Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapists in Berkeley, CA

I help clients find what's blocking authenticity in relationship to themselves and others. Often we don't realize how the old hurts, bitterness, regret, shame and beliefs "contaminate" our communicate with others. The feeling underneath our message is also received by the other person. We tend to deny this fact, even though we see people reacting to us in unpredicted ways. I can help you uncover and process the non-verbal messages you are communicating, so that you can have honest, fulfilling and authentic relationships. I also help with depression, anxiety, grief and loss, life transitions, self-awareness and mindfulness.

I am an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist. I work with low sexual desire, infidelity, mismatched desires and needs, emotional sexual pain, erectile dysfunction, delayed or impaired orgasms, ejaculation concerns, LGBTQIA health or curiosity, sexual trauma, embarrassment and anxiety in regard to sex and sexuality. Exploring types of sexual behaviors, relationship configurations and non heteronormative expressions. Singles and couples who may be exploring or approaching issues in alternative relationships and alternative family structures, including ethical non-monogamy, polyamory, kink, living single, co-parenting, and chosen family.

You're noticing repeating, limiting patterns in yourself and in your relationships but feel helpless to change them. Sometimes all of the world's noise, demands and judgments, both inside and out, make it hard to feel grounded and hear your own inner wisdom. You'll learn to recognize old self-limiting beliefs and reactive emotions and transcend them. Together we will release wounds that keep you repeating old patterns and free you up to move forward towards what is truly fulfilling for you.

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a holistic, mind/ somatic (body) approach to healing. I serve people of diverse and multi-cultural backgrounds and have been trained in various body/mind/energy methods. My training includes: Somatic Experiencing for trauma resolution, EMDR, Jin Shin energy work as well as Hakomi Mind/Body Psychotherapy. .

I want to know what brings a smile to your face as you realize that your life is waiting to be lived. Smiles might seem a remote option at this time, or even completely forgotten. You might be in pain and you hope for change. You might even think that there is something wrong with you. There is a part in you which knows the task at hand and exactly why it is here. It knows how to be alive and how to share that being with others. I am curious about that part. I work with adults, individuals and couples.

Dr. Akshay Naresh is a clinical psychologist and has worked with patients across the lifespan in various contexts including community mental health clinics, hospitals, and educational facilities (secondary, community colleges, & universities). He has experience working with a wide range of mental health concerns including stress, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, body image issues, eating disorders, relationship issues, gender and sexual identity, and multi-cultural issues. He uses an integrative approach to create a space for meaningful life changes by helping patients develop self-compassion, self-acceptance, and self-awareness.

As a person originally trained in psychodynamics, I care greatly about the experiences and relationships that have shaped you. I am currently perusing more training in Jungian/depth psychology, which means I am greatly interested in the unconscious and how it reveals itself through dreams, spontaneous visions and creative endeavors. Of primary focus, in my work with clients, is the therapeutic relationship. It is here that our patterns of relating often reveal themselves. Through the safe container of therapy, I invite my clients into new ways of being that invite more creativity, flexibility and deeper relationships.

Stress and trauma can take many forms. Sometimes we survive an event such as a car accident, wildfire, assault, or military-related event. Or we may notice chronic struggles with trusting others and ourselves, and feeling stressed and unsatisfied in our relationships. The experience of trauma can significantly impact how we change or grow in each present moment, how we connect and separate from others, and how we experiment, take risks, and resource our creativity. Let's co-create a therapy relationship that works to support the development of loving relationships with self and others.

You have something to give. You worked hard to get to this point in your career -- educated, skilled, and motivated, you have hopes of climbing the professional ladder. You want nothing more than to make a meaningful impact. Only one problem: social anxiety.

With 20 years of experience, I work with individual adults, adolescents and couples from a trauma-informed model that integrates DBT, psychodynamic, family systems and Mindful Self-Compassion perspectives. Through therapy I can help you to achieve your goals, develop an increased understanding of yourself and build new ways of coping with life’s challenges. As a Certified Mediator with a background in divorce mediation I can lend informed support to those struggling with divorce-related challenges. Furthermore as a transracially adoptive mom of two I hold a strong interest in helping others navigate the world of parenting.

Welcome! I offer short-term and long-term models of psychotherapy for individual adults of all ages and walks of life. I work with a wide range of people who come to therapy for different reasons wether it be symptoms of mood dysregulation such as anxiety or depression, issues related childhood or adult trauma, relationship challenges, dealing with a chronic health condition, a major loss or life transition, or wether it is simply for personal growth and healing. Regardless of the reason that calls a person to seek therapeutic support, my over 15 years of clinical experience have taught me that the heart of the process that unfolds in psychotherapy can be boiled down to a few key principles that apply to most peoples journey of gaining a better degree of psychological wholeness and health. My integrative approach to psychotherapy draws from a number of different schools of thought in the field including classical psychoanalytic/psychodynamic theory, humanistic psychology, Jungian archetypal psychology, CBT/mindfulness based practices, and solution focused therapy. I recommend checking out my personal website site for more information about my work!

Since 1991, I've counseled both the hurting and those with healthy lives wanting more; the juvenile offender and the diplomat; migrants or multi-generational Americans. Each individual was uniquely capable of compassion and love, each had his/her own times of strife, and each was capable of flourishing with warm support and a willing ear. My role is to ensure that the work done in the therapy room endures beyond our time together and fosters resilient, warm, supportive relationships indefinitely. I welcome all wanting to heal...to overcome obstacles to a rich, happy, peaceful, and love-filled life.

Are you asking, How can I find love? or, What is missing in my relationships? Are you stuck in complaining and blaming, or avoiding and withholding? Are you noticing your relationship struggles make you feel lonelier rather than more open to each other? I provide an environment of safety where you may explore how you are stuck and how your persistent conflicts spoil your potential for intimacy. Tracking the repetitive patterns of communication, and the stories which confirm your most negative beliefs, I will strengthen your awareness to the influences that affect whether you keep repeating old patterns or open to real change.

My therapeutic approach and style is highly collaborative and I focus on what the individual wants to work on. I believe that people have the knowledge and power inside of themselves to do healing work and improve their quality of life. It is my job to help access the skills and strengths to break down the barriers that often get in the way of letting go of thoughts and behaviors that no longer serve you. In this collaborative process, I work with individuals to learn how to take care of themselves, get clear on their boundaries, and embrace the inner healer to make empowered decisions.

I offer individual therapy and couples therapy. Non Violent Communication is a cornerstone of my practice. It’s not a thing that I’ll lecture about, but rather it’s a thing I will model, think, and relate with. Most people use NVC superficially in order to learn scripts for relationships, but to me, it goes far beyond communication skills. The heart of it reaches the depths of identity and cognition. When it’s fully digested, NVC encourages the kind of reflection, ownership, and healthy boundaries that can heal trauma and maladaptive thinking where other kinds of therapy have failed.

Connecting with clients in a heartfelt way is important to me. I have extensive experience working collaboratively with adults with anxiety, depression, trauma and relationship issues.

We all want the same things. To be understood, recognized, treated with kindness and respect. To feel like we belong. We share the same path to growth through self-effort in overcoming challenges in our life’s journey. Are you mastering the game of life? You are more powerful than your past or stories. Truth be told, “life is simply what you create it to mean.” Imagine yourself as the eagle that soars up into the sky with Wisdom as a compass. I can help you with self-esteem, trauma, grief, chronic illness, depression, anxiety, womens’ empowerment, life transitions, issues related to aging, death/dying, and pet loss.

As an experienced therapist, my goal is to balance supportive connection with skilled intervention, helping clients create lives that are meaningful and worth living. I am curious, collaborative and compassionate , respecting your unique personality, cultural background and family context. We will create an individualized treatment plan that utilizes your strengths and clarifies your therapy goals. Therapy is a significant investment of time and financial resources, and I will work with you to be effective in targeting and addressing the concerns you bring to therapy.

So much is happening in our world right now. Perhaps in the past, you have developed ways to feel okay with yourself and others but these ways of coping simply are not helping anymore. Although a part of you might want to keep going as is, deep down there is another part of you that desires better relationships, less anxiety, and inner confidence. I can help you. I successfully support my clients in developing outer and inner resources in order to have greater relationship success and the resiliency to not just survive but to thrive. My expertise includes working with highly sensitive adults, teens, and families.