Therapists in Berkeley, CA

Are you anxious, depressed and tired? Are you feeling emotional for no reason? Feeling disoriented and lonely? Questioning everything in your life? I help people to deeply listen inside and let their choices be based on what is true for them. While pain and emotions are part of being human, suffering can be minimized by allowing what is inside of us to be expressed and find acceptance in our experiences. I support you to move through trauma, anxiety, anger and depression to empowerment. Stress-management is part of the work and looking at communication with ourselves and others to have fulfilling relationships.

People are often taught not to show their feelings. You may feel bottled up, on edge, and stuck in life. Through counseling, there is relief from the nervousness and constant stress that you're feeling. My approach helps you connect with the innate wisdom of your body and assists you in developing a relationship with yourself that can provide comfort from constant anxiety and overwhelm. Working together, we can help you develop the relationships and long-term goals that align with your values. By creating an environment of ease and acceptance, your nervous system can heal itself and return to its natural state of balance.

As humans, we are brilliantly complex, wired for connection, attachment, and survival. Our experience of joy and suffering are innately human and are connected to our physical and emotional wellness--inseparable realms. In somatic psychotherapy we hold space for the body to have a language of its own, honoring what it has to say, so that we may more clearly see what is beneath the surface. As a somatic psychotherapist, I am a collaborator, guide and mirror, supporting you in increasing your own sense of exploration of conscious and unconscious patterns of behaviors, beliefs, body signals and cues.

Have you suffered a recent loss or are impacted by painful experiences from your past? Do relentless "what if" thoughts plague your mind, leaving you wondering if OCD is the culprit? Perhaps you've grappled with both, feeling overwhelmed by shame or fear. As a specialist in trauma and OCD, I'm here to provide the support you need. My approach is rooted in collaboration, honoring your strengths and nurturing the connections already within you.

I work with adults and youth navigating the oftentimes overwhelming and lonely experience of healing from complex relational trauma. Early trauma, whether from unmet needs or overt abuse, can warp our sense of self and imprison us in frozen fear, shame, or reactivity, impacting every aspect of our lives. Therapy can help us to find more freedom and connection - to all the lost and disowned parts of our psyches; to our amazingly resilient bodies, fiercely compassionate hearts and creative spirits; to other beings, community, and nature; to the present moment; to meaning and purpose; and to a felt sense of safety and possibility.

Serving Oregon & California. Are you contemplating or working through a major change, transition, or transformation? This could mean a shift in work, relationship, gender or sexual identity, spiritual perspective, health status, or a recent loss. When we are thrust into the unknown, finding a new way forward can feel confusing, overwhelming, scary, or uncertain. You might be unsure of what to do next, worry you have lost your way, or find it hard to trust you will land on your feet again. I specialize in working with people navigating major change. I walk alongside you in the mystery until you find your way to the other shore

I enjoy in working with; self esteem & worth, trauma healing & recovery, body image & body positivity, disordered eating & relationship to body, belonging as our birthright, transforming deep shame into liberation, body & sex shame, relationships and boundaries, anxiety, stress & hyper-vigilance, nervous system imbalances, life transitions & identity, honoring grief, loss & death, life threatening illness, cancer, auto-immune disease, rites of passage, aging, adolescence, menopause, women's empowerment, highly sensitive people & empaths, people pleasers, intergenerational trauma & ancestral healing, mothering & the mother wound.

Therapy is a space you carve out with me to reconnect - with yourself, your goals, your life’s meaning, your passion, your creativity, your spiritual path. We all struggle with difficult things at times; they pull us away from who we want to be, or the path we intend to walk in life. I believe relationships are the most important healers we have in our lives – starting with your relationship with yourself! Extending to all your other important and beloved relationships - with family, friends, community, planet, and spirit. No matter where you are, your journey to self-empowerment and joy begins Right Here. I will be there with you.

Your body is always communicating information to you, and your emotions are the messenger. Maybe it's the consistent feeling of overwhelm, or the throws of depression. Maybe you are experiencing physical pain as a result of emotional pain. Whatever it is, I believe in the wisdom of your body and I want to help you become an expert at your own body language so that you can have more autonomy over your life.

My name is Alex and I'm excited about the potential of working with you in developing a sense of integration and resiliency in your life. Are you feeling stuck? Dissatisfied in your relationships and/or work? Disconnected from a sense of deeper purpose? Feel that there is the potential for greater richness and joy in life, but it is just out of reach? Rooted in a compassionate curiosity and from a holistic lens, we can unpack the how's and why's of your patterns; gaining insight into your emotions and experiences, and work towards greater self-awareness and well-being.

I have been licensed as an MFT working somatically, for over 30 years. I'm interested in what isn't working in your present life that brings you to therapy, what is unresolved from past relationships that you'd like to clear up, and what comes up in our relationship as we get to know one another. These facets help us create a complex experience which can transform old stuck patterns. Through the lens of my somatic training, clients can include their felt experiences in their bodies as an additional resource for exploring and understanding themselves. I also use a feminist and social justice orientation.

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.

Therapy with me involves working with the body as much as the mind. This can be challenging for some, but leads to long-term resolution and healing in a more complete, organic nature. Through Somatic Experiencing (SE), I have been trained to work with various forms of trauma (developmental, event specific, chronic/long-term) and the way in which our survival energy becomes trapped in our bodies. We embody our lived experience.

I support individuals who may have experienced confusing and distressing familial relationships either in childhood or adulthood. This may manifest as painful interpersonal dynamics later in life, and can create complex feelings about "home." I specialize in trauma work for adults, children and adolescents. Our work together can facilitate transformation and create new possibilities. It would be an honor to support you.

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.

Therapy is an opportunity for getting support when we recognize that the old ways of coping with challenging life situations are no longer working. You may feel that seeking professional help is the last resort. In fact, it is the most important step. In my practice, I provide a warm and collaborative environment to support clients in making positive changes to live healthier, happier, and more productive lives. I see adults, adolescents, and couples with a wide variety of issues and concerns including depression, anxiety, PTSD, childhood trauma, relationship difficulties, sexual issues, anger management, and substance abuse.

I work with individuals struggling with issues of self-worth, either shame or grandiosity; couples needing help to restore their communication, dealing with codependency and navigating non monogamous life; and I specialize in working with men seeking to develop a healthier relationship to their masculinity. I am offering you supportive, non judgmental yet direct and clear feedback on what you are thinking and doing that keeps you from moving forward. Changing the way we engage with our thoughts and feelings requires self-awareness, education, and support. You don't have to do this alone!

Learning to love, tend, and support our bodies in a society that often devalues the experiences of the body is hard. If you are someone who has experienced trauma and/or is struggling with either chronic pain, fatigue, overwhelm, burnout, low self-esteem, struggles with your sense of self, boundaries, and/or even knowing what your needs are, you’re not alone. Do you want to learn how to better support your nervous system? To feel and communicate your boundaries and needs with those around you for stronger and more fulfilling connections? Do you hope to feel more joy, confidence, and ease in your day-to-day life? Welcome!

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!