Therapists in Hawaii County, HI

It has always been my opinion that therapy is a tool that can be used to change yourself or deal with life challenges. Therapy can reduce issues and help us live our best lives. It can give us the skills we need to recognize and deal with the issues that have been stopping us in our tracts. I hope to assist you with obtaining your goal of good mental health.

This life journey, so full of potential joy, grace and human intimacy, is a winding road. Exploring what keeps us from optimal positive relations and personal peace, health, and acceptance is what my work embodies. Each of us has unique strengths and challenges. My experience is working with depression, anxiety/stress, trauma/PTSD, relationship, parenting and family issues, grief and loss, life transitions, and spiritual crisis. I advocate and am available for premarital sessions for couples.

Different life circumstances brought you to seek support. How you experience these circumstances could lead to creeping doubts about life, sadness, anxiety, difficulty connecting with others and feeling lost or empty. You might want to seek help from someone who could assist you to navigate these feelings and tap into your inner resilience so you can live your life the way you want to live it.

Greetings! Chances are, if you're reading this, you are stuck in some form of suffering from which you cannot find a way out. The fact that you've made it here means that you have already taken the bravest, hardest steps on the journey toward change; recognizing that you need help, and finding the willingness to ask for it. I firmly believe that the answers you need are already within you; in my role as therapist, I act as a mirror through which you are able to connect to your own strengths, heal, and create a life worth living.

Big Island Health Clinic is committed to providing treatment that is Culturally Competent & Trauma Informed. Collectively we provide individual and family therapy for all ages. There are 5 therapists to choose from. Sarah Gallagher has experience treating PTSD & behavioral & mental health issues. Elvina Nartatez's areas of specialties include anger management & PTSD. Josephine Volpe is a certified substance abuse, anger management and Hospice counselor. Ula Anderson has 20+y experience treating trauma & developmental & behavioral disorders. Akoni Kanaele provides treatment for behavioral & anxiety disorders.

As a practicing psychologist for over 20 years I have been privileged to be part of my client's lives. I moved from San Diego to the Big Island of Hawaii in 1996. My specialties have changed and developed through the years. Now I specialize in the treatment of adults suffering from trauma, addiction related illness, relationship difficulties, depression, anxiety, grief/loss, and coping with illness. I have a particular interest in women's issues including domestic violence, work/life balance, parenting young adults, and menopause. I work with women and men facing transition points in their lives as they create renewed meaning in life.

If you are struggling with past, present or future stresses, I can help you find your balance in these times of uncertainty. Together, we’ll explore your reasons for seeking therapy and create a plan that meets your needs. With your age and stage of life in mind, we’ll choose the most effective strategies for you. I offer a safe place to process trauma and grief. I offer you acceptance, skillful assistance, encouragement and compassion.

Are you feeling overwhelmed with personal and/or professional challenges? Are you having problems with your relationships or at work? Is your child or adolescent exhibiting emotional and/or behavioral problems? Are you faced with challenging life-transitions? I offer a variety of modalities to work with individuals, couples and families who are experiencing the effects of trauma, depression, anxiety, stress, divorce, aging or other life issues.

The clients I work with the best are adults who want to work on themselves and are open to personal growth and change. I encourage clients to clarify their life goals, and whether the choices they are making will get them to those goals. I specialize in working with clients who have issues in the areas of relationships, spirituality, work, gender roles, grief/loss, trauma, and sexual abuse. I use my expertise to support clients in finding their own answers to create their "personal best" life, while giving professional guidance and sharing personal wisdom to facilitate them in that success.

I work with high-functioning people to fine-tune their lives to fit them better. All of us get stuck sometimes. I help people who are being held back by anxiety to conquer their fears and create the life they want to live. I help people who are suffering from depression to regain their strength, focus, and will to live. I help couples who have built up resentments and lost the spark in their relationship to reconnect and find joy together again. I help people who are caught in a pattern of pleasing others to move into a healthier balance in their lives. I help people who are caught in a challenging relationship to find resolution.

Aloha! I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with many years’ experience who provides help with psychotherapy to various populations in both inpatient and outpatient settings. I live on the Big Island of Hawaii and am licensed in both Hawaii and California and love developing trusting rapport with my patients from all different cultures and backgrounds. While I offer a patient-centered approach to each individual, I really enjoy helping families and groups who might be struggling with issues including Addiction,

Aloha, and thank you for taking a look at my profile. When working on our purpose, design, and aim in life, it can at times seem challenging. When we do establish our intention to carry out, planting this and manifesting growth is the next step. I believe we at times have narratives we would like to change. Exploration is key, so as the catalyst for change/growth can occur and our personal journey enhanced.

My work focuses on illuminating my clients' strengths and helping them to access their inner emotional and spiritual wisdom, while also acknowledging and challenging the patterns of thought, communication and behavior - fueled by self-sabotaging stories - that may have been keeping them from reaching their natural state of health, happiness and success.

Thoughts create feelings, feelings create behaviors, behaviors reinforce thoughts. Everyone deserves to be happy, enjoy peace of mind, nurturing relationships, and a chance to live life to its fullest. My approach to challenges that you may be experiencing in life is person-centered, trauma focused, evidenced based practices with adolescents, adults, couples, and families.

Are you feeling anxious, irritable and overwhelmed? Let’s talk about strategies to overcome negative thoughts, calm stress and improve your mood. I help people develop the tools to manage their symptoms of anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, relationship difficulties, personality disorders, work through grief, and build self esteem. I am a certified perinatal mental health professional and in specialize in Maternal Mental Health (pregnancy, prenatal, postpartum), including helping women experiencing postpartum anxiety and depression, infertility, IVF and miscarriage.

Are you looking for healing in your family in your relationships and in yourself? If so, then I encourage you to invite me along on your journey. I will help you, your child or your adolescent explore the thoughts and sensations that lead to overwhelm, anxiety, conflict in relationship, or challenges with maladaptive behaviors or coping strategies. I enjoy working with children as young as 3 all the way through young adulthood. I also enjoy supporting adults who happen to be parents, and couples navigating the challenges of their relationships.

I love working with couples. I know how difficult it is to get caught up in the negative repeated dance of conflict that feels unresolvable. I work with couples to focus on the attachment or bonding issues that come up in conflicts. When we feel truly secure with one another we can hear issues without negative escalation that just angers and terrifies each other. When I am not working with couples I work with people who are committed to recover from depression, anxiety, addictions (chemical and behavioral), PTSD, relationship issues, sexuality and death and dying issues. I have been in practice since the early 1980's and I belie