Therapists in San Bernardino, CA

Welcome! I am a very open, active listener, and sensitive to the needs of my clients. My therapeutic approach includes solution-focused and collaborative therapy. The emphasis is on my client; a client-centered approach by working together as partners in the therapeutic relationship that clients are able to engage in meaningful conversation about what they want to change. I focus on empowering individuals to overcome their problems by setting goals collaboratively and identifying resources to achieve those goals.

We are a 501c3 nonprofit organization that has been serving the Inland Empire for nearly 40 years. We provide professional, compassionate, evidenced-based mental health services to a wide range of people and needs in our community. Services are available to anyone for things such as marriage & family counseling, depression, crisis, trauma, addiction, and much more. We accept many different insurance, private pay, and offer a sliding fee scale with a variety of therapeutic options to fit most budgets. We also have funding streams within many programs that may be able to help fund the care you need.

I am a trauma/addiction and Couples psychotherapist with an MFT license and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. I have an engaging, active, personable style immediately putting clients at ease for a strong therapeutic bond necessary for deeper insights and behavioral change. I am trained in psychodynamic, attachment, and somatic modalities. I am a LEVEL II trained PACT (psychobiological approach to couples therapy) couple therapist as well as a facilitator for mindfulness and various relapse prevention models .

Sometimes it feels as though the wounds we experienced in our early lives have control over our well-being and emotions in the present. These wounded places, which often show up in our relationships can be healed and repaired. I'm here to help you untangle those past hurts, to connect more deeply with yourself and in turn with your partner. Relationships are one of the most vital and potentially rewarding ways in which we can feel both secure and alive, which is why I’m interested in helping to guide you through the work of building healthy relationships and giving you the tools to learn how to be your true and most authentic self.

I help men and couples get unstuck in their relationships. As a man you may be struggling to feel and communicate your emotions, while simultaneously living with a great deal of stress. You may avoid conflict in order to not rock the boat. Self-doubt and an inner critic keep you feeling like you don't know where you're going (personally and professionally) and like you're never enough, leading to burnout. You want to feel confident, connected, have clear purpose, and to relish that thing they call joy. If you're a couple, we will work towards similar feelings of secure functioning. I want you two to feel safe, light, and powerful.

Working in the field of psychology for over 25 years, I’ve gained both professional and life experience. My specialties include both couple and individual therapy. I was born and raised in Palm Springs. In the past 20+ years, I’ve also become established in San Diego from Los Angeles where I completed my schooling, training and early career. I began as a social worker with in-home foster care, expanding to mental health therapy for children and family systems. Treating individuals struggling with trauma, anxiety, and depression has developed into deeper work with couples improving communication and security in their relationships.

I focus my work with couples, families and individuals to improve connection and secure functioning within relationships. I also work with mothers and fathers struggling with perinatal/postpartum symtpoms and parenting needs. During big life events we all need support, compassion, understanding, and sometimes guidance to return to feeling whole, connected, and allow joy back into our lives. Learning to care for yourself/partner/child and obtaining evidence based tools to improve your life is what you can gain working with me. My hope is to help you heal so you manage life's stressors and feel confident to face the world.

I hold the sacredness of authenticity, humaning alongside other humans. I focus on working with women, particularly women of color, to show up to the brutal, sweaty, and liberating work of tending to your life while challenging oppressive systems that want humans to stay small. Together, we examine trauma and pain with self-compassion, address avoidance, build vocabulary around emotions to expand your knowing, and work together to enrich relational bonds. I would love to hold space for you! I am licensed and available to work with residents of California and Washington.

Are you in a relationship that feels stale and disconnected? Do you feel like you've tried everything to get the spark back but feel like you've run out of options? If you're struggling to understand your partner or be understood by them, you need someone who can see beyond what you are disagreeing about to see where the disconnect occurs. You need someone who can look at you both with an unbiased eye and an ability to skillfully examine your dynamic to find what works well and what needs to be adjusted.

I believe we are all wired for connection, and, whether extraverted or introverted, rejection and isolation are incredibly painful experiences. Our brains and bodies are built in such a way that protects us from threat and harm. While these protection instincts are necessary and helpful in the midst of threat, sometimes they can keep us from the connection we truly crave and need. If you're finding that your protectors are keeping you from relating with yourself, others, and the world around you, the counseling setting can be a safe place for practicing transformational skills to break free from the unhealthy, unhelpful habits.

Are you seeking to learn healthier ways to be in relationship than what you learned from your family? Do you need to make sense of your story & heal from trauma? Are you tired of stress driving you, compromising your best self? I enjoy working with adult children of emotionally immature parents, along with anyone seeking to develop more satisfying and meaningful relationships with others and/or with yourself. I have worked extensively with parents, children, & couples to create more secure relationships. By exploring your experiences in relationships, we can help you create new relationship possibilities, too!

I create a safe environment in which you can discover and actualize your true self. Finding and accessing your internal compass enables you to chart your own course and fulfill your potential. We will collaboratively set goals that advance your true self, minimize barriers that impede your growth, facilitate acceptance of what you cannot change, and allow for the redirection of energy towards what you can accomplish. So often life becomes about hanging on and weathering whatever storm comes next. My goal is for you to do more than survive. I want you to thrive.

Our past presents itself in the present moment. I treat my clients, not apply a model or theory on them. Whether it is anxiety, panic, pain, addictions, trauma, loss or grief - we explore together what gets in the way of living a life worth living. I integrate Somatic Experiencing, NARM, EMDR, PACT, Mindfulness practices and Voice Dialogue into a multidimensional approach to discover how to help you realize a satisfying life, the life you want to live.

Therapy is an opportunity for healing and transformation. You begin to feel better in your body and improve the quality of your life. Maybe you struggle with a painful loss, are overwhelmed by excessive worry, depression, trauma, or social anxiety. Maybe you are feeling stuck. Maybe you want a better marriage and more confidence in your parenting. You may feel shame and find that your ways of coping with avoidance, procrastination, or negative self-talk adds to your distress. I am passionate about helping you find a greater sense of connection, health, and meaning in your life. I know how to get you there!

My passion for my work comes from helping you with your current problems and longstanding patterns in a caring, nonjudgmental, and insightful way. The joint learning, collaboration, and even humor on this journey inspires me, as we work as a team. I am an engaged, interactive, and respectful therapist, whether I am with individuals, couples, or groups. And coming from a multicultural family background, I celebrate all types of diversity and various points of view. My areas of specialty include trauma and PTSD; relationship issues and couples; creative clients; career transitions; and family members of the mentally ill.

I have been working with individuals and couples for 20 years and firmly believe that everyone has the capacity to change and grow. Whether you are seeking help to better yourself or to strengthen your relationships, I am committed to helping you interact at a deeper level - with respect, empathy, and safety. We function best when we have a better understanding of ourselves, as well as the ability to understand others. It's my job to help you identify and achieve your goals. We will work together to discover what keeps you stuck and move into increasing your level of functioning so you can create the life you want.

My specialty is building relationships and making clients feel safe in a space to share. I focus on 1:1 ,couples, families and groups. I am always looking to balance solution focused sessions with underlying clinical issues. Helping clients feel like they can get some relief early on in therapy is a priority. Anxiety, depression, addiction, family relation issues, life transitions and Covid are just some areas of work are that are my specialty. Whether you are comfortable free flow talking or need a more interview style, I am comfortable doing both. I also specialize in young adult and dual diagnosis.

I am a CSAT specializing in trauma and addiction as well as sexuality and intimacy issues. My unique style treats emotional discomfort and pain as avenues for self-discovery and personal growth. As a somatic therapist, I believe true healing comes from creating alignment between body, mind, and soul. As you more skilled at navigating your inner obstacles, you will rediscover your capacity to find balance and live a life that is healthy, joyful, and free. I emphasize insight, self-awareness, and empowerment to help you grow, learn about the meaning behind your symptoms, and lead a more gratifying life.

We are in it to win it! Let's work together to bring healing in your life, for your children, in your relationship, and for your family! We approach our work with an attitude of hope and acceptance; and from a holistic, attachment focused, strategic, and trauma informed framework. Akiah (founder, Owner, Supervisor) has over 15 years of experience as a therapist working with families, couples, individuals, and children.