Therapists in Berkeley, CA

I enjoy working with people who have been successful in their fields and yet have come to an impasse in how they think of themselves in terms of self esteem and self respect. The people I work with often question the significance of their lives and how loved they are by friends and family. These doubts often have their origin in their birth families and can be helped by an in-depth understanding of their role in their families.

While I work with a diversity of people, I specialize in working with LGBTQ individuals, couples and youth. As a Marriage and Family psychotherapist, I seek to help my clients find their way through the hardships that life can bring. I believe in the healing power of the therapeutic relationship as well as each individual having the power to heal themselves. I believe in a strength based, solution focused approach to therapy and work with my clients to not only overcome their current circumstances but to also develop tools and strategies that they can use moving forward in their lives.

With over 14 years of clinical experience, I help men and women, couples and families (especially adult siblings) address a variety forms of distress, from anxiety and depression, to addiction or just a general sense that something feels off in their lives in order to find more fulfillment and meaning. Whether I am working with an individual, couple or family, I am attuned to multiple forms of communication as a direct means for assessment, diagnosis and treatment for what ails each client, and what blocks them from their own joy and peace. I am interested in working with clients with a curiosity of their inner worlds.

Difficult times in relationships can often be gifts in that they open the door to a deeper exploration of ourselves and those closest to us. Seen in this light, therapy can be a step towards mutual evolution, rather than just a problem-solving endeavor. I work well with couples and families,helping to create a safe , trusting atmosphere where people can get more in touch with their feelings and express them to others close to them.I also work with individuals who have relationship issues.

Regardless of our histories, healing is possible. I know because I have experienced it myself & have accompanied people in untenable conditions deepen their awareness & access what they need to heal. I provide therapy for people who want to transform limiting beliefs & patterns, heal attachment trauma and abuse, navigate relationships & complex families, & take accountability for past harm. I support people to feel compassion for all parts of themselves & live with more resilience and joy. My clients are queer & transgender people, social justice organizers, survivors, people impacted by the legal system, addiction, and/or violence.

I provide individual therapy for adults who are seeking to heal prior family wounds and traumas, improve their current relationships and quality of life, and are seeking support during times of transition - especially to parenthood. My personal belief is that there are three things that cause an immense amount of suffering for most people; 1) our inability to effectively identify, feel, and communicate our emotions, 2) our difficulty with tolerating uncertainty, and 3) our tendency to get stuck in patterns of rigidity. My work tends to be emotion-focused, helping clients to live more freely and flexibly.

I work with new parents, people experiencing infertility and post-partum mood and anxiety disorders and children, teens, and adults who are dealing with trauma, grief, and life transitions and are struggling with depression and anxiety. I have more than 20 years experience working with trauma, anxiety, depression, and grief in children, teens, and adults and additional training through Post-Partum Support International in post-partum mood anxiety disorders, loss, and lived experience with infertility. I provide individual therapy, family therapy, parenting consultations, and immigration evaluations. I work in English and Spanish.

The reasons leading each of us into therapy are as unique as we are individually, though it usually begins with something that brings challenge or suffering. Even amid the uniqueness of our difficulties, however, there are common patterns that unite us in our humanity. Whatever it is that calls you to therapy, I will meet you in the middle—where your common humanity and utter uniqueness come together. I deeply trust we can work together to bring greatest understanding to your process and support you not only in your healing, but also in the unfolding of your potential—indeed, the two go hand-in-hand.

Create joy and inner calm in your life. My role is to guide you in coming back to your wholeness. I am passionate about helping you heal your wounded parts. This wounding may show up as depression, anxiety, or PTSD in adulthood. My approach is heart-based; it is a fusion of experiential, somatic/body-oriented (releasing emotional pain which is stored in our bodies), gestalt, cognitive behavioral, EMDR, hypnosis, and internal family systems approaches. I don't focus on analyzing nor intellectualizing your past. We visit the past to let go of any pain or heal trauma.

I have been working with clients for over 20 years, helping them make significant changes in their lives. I work with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, self-judgement, family and relationship issues, marriage and sexuality, past trauma and spirituality. There are many things in life that can be difficult, and I help people see and understand the meaning and purpose in their experiences. I believe that change comes from awareness. If you cant see what is causing you suffering, you cannot tend to it. I help you know yourself and your circumstances so that you can feel empowered as opposed to victimized by life.

I enjoy working with a diverse range of people who are dealing with a broad spectrum of life experiences. I particularly love working with people inside the LGBTQ+ family. I help people navigate through many things including life transitions, anxiety, relationship dynamics and family of origin conflict. My ideal client is someone that is ready to engage in therapy with openness, curiosity, and vulnerability. You are ready to build a therapeutic collaboration to explore, process, and challenge yourself for growth. You are interested in learning ways to do or see things, or are curious about why things happen as they do.

I love seeing folks at a turning point in their lives, who want to heal painful beliefs or repeating relational patterns, to find direction and self-love. With modalities of Gestalt awareness, Jungian imaginal discovery, Existential inquiry, psychoeducation and caring exploration, we dive into what wants to be seen. I see clients recover from dysfunctional family systems, addiction, and codependency. We heal past wounds and build self-support for increased choicefulness. I reference 12-step models, having over 20 years experience with them. I respect recovering individuals who often have readiness to do deep therapeutic work.

I am a clinical psychologist in private practice who specializes in couples and family therapy. I have researched, written, and lectured nationally for mental health professionals and general audiences about relationships and cross-cultural issues in love and work for over 30 years.

For 25 years, I have assisted people with a variety of addictions, from the exogenous abuse of drugs and alcohol, to the ones that stem from the chemicals already inside the brain, such as sex and love addiction, abandonment patterns, sexual compulsions, gambling, internet, and workaholism. Unlike most psychotherapists, I’m a Board Certified Addiction Specialist, well versed in both abstinence and harm reduction strategies. Unlike most addiction professionals, I am also psychotherapist who also treats the anxiety, depression, and other psychological issues that often manifest after being uncovered through recovery.

Every journey.. your first thought to call a therapist when you need to talk to someone, begins with a single step. When anxiety, depression, stress, personal, family, work relationship problems lead you to reach out, I will listen and help you find the best way through. Experienced licensed psychotherapist, 40+ years in general psychotherapy practice, I provide a safe place to talk, explore, resolve, heal what is challenging or troubling. I bring compassion, perceptiveness combined with patience, curiosity and many years of knowledge and skill to our collaboration to help you find effective solutions and make better life choices.

I welcome couples, co-parents, families & individuals with care, acceptance and curiosity about your inner world & relationships. My aim is for all your parts to feel safe, valued and heard. While somatic psychotherapy is central to our work, when in alignment and given my social work and yogic awareness, I will also at times be directive and solution oriented to actively promote your inspired transformation and life. Collaborative & consistent relationships heal trauma, decrease emotional reactivity and increase creativity, flexibility & playfulness. This is a journey we take together as we co-create a healing relationship.

With compassion, presence and warmth, I am here to be your partner and guide on your growth journey. I partner with you to heal emotional trauma and gain self-acceptance through my specialized mind-body approach. I support you through healing limiting beliefs about yourself, developing excellent boundaries, and connecting with your inner-wisdom. You are unique and so is your therapy process, so we tailor our work together to your specific needs and goals. I serve empaths and highly sensitive people, supporting you in coming home to who you really are. Internal Family Systems. Somatic. LGBTQ+. Check out my TEDx talk via my website!

My therapeutic style is approachable, warm, curious, and, when necessary, challenging. I draw from my training in the lineage of Gestalt Therapy, working in the 'here and now' to find out how we can create growth and change. I also use tools from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy when appropriate to help develop awareness for effective change. We will work collaboratively to see how you can learn respond to your environment with greater freedom and choice, where you can see possibilities and turn them into actualities. I'm here to support you in becoming your best self.

In my private practice I work with individuals, couples and families. I help individuals feel more personal freedom, alignment and ease in relation to stressors and dilemmas. I help couples connect with deeper clarity, intimacy & autonomy. I specialize in psychotherapy for healthcare workers, particularly physicians and nurses, to address burnout, emotional exhaustion, and workplace dynamics. I've also worked extensively with couples, family and those suffering from anxiety, panic, dissociation.