Dialectical Behavior (DBT) Therapists in Soquel, CA

This is my passion and my clients feel at ease with me quickly with my empathy and humor. I help relationship stress, anxiety, PTSD, neurodiversity, grief, recovery from child and narcissistic abuse, finding their true authentic self and passion. I use client-centered Rogers, Kohut, EMDR, Beck and Ellis CBT, DBT. ACT, Jung... I am a Christian and I also respect people with other faiths or no faith. I help therapists, interns too.I am 72 years old and I have been married for 48 years to my beautiful wife singer Christina Purcell and we did individual and couple therapy too. We write songs such as the songs on her CD "Love's Calling."

Whether challenged by relationships, life transitions, overcoming limiting self beliefs - we all have an ideal version of ourself we would like to live up to. Anxiety, depression, unprocessed trauma from the past can plague our present. How free do you want to be? Let's collaborate to uncover and discover your own inherent strength. The therapeutic process involves unpacking and exploring the barriers stopping us from living our most fulfilling dynamic life. As a clinician, I bring accountability, structure, humor, and enthusiasm - you just bring your whole self and we are sure to have a therapeutic experience.

Taking the step, having the courage, to reach out for support is extremely brave. You absolutely deserve it and you do not have to face your challenges alone. I am here as a guide, a support, and a resource for accompanying you in facing whatever obstacles have been leaving you feeling depleted, overwhelmed, hopeless or exhausted. Whether or not you are managing depression, anxiety, a major life transition, loss and grief, or looking for someone to work through a recent or past traumatic event, I am here to help. I am here to offer you relief from trying to figure out a way to cope or overcome it alone.

All walks of life experience challenges, hardships, and discomfort. While it is human nature to want to avoid the discomfort, fix the pain, and escape the hardships, our attempts to do so often lead to more suffering and intensify our sense of fear and helplessness. Yet when we feel connected with our true selves, I believe we all have the power to make positive changes in our lives. With compassion and understanding, I strive to meet my clients where they are along life’s journey, providing tools and resources to help navigate the best path forward.

I am passionate about using therapeutic approaches that engage body, heart, mind, and soul to support transformative change. My work is client centered. I foster connection with and amplification of the client's inner wise mind and personal strengths to facilitate growth and healing. I've benefited from a life-long spiritual practice and diverse life experience and I bring a calm presence and a deep understanding of the human condition into my work with clients.

Therapy is an amazing placebo. You do not NEED a therapist to learn, transform, and grow your awareness of yourself. I firmly believe whatever it is you are seeking to learn, change, or make peace with, you can do it. The benefit of working with a trained therapist who sees you, gives your sense of agency and innate wisdom the respect it deserves, and offers an outside perspective on your experience informed by evidenced-based theory and practice, is that the pace of growth is greatly accelerated.

For over 30 years I have been helping my clients to discover new ways to deal with their problems and to begin thriving rather than merely surviving in their lives. My greatest strength is moving people from crisis to change. My openness and forthright style with clients provide them the opportunity for understanding, personal growth, and change. I view therapy as an educational as well as therapeutic experience. My style is primarily interactive. I am supportive, caring and process oriented. I have extensive experience with mental health, hospitals and schools. I love working with people in all stages and ages of their lives!

Congratulations for taking a step towards creating change. Finding a therapist can be challenging and it is important to find one who is right for you. I offer a free introductory session which we use to get to know each other. Clients often come into my office feeling hopeless or nervous, but usually leave feeling more hopeful and relaxed. I love to see people grow and thrive with the support of therapy. My style is warm, empathic, and collaborative. In our work together we draw on your strengths and wisdom and my goal is to empower you to create a more joyful and fulfilling life.

It takes courage to reach out to find a therapist! My therapy approach involves creating an alliance where you (the client) bring your own experience, emotions, and strengths, and I bring my academic background (PhD with an emphasis in trauma and PTSD) with many years of therapy training and experience to the table, and together we work toward understanding the challenges that you face, improving symptoms, and building resilience.

I enjoy helping people set and meet their own goals. I am eager to meet you where you are and take you to where you want to go.

Do you feel stuck, unhappy, and dissatisfied? Having problems in relationships? Does each day feel like too much to handle? Take the first step toward making positive change in your life by calling to schedule an appointment. Working together, we can identify your goals and desires, recognize and capitalize on your strengths, find strategies to relieve your stress and anxiety, improve your mood, reinvigorate your relationships, and increase your life satisfaction. I provide caring, supportive, non-judgmental, confidential therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples in welcoming, comfortable offices, Monday through Friday.