked for you in the past. Together we will set therapy goals to help you remove present barriers, suffering and emotional pain so you can live your life to your upmost potential. Additional information: www.lanemcconnelltherapy.com

I have been fortunate to spend the past 29 years working with children and their families-initially as a middle school teacher and now as a LMFT. I'm dedicated to helping my clients have the tools they need to successfully navigate the challenges in their lives. I work with families and individuals struggling with unhealthy communication patterns, major life transitions, grief, trauma, anxiety/depression, defiance, and sibling rivalry. I believe in the power of relationships to heal, so my main focus is on creating a strong working alliance with my clients. Parenting classes, consultations, and new moms' groups offered.

All life is a relationship. From our very first moments and onward, what happens in relationship teaches us about how to be in the world. We continually form certain core beliefs, ways of thinking, patterns of tension, and ways of moving our body that can be both healthy and limiting. Trauma, abuse, neglect, and other wounding contribute to how we form our relationship with the world and with ourselves. All of our past experiences have an impact on our present experience. Our day to day life can then be full of a sense of meaninglessness, emotional and physical pain, chronic anxiety, mistrust, or general unease.

Are you finding yourself feeling increasingly isolated and lonely, yearning for genuine connections and questioning your purpose in life? Perhaps you've reached a point where you're ready to make a significant shift in how you perceive yourself and how you navigate life's challenges. Anxiety may be taking a toll, and you're eager to make positive changes to enhance your mental health and overall well-being. In the process of self-discovery, you might be questioning aspects of your identity and searching for ways to cope with the complexities of life. You don’t have to navigate this journey alone.

My therapy style is down to earth, warm, inviting and active. I believe therapy is most effective when it is a collaborative process between the client and the therapist. We will work together to explore, reflect and identify areas in which insight and change are needed to achieve your goals. In sessions, I openly share my thoughts and my perspective as a guiding force but respect and believe that you are the leader in the room. I provide therapy as a transformative experience or a space to just let go, it can be whatever you need it to be, as long as the purpose of this space is for you to heal and find more joy in your life.

Are you tired of the same repetitive arguments and disconnection in your relationship? It's time to break free from the frustration and find a new level of understanding and harmony. No one wants to be unhappy in their relationships, and that's where I come in. Through effective communication skills and proven techniques, I can help you navigate conflicts, strengthen your bond, and become a better partner. Whether you're facing the aftermath of divorce, seeking to improve your parenting skills, or looking for guidance in the dating world, I'm here to provide the support and expertise you need.

Building relationships to last a lifetime! I work with * Individuals from all walks of life * Couples of all kinds - married, co-habitating, dating, divorced * Families of all sorts * Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people and their partners and families * People who are part of the kink community, or who participate in BDSM in their personal lives * People in open, non-monogamous, polyamorous, or other non-traditional relationships * Cross-cultural couples and families * Genderqueer folks * Current or former workers in the sex industry * People with body image and self-acceptance issues * People with all kinds of mental and physical health problems