Therapists in Oakland, CA

Are you wanting to feel better once and for all? Maybe you can't move on from the past or you're worried about your future. If anxiety, panic, or even depression is stealing your joy, I get it. If traditional talk therapy hasn't helped you feel better, it's time to try a new approach to heal at the source of your pain. For 12 years I have refined my approach through professional training and experience in Relational-gestalt therapy and Brainspotting (derived from EMDR) while centering social justice and trauma-informed care.

Life used to be easier! Perhaps you feel stuck in your relationships and you are not getting along with the people you see daily. Issues in life can be overwhelming and full of challenges. I begin by meeting you at your place of growth or healing, and whether trauma, abuse, grieving, recovery or life issues, we work together to overcome them. There is hope. Let me help you reach the goals and connections you deserve. With sensitivity and compassion, we work to determine what might be blocking your full potential and your feelings.

Dr. Anna Blanken (she/her) is a licensed psychologist in California providing telemental health. Dr. Blanken received her graduate degree at the University of Southern California with an emphasis in neuropsychology. She received her advanced psychology training on internship and post-doctoral fellowship at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System, where she is currently a staff member. While she has specialty training in geropsychology, she is also well experienced in treatment of all adults for a range of mental health concerns.

I use a warm, down-to-earth approach in my work with children, teens, adults and couples. I collaborate with clients to develop a whole view of challenges and strengths, which is informed by my wide breadth of clinical experience across the lifespan. I have expertise in working with infants and parents, developmental disabilities, trauma, and both anticipated and unexpected crises across all ages. I integrate these perspectives so that I can attune to your needs and provide responsive support. My hope is to help you water the seeds of your inner strengths, push through stuck situations, and live with more connectedness and vitality.

I work with children, adolescents, adults, and couples. I specialize in issues related to divorce, grief and loss, life transitions, relationship/attachment difficulties, issues surrounding pregnancy, parenting, and cultural adjustment challenges. I provide psychological assessments for children and adults who are struggling at home and/or at school or work due to social and emotional issues, relationship issues, environmental stressors, behavioral challenges, attention and concentration difficulties, and learning differences. I also conduct child custody evaluations and forensic psychological evaluations.

Therapy should not and cannot be "one size fits all." It should be rooted in a consistent, deep effort to understand who you are and what you need, in relation to the resources you have near you. Therapy should also be practical and offer some fairly immediate results, even though bigger change takes time. It's ultimately about collaboration, and the formation of a helpful relationship. Although I have 25 years of clinical experience to bring to our work, it is more important that you feel we have a good match as we enter this work together. I trust that after we talk, you'll know whether it seems like the right match.

I work with a diverse clientele and specialize in providing social justice oriented psychotherapy to Black people and other POC, as well as members of LGBTQIA+ communities. I provide culturally responsive therapy, which focuses on the strengths you already have. I tend to use a cognitive-behavioral theoretical approach (CBT), while also paying attention to your environment and access to social support. I work with you to build a safe space where you can share your experiences without the fear of being judged, and where you can focus on becoming clear about what you want, and how you want to go about making that happen.

I specialize in trauma-informed therapy for anxiety, depression, relational issues, childhood and lifespan trauma, and more. I understand that sometimes psychotherapy is sought out in a very challenging time of life, and I am here to offer support through that. I have specialized experience working with creatives of all kinds, in being a singer myself. With experience focusing on young adults as well, I offer guidance for the process of individuation that occurs during these formative years. I enjoy working with clients of all ages, ethnicities, abilities, gender identities, sexualities, and other intersectional identities.

I offer psychotherapy, personality testing with feedback, and individual treatment of addictions. My approach to therapy is flexible but especially inspired by psychodynamic, Jungian and existential thought. Collaborative assessment means that together you and I would look at the results of tests and interviews to help answer questions you have about yourself, to get to know you more quickly and to focus the therapy. This kind of assessment can be a brief therapeutic intervention in itself. I also have a specialization in working with addictions, with motivational interviewing.

We provide neuropsychological assessment and psychotherapy for adults. Common concerns for our clients include: Autism, ADHD, depression, anxiety, trauma, post-concussion syndrome, TBI, aging, and cognition. Specialty areas of competency include: neuropsychological assessment, gender diversity, gender affirming evaluations for medical care, veterans, and longstanding medical care.

Everyone deserves support– life can be overwhelming. Our sessions provide a safe, encouraging space for you to slow down and focus on what’s important. As an advocate for you, your family, or your child, we create solutions that help you find healing.

I believe that as human beings, we are hard-wired with the need to get our emotional experience into the mind of a trusted other. My work as a psychotherapist is to find emotional resonance with my clients' life experiences, deriving both from their family of origin and from present-day situations and relationships. Whether a client is depressed, anxious, struggling with relationship problems, trying to overcome traumatic experiences, or trying to find their own unique, personal voice in a complex world, talking in psychotherapy can help to expand your capacity for growth and happiness.

You're welcome to learn about my Consultation and Evaluation practice. In brief, I have a developmental life span relationship-based biopsychosocial approach to viewing most difficulties in life. I use a thorough assessment, observation, and testing approach because you or your child is unique and needs specific issues addressed precisely. Let's work together to find solutions that allow you or your child to develop and change in healthy ways.

Finding or creating a career that you're passionate about may seem like a fantasy... But, no matter what challenges you face – be they emotional or logistical – the unique counseling and coaching services I provide at Career Therapy can help make sure you do NOT have to settle for second best! My name is Karen Rose, and I've created Career Therapy to bring together my three decades of experience as a career counselor, career coach, and psychotherapist to help you articulate your goals, overcome work-life challenges, improve your relationships and resilience, and make sure you turn your career goals into reality.

WELCOME to Gaylesta: The Psychotherapist Association for Gender and Sexual Diversity. Our members provide mental health services including therapist referrals, education, and consultation. We offer a wide range of specializations, allowing us to serve as a unique resource both the LGBTQ communities and to other service providers. Explore our site to find a therapist, learn more about us, or become a valued member.

As a clinical psychologist, I have a broad base of training and experience working with individuals seeking help with a wide range of clinical issues as well as life transitions and personal growth. I emphasize an open, trusting, non-judgmental, and collaborative process. From a practical approach comes a goal of transformation: allowing for new patterns of thought and behavior, and a more balanced and flourishing life.

Are you a person trying to explore your gender, race, or sexuality? Do you struggle to communicate your needs, set boundaries, and be assertive? I challenge you to speak your truth, understand yourself, and be authentic while maintaining boundaries. I use humor and a strong therapeutic relationship to help you be your ideal, most grounded self. When I think about transforming and changing one's life, I always reflect on Audre Lorde's powerful words. "What are the words you do not yet have...Next time, ask: What's the worst that will happen? Then push yourself a little further than you dare. "

I specialize in working with neurodiverse adults through virtual therapy and formal Autism testing. I’ve worked with people on the Autism spectrum for a decade and served as the Autism specialist for two medical centers including Kaiser Santa Clara.

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” - Anais Nin. Creativity, liberation, and transformation — getting your power back — these are core tenants in my practice. My approach merges reflective space to spark insight with concrete tools and strategies to drive change. I draw from existential philosophy, the arts, and culture, as well as research and theory to match unique needs with individualized treatments that resonate.