Therapists in Pill Hill, Oakland, CA

We all want to be understood, accepted and loved; this can only happen through honest communication. Making the decision to seek help for you or your family can be part of that communication. I provide a safe space to explore, discuss and process important issues that affect the lives of you and your family members. I have an eclectic approach to providing psychotherapy. As one size does not fit all, therapy cannot be approached in the same way for everyone. It must be tailored to the specific needs, issues and problems that each person uniquely presents.

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

Most of us agree that it feels terrible to be stuck. My goal as a therapist is to meet you in your stagnant place and help you find your way through it. Whether you are struggling in school, your career, parenting, relationships, or in finding your purpose, I can help you create and achieve realistic goals for living a more fulfilled life.

Change, healing and growth are no small tasks. I know this first hand and am here to help others find their own success overcoming the pain and obstacles they encounter throughout life. I work collaboratively with individuals to identify sources of stress, discover unsuccessful patterns, embrace difficult feelings and develop both internal and external resources for getting to where they want to go. I hope to foster greater self-awareness, acceptance and compassion in all of my clients. I work most frequently with adults struggling with depression, general anxiety, social anxiety, trauma, grief/loss and life transitions.

My work with every client and family is personalized, trauma-informed, rooted in strengths, collaborative, neurodiversity-affirming, and culturally tailored to your needs and experiences. I believe that each client possesses the intergenerational heirlooms of innate resilience, spirituality, and introspection that serve as tools to assist in your healing journey. You are the expert of your experience and I am here to offer hope and support you as you share your narrative and author a new chapter of healing, continuing to grow into your best self, discovering balance, serenity, joy, and connecting with yourself and surroundings.

I do free consultations with clients and instant online scheduling because getting help shouldn't wait for a call back. I am here for you, to walk along side you or your family through the toughest moments. We will laugh together, cry together, and heal together. Most importantly, we will grow together.

I am skilled in treating clients with the following problems: work stress; depression and anxiety; post traumatic stress syndrome; domestic violence, physical, emotional and sexual abuse; issues of acculturation and inter-generational conflict; relationship and women's health; as well as aging, losses and bereavement.

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker since 2001, I am deeply committed to supporting the well-being of each client, providing culturally competent services and helping clients improve their quality of life.  I see older and disabled adults, often dealing with chronic illness or a new diagnosis.  I have an extensive history working in medical settings and am also available to assist caregivers with navigating the health care system. I believe that positive change is possible at any age and at any juncture in a person's life.  I believe you can have a more fulfilling life, and I can help you.

Are you a high-achieving BIPOC woman excelling in your career in a demanding field? While you've worked hard to shatter glass ceilings, the constant pressure to perform at the highest level can take a toll mentally and emotionally. You've achieved remarkable success in your career, but are the stresses and demands of being a high-performing BIPOC woman are taking a toll. You face unique challenges from racial micro-aggressions and bias in the workplace to the pressure of shattering glass ceilings while striving for work-life balance, while also possibly living with past trauma, mental health issues or other stressors.

Whether you or your child struggle with depression, anxiety, phobias, trauma, grief, life transitions, addiction or other conditions, I would be honored to accompany you or your loved ones on your healing journey. Our work will focus on creating the safety and acceptance that allows for change. Because our lives are shaped by the culture in which we live, we can also consider the social forces that may have shaped you, including racial, gender, and class biases.

My experience comes from 31 years of helping children, adults, couples and families in both Community Mental Health and Private Practice. My approach is eclectic and tailored to each individual's needs to facilitate healing and growth. Through my years of experience I have witnessed over and over again people coming into therapy with great pain, discomfort and despair but with time, (sometimes within a very short time) their symptoms diminish and a whole new person emerges. Crisis times can be extremely painful and distressful but they can also be opportunities for growth and healing through therapy.

Seeking help when things don't feel quite right takes courage. Sometimes we don't know exactly what's blocking us, other times that thing is too big for us to ignore. I’m grateful that you decided to listen to yourself and have chosen this path to boost your support. I'm rooting for you. My hope is that together we can uncover significant ways for you to continue rising into your best self, define your wholeness, and audaciously live your truth. The essence of my approach is warm and genuinely focused on facilitating, identifying, and assisting clients address goals that are meaningful to them.

My approach in therapy is to create a warm, non-judgmental, interactive atmosphere in which we can bring the wisdom of your highest and best self to your current difficulties and dilemmas. I am attuned to the effect of unconscious patterns that begin in childhood and yet try to work in the present, trusting that the past -- to the extent it is important -- will show up in the present. My belief is that human beings naturally tend toward wholeness. I use education and mindfulness and cognitive-behavioral techniques to enable you to participate fully in your own healing and growth.

Welcome, I'm Carter, a somatic therapist passionate about empowering people to discover their distinct voices. Through a holistic approach centered on body awareness and mindful exploration, I create a safe, sensory-sensitive space. Guiding clients in understanding how their bodies hold and express emotions, we uncover pathways to self-expression and healing. Sometimes it can be hard to sift through the noise of our world. By slowing down and tuning into our bodies we can illuminate the parts of ourselves that yearn to be seen and heard. I will support you to identify and honor your values, strengthening your authentic voice.

Imagine a life experienced fully in which you cultivate hope and curiosity even in times of stress and adversity whether faced with a traumatic event, toxic stress, or everyday challenges this life can be yours, because deep inside of you there is an innate ability to not only survive, but to heal, grow, and thrive.

Many people want to change some aspect of their life: to feel more joy, less anxiety, more freedom to act, or to say no! To find their authentic voice in relationships. To stop hating themselves. I offer a safe, welcoming environment for clients to explore their worlds. With equal parts gentleness and honesty, we discover their strategies and limitations. Through this clear seeing, choice emerges. We then work to stablize the tender, newer Self. I think of this process as cultivating "self-agency." It's one of the most important things we can do to increase our vitality and happiness.

It is very common that we find ourselves feeling alone or challenged in our most intimate relationships, even when there's love. Working collaboratively we will focus on understanding what's happening within you, strengthening connection in relationships, improving communication, and facilitating an experience of a felt sense that you are important, heard, seen and loved. My clinical style is warm, empathic, attuned, collaborative and client-centered. I work with individuals, couples & families of all ages & stages of life coping with a range of issues.

For many years I have helped individuals couples and families overcome obstacles to happiness and fulfillment in their lives. In the past I have practiced extensively with couples, families and with school aged and adolescent individuals. Currently and in the past few years my focus has shifted to working mainly with individuals going through transitions, loss, anxiety and depression. In recent years my interest and training have extended to dealing with individuals who have suffered past and more recent trauma.