Therapists in Oakland, CA

You’re fumbling, feeling clunky, ashamed, lost in transition, and searching for answers. You’ve been told you’re too much, too scattered, and too picky, when in reality, you may very well know what you want and it seems others just can’t meet you there. Together we will explore and unfold acceptance and awareness around ALL of your parts, especially the most intense ones. What you’re searching for is out there, let’s take these next steps on your journey

It can be vulnerable to start therapy; it takes courage. I believe it can be very rewarding and is one of the most powerful paths of transformation. Being in therapy is an opportunity to look at your life, and to learn new ways of relating to yourself, to others, and to your circumstances. This process can ease the pain of whatever difficulty you may be going through. It is an opportunity to not have to be alone with your pain, but to have the support and guidance of someone who is familiar with the terrain of the human psyche.

Are you living a life of "quiet desperation"? Get to the bottom of your problems by connecting with yourself. Psychotherapy can help identify and overcome blocks that prevent you from being your real self. Are you repeating patterns from childhood despite your best efforts not to? Those patterns were likely formed early in childhood as a survival mechanism and now that you no longer need those patterns, they feel like a prison. Psychotherapy provides the key that opens the door. If you are afraid that you cannot do this, please do not sell yourself short and give yourself a chance.

Psychotherapy is one of many ways to improve the quality of your life and your relationships with others. While emotional wounds from the past are often the source of challenging symptoms, our sessions focus on the present as well as the past. I place great value on a solid therapeutic relationship and through this relationship, insights will surface and positive changes can occur. My style is collaborative, interactive, and supportive. I work with an open caring heart and humbly bring my authentic self to our sessions. I welcome individuals and couples of all ages and from all walks of life.

My clients are passionate, sensitive, often highly creative people searching for a place where their full self can be witnessed, celebrated, and supported. Sometimes this includes mourning for what was not possible or the intensity of previous experiences they were put through and what that has cost them. My clients tend to struggle with a variety of complex issues. They often come from families with a legacy of unprocessed intergenerational trauma, which can take many forms. Ultimately, clients who seek me are looking for a place to try out new ways of being in the world. Ways that will better support their deepest values.

I work with individual women, men, couples & teens. I am particularly interested in the healing of men and women's relationships with each other, both in individual & couples work. My clients often desire to improve their relationships, communication skills, sexual intimacy, & identifying self-sabotaging patterns. Additionally, feeling stuck/misunderstood, low self-esteem, shame or anxiety may be present. My work here is often in uncovering how these issues were rooted, have function, where the strength lies, and how all are an opportunity for transformation into living a more fulfilling life. In the ways uniquely fulfilling to you

Welcome. You have arrived. Now what? Something brought you here. Perhaps the burden of pain that weighs on your body, mind and spirit. What is the nature of this pain? How is it impacting different parts of your life, your sense of identity, your relationships, your sense and purpose as a human being? Psychotherapy is an offering, a kind of healing art, a form of medicine that may help transform various symptoms of pain, manifesting in unhealthy, hurtful or even harmful thoughts and behaviors into something more healthy, wholesome and functional.

What's happening in your life today? How can I help? Some need to address painful life barriers they are faced with due to depression, anxiety or trauma. Others want to figure out why their interpersonal relationships are conflicted and stressful or that they still haven't met the person they want to be with. Sometimes people come because their past has limited their future, and they need to get it all out on the table and figure out how not to be constrained in achieving their personal goals. How about 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.

My work as a therapist is to help individuals, couples, and families access new resources behind emotional struggles and life problems. I am trained in Jungian and Open Dialogue approaches and am a lifelong learner of the work of R.D. Laing. I am recognized internationally for my advocacy and training work in the psychiatric survivors movement and as a leader for new social responses to what gets called madness and psychosis. I see suffering, including what gets called psychosis, from outside the narrow mechanistic science, diagnostic label, and medication views.

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.

Do you find yourself unable to slow down, take a breath, and enjoy the moment? Are you anxious, depressed, or having trouble in your relationships? While having these experiences can be common, each person is unique as to why it’s happening and what works to decrease their struggle. Together, we'll explore why you’re feeling this way and seek ways to lessen the impact. Work with kids/teens (10-17) is child-centered and done with caregiver collaboration, including but not limited to parent sessions, check-ins, and referrals to additional providers.

Taking the necessary steps towards mental, emotional, spiritual and physical well-being is not an easy task, and does not have to be done alone. My commitment is assisting and supporting you in finding the unique tool you need to move towards long term healing. My focus is on mind, body and spirit as we work together. I respect the unique and intricate experiences and identities you bring into the therapeutic relationship.

Bienvenidos: Si usted es como yo probablemente tiene ideas y dudas acerca de pedir ayuda psycologica. Culturalmente pensamos que recurrir a este tipo de ayuda significa que somos debiles o "insanos", pero la ayuda que se nos ofrece es poca o impractica. Ademas, no podemos solucionar todos nuestros problemas solos. Algunas de nuestras cualidades culturales radican en el soporte que nuestra comunidad, familia, y amigos nos ofrecen; es tiempo de que este principio aplique en la ayuda psycologica, y esto es en lo que yo me especializo.

I love discovering the emerging potential of my clients, and supporting their unique personal development and evolution. I'm experienced working with highly sensitive individuals, and those who self-identify as having a history of trauma. Adults who are self-motivated, and those who have or desire a mind-body-spirit practice, are a good fit for the support I provide. I adapt to the needs of children and adults alike. I believe therapy can be a powerful tool to unlock our greater creativity and feelings of interconnectivity and trust, so that my clients can thrive in the web of life.

I work with couples, individuals, and teens who are looking for a supportive space to talk about the complexities of life. I believe the key to healing is strengthening the relationship we have with ourselves, and to live from a place of authenticity, we must first understand the systems and experiences that have shaped us. Therapy provides a space for a variety of forms of self-exploration. Together we can find the path that aligns best with your unique healing journey.

You can be free from the patterns and struggles that keep you from living fully, authentically, joyfully. You may be feeling stuck or overwhelmed by recent challenges or past traumas. Wherever you are in your journey, I can provide you with the support and tools to stay present while addressing ongoing issues such as anxiety, depression, limiting self-beliefs, harmful behaviors, or painful cycles in relationships. As we attend to these issues with compassion, you will begin to heal the disconnection from self, relationship wounds, family dynamics, and trauma that may be at the root of these struggles.

My belief in human resilience guides my work, and I hold deep trust in each person's unique path towards a full life. I approach my practice with warmth, presence, honesty, and respect. Together we can examine painful experiences, old belief systems, and barriers that may be keeping you stuck while honing in on your unique strengths. Therapy work encourages deepened self-awareness and compassion, allowing you to embrace a greater sense of agency and alignment in your day to day life. My hope is that our work inspires you to create space for the life and relationships you have been striving for.

I hold therapy as a sacred space, and I wholeheartedly believe that you have within you all of the resources and wisdom needed to guide your journey toward healing. My role is to make room for your inner wisdom to shine through and lead the way. We will collaborate and creatively explore what can be brought into our work. I integrate a liberation lens in my approach and utilize tools such as mindfulness, somatic awareness and experiencing, narrative therapy, dreamwork and ritual. I also honor the significance of reclaiming the practices and healing modalities that have served your ancestors, I welcome those here.