Photo of Peter Oppermann, Psychologist in 94596, CA
Peter Oppermann
Psychologist, PhD
Verified Verified
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Feeling restless or easily distracted? Lacking energy, motivation, focus, or direction in life? Spinning your wheels in your career or relationships? Prone to pleasing others at all costs, yet feeling unhappy and misunderstood? Always too busy to stop and smell the flowers? I'd like to help you become more empowered, confident, and satisfied through facing and letting go of your fears, irritating beliefs, guilt, and suffering, so you can learn to communicate more effectively and have healthy relationships. For more than twenty-five years I have provided time-limited and in-depth psychotherapy to individuals, couples and groups.
Feeling restless or easily distracted? Lacking energy, motivation, focus, or direction in life? Spinning your wheels in your career or relationships? Prone to pleasing others at all costs, yet feeling unhappy and misunderstood? Always too busy to stop and smell the flowers? I'd like to help you become more empowered, confident, and satisfied through facing and letting go of your fears, irritating beliefs, guilt, and suffering, so you can learn to communicate more effectively and have healthy relationships. For more than twenty-five years I have provided time-limited and in-depth psychotherapy to individuals, couples and groups.
(925) 365-6955 View (925) 365-6955
Photo of Paul Kramer, Marriage & Family Therapist in 94596, CA
Paul Kramer
Marriage & Family Therapist, EdD, LMFT
Verified Verified
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
At some point we all struggle to adjustment to life's changes; it's normal to feel stuck and I believe people have what it takes to adjust. For the past 20 years, I have been working with children and teens who are struggling to balance the demands of school and their social life. I integrate parents in my work as much as possible. I also work with adults and Couples often come to me for help in distress and are confused about how or why their relationship has derailed. I am dedicated to helping people build stronger; more intimate relationships and I use several modalities when attempting to help couples in distress.
At some point we all struggle to adjustment to life's changes; it's normal to feel stuck and I believe people have what it takes to adjust. For the past 20 years, I have been working with children and teens who are struggling to balance the demands of school and their social life. I integrate parents in my work as much as possible. I also work with adults and Couples often come to me for help in distress and are confused about how or why their relationship has derailed. I am dedicated to helping people build stronger; more intimate relationships and I use several modalities when attempting to help couples in distress.
(925) 320-0698 View (925) 320-0698
Photo of Cristina Freeman, Marriage & Family Therapist in 94596, CA
Cristina Freeman
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified Verified
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Not accepting new clients
I offer affordable counseling and consultation for individuals, adolescents, and couples. I am bilingual in Tagalog. My main areas of focus are grief counseling, dating and relationships, adolescents, and late adulthood. In working with clients, I lean towards a humanistic school of thought where a positive therapist-client relationship is emphasized. I also use a supportive, compassionate, accepting, dialogical, increased kindness, challenging, and empathic style of therapy. And, depending on the needs of my clients, I interject appropriate techniques from other counseling theories such as the psychoanalytic and cognitive behavior therapies.
I offer affordable counseling and consultation for individuals, adolescents, and couples. I am bilingual in Tagalog. My main areas of focus are grief counseling, dating and relationships, adolescents, and late adulthood. In working with clients, I lean towards a humanistic school of thought where a positive therapist-client relationship is emphasized. I also use a supportive, compassionate, accepting, dialogical, increased kindness, challenging, and empathic style of therapy. And, depending on the needs of my clients, I interject appropriate techniques from other counseling theories such as the psychoanalytic and cognitive behavior therapies.
(415) 423-2409 View (415) 423-2409
Self-Harming Therapists

How does therapy for self-harm work?

A person may turn to self-injury so that they can distract themselves from their stress, depression, anxiety, or upsetting circumstances. Therapy can address the cause of an individual’s suffering. A therapist can help a person understand why they may want to self-harm and help the person learn new methods of coping. A person may have poor emotion regulation, and treatment such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is helpful for breaking this behaviour. In addition, treatment such as dialectical behavior therapy can help a person manage their tolerance of distress.

Which therapies are best for self-harm?

Specific approaches used by professionals include cognitive behavioral, dialectical behavior, psychodynamic, and mentalisation-based therapies, among others. Cognitive behavioral and dialectical behavior therapies are common approaches for people who have painful thoughts and past traumas. These therapies help an individual cope with distress, regulate emotions, and manage impulsive urges.

Does the tendency to self-harm mean the person is suicidal?

Having this urge does not mean the individual suffers from suicidal ideation. People who want to self-injure look to distract or alleviate themselves from the pain they are experiencing. People with suicidal tendencies want to end life altogether. However, this does not mean a person with the intent to self-harm will not attempt suicide.

How often and how long are therapy sessions for self-harm?

As with any type of therapy, sessions depend on the individual. Clients may see improvement within 20 sessions, at an average of 50 minutes per session, while others may opt for 20 to 30 sessions over, maybe, a six-month period. People, especially those with co-occurring conditions like depression and anxiety, may need to continue therapy for up to 12 to 18 months.