Existential Therapists in Healdsburg, CA

I collaborate with individuals and couples to change old, destructive patterns into mutually beneficial ways of relating. With presence, curiosity & humor, I offer a healing relationship as the path toward greater self-acceptance, fulfillment & freedom. I help you ground in your innate capacity to feel more in charge of your life, which includes being able to identify and express your feelings, needs & desires. My practice is oriented toward: emotional experience; people in the midst of life transitions, including new parents and parents of older children; those experiencing grief; & individuals who have previously been in therapy.

I believe that people suffer in their own habitual way, whether you are an individual, couple or family. We are unaware of the ways we are separated from ourselves, what we feel and how to live more fully in relationship to ourselves, our loved ones and the world. Careful attentive listening and active engagement are some of the ways I help people know themselves and support their making changes in how they live. I have deep belief and relationship with the unconscious, using dreamwork, active imagination and creative processes to facilitate change. Therapy provides the opportunity to make changes and feel more alive.

I work with my clients from a whole person approach, and am passionate about supporting people of color, individuals and couples in life transition, and children and their parents. I believe that cultural empathy is a real skill, and being able to hold space for clients in this way is particularly important to me. My approach is client centered with a depth orientation and I meet all my clients and their families where they are at developmentally, emotionally, and experientially to support them in identifying and healing the experiences they believe are holding them back emotionally from living their fullest life.

My joy as a therapist,with 38 years experience, is in facilitating the opening of the heart and the subsequent unfolding into the deeper recesses of one's true inner being, the human soul, with all its loving and creative potential. Childhood neglect and or abuse, adult losses, addictions, grief, and trauma when understood with compassion, begin to open our hearts. Love, joy, creativity, spontaneity, curiosity about life are often compromised when one has not experienced sufficient openhearted acceptance.The defense mechanisms we necesarily develop keep at bay our deepest dreams and longings.

Making that first call to a therapist can be frightening. Feelings of pride embarrassment, shame and or financial issues can get in the way of living a more fulfilled life. My focus is to provide a welcoming and safe environment and to lend support to couples, individuals and families who are facing life's many challenges. My specialty is in working with couples and relationships. I strongly believe that providing an opportunity for one to experience intense emotions along with the ability to communicate these feelings in a non destructive and respectful mannor is the first step in healing and strengthening a relationship.

Loneliness is a trickster. It can disguise itself as depression or anxiety. It can get us to sabotage our relationships and jobs, make unwise decisions, neglect our health, turn to substances or food, lose faith in the future. It can decimate our self-esteem, without which we cannot give to others. Maybe once it was loss, grief, trauma, betrayal, being at the top, illness, misfortune, being different, oppression, distance, or age. But now, maybe it's loneliness. And with the requirements of Sheltering In Place and Social Distancing during COVID19, loneliness has become a heightened risk for all of us.

Whether we know it or not, we are all on a hero’s journey. Learning who you are and how to live in alignment with your true self is one of life's greatest and most daunting adventures. Has your journey hit a detour or perhaps a fork-in-the-road? Often life’s most challenging passages offer us opportunities to feel more alive, present and connected. When feelings of sadness, uncertainty or fear become overwhelming, it might be a sign that you’ve lost track of your inner heroine – your true self. Coming back into relationship with yourself opens your life to new possibilities and hope.

Are you tired of going through the motions, weighed down by stress, anxiety, or anger? Do you long for more ease and joy in your relationships, in your life? Are you ready to break free from the cycle of pretending everything is okay? Would you like to learn practical strategies to rewire your brain - to manage your emotions, set boundaries & communicate more effectively? If so, you're in the right place. Through a unique blend of clinical, spiritual, and heart-centered practices (as well as Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy), we'll unwind what's been stuck in your body and create internal space so you'll have choice in your responses

My practice serves all ages and most psychological conditions. I use therapy methods that lead us right to your issues so you can achieve your therapy goals quickly and efficiently. We work together to establish your goals and involve others in your life if you so choose. Family issues and issues of childhood and adolescence are my focus though. I have considerable training in issues of all relationships and behavioral health concerns.

Sonoma County Counseling provides exceptional personalized counseling services for clients of all ages. Sonoma County Counseling was founded with an eye on providing supportive cutting edge therapeutic counseling services to individuals and families, in a professional, welcoming, mindful, inclusive, and enriched environment. We welcome individuals, couples, and families. Sonoma County Counseling specializes in child therapy services that help children (ages 3 - 12), teenagers, and families, as well as adults who are living with acute or chronic mental health challenges.

The therapeutic encounter is a unique collaborative journey. We cannot control what crosses our path, but we can see ourselves as brave enough to face it. People come to me when they are in distress, hurting or stuck and want to improve their life and relationships. I provide a safe space to explore issues with food, substance abuse, anxiety, depression, self-worth, loss and creativity. I love to work with couples using Emotion Focused Therapy. I am insight minded. I can help you face fears, own longings, repair hurt, deepen connection, renew dreams. I can hold your story. I am trauma-informed. I won't shy away from the hard stuff.

Working with me will be empowering, energetic, and at times fun. You will grieve losses, heal wounds, celebrate successes and reimagine your future. Together, we will explore childhood relationship programing and work on a reboot of early patterns that are no longer useful. I will help you choose healthier roles and boundaries, while building a life with you in the driver's seat. "For every event in life, there are many different angles. When you look at the same event from a wider perspective, your sense of worry and anxiety reduces, and you have greater joy." - The Dalai Lama

You used to have fun, like real fun. I'm talking "living your best life" full of carefree adventure kind of fun. Nowadays, asking, "Should we get ice cream?" is about as wildly spontaneous as it gets. The years pass by, and responsibility stacks up. Life is good, but it feels like it could be better. You've become the ultimate multitasker, switching between mom duties and work demands, catering to everyone else's needs, and hoping your own desires will sneak into the mix. You want more. And less. I get it.

I accept you as you are, and believe in your ability to heal and to grow. You may be feeling overwhelmed or stuck, needing help to make new personal changes in your life. I offer nonjudgmental support as I assist you to deepen in self awareness and in building coping skills while facing challenges, personal identity issues, dysfunctional relationship patterns, and stage-of-life transitions.

Are you feeling stuck with past trauma or dealing with daily anxiety? Are you struggling with the challenges of being a new mom and postpartum depression or anxiety? Are you not where you wish to be in your life and with your well-being? Do you want to connect more deeply with your inner knowing and guidance? It can be hard to know where to start, and life's day-to-day can feel all-encompassing. The time is now to seek support and say yes to your needs.

You may be noticing that you don't feel like yourself and wondering if there's something wrong with you. Your relationship has changed, it's hard to get any work done or focus. You dread getting out of bed, which leaves you feeling guilty and stuck. Or maybe you just worry about everything. You want to connect more deeply with your friends, or to experience the love in your relationship that you used to feel. You want more excitement and meaning. And on top of it all, you feel that no one understands what you go through or you have no one to talk to about it: you feel alone.

Are you curious about your own moods and patterns? Have you always wanted to understand yourself better? Do you feel that you could feel so much happier if you had new or better coping skills? My approach to psychotherapy is to use my years of experience working with people who are open, eager to learn and who are craving a life that is more fulfilling with less worry, self-disparagement and suffering. I have a practical, down to earth style that will let you feel safe and open to growth and change.