Therapists in Alameda County, CA

Virtual sessions ONLY. Taking this first step of looking for a therapist might feel difficult and overwhelming, yet it is crucial in order to begin to feel better. Fostering your healing will come from our ability to work together and our capacity for real dialogue on how effective our work is. I will strive to both support and challenge you as we strengthen your capacity for mindfulness, insight and greater joy in your life. We will collaborate to discover ways in which you are already resilient against challenges while encouraging you to tap into your capacity for growth and change.

Are you struggling with overwhelming anxiety, depression or grief? Are you stuck in unhealthy patterns or self doubt? Is a difficult relationship causing you pain? You are taking a courageous step in caring for yourself and your well-being by seeking support. With curiosity and non-judgment, I can help you to find relief, grow and clarify a more sustainable, joyful path forward. Together we'll explore what underlies your symptoms, the adaptive function they serve, and how you can permanently heal core issues. You will discover strengths, develop new tools, and find serenity and authenticity in yourself and your relationships.

Something is shifting in your life. The earth beneath you is not as stable as it once was. Maybe it's a major life transition, like going to college, getting married, moving to the Bay Area, or changing jobs. Maybe it's a loss, like a death, a divorce, a miscarriage, or leaving someone or something in your life. Or maybe this transition is harder to put your finger on...you might be feeling stuck and needing something to shift. There are many moments in life that offer an opportunity to transform, or require us to change if we are to continue growing.

It is my belief that what keeps us from asking for guidance, someone to truly help us through our vulnerability, is the fear of being judged. Maybe we believe we are beyond help. Let me commit to you a safe space where compassion and nonjudgement are guaranteed; an interactive relationship where we stimulate thoughts, ideas & feelings. I'm "in it" with you journeying by your side. No matter how impossible it seems to shift the painful state you are in, it is possible. It is accessible sooner than you realize. Let me help you access the freedom to be you.

I am an experienced children's psychotherapist, with a private practice in Alameda and have provided therapeutic services for children, teens and families for 20+ years. I have been able to help families deal with a variety of issues including trauma, loss, family-conflict, children/teens with learning disabilities and a variety of behavioral issues, as well as familial substance use issues, post-divorce issues, severe anxiety and depression.

I offer a safe, non-judgmental, compassionate & supportive environment so that you can create the change you are seeking. I can help you improve relationships, gain new ways of coping, decrease anxiety & depression, and increase self-worth. I use humor when needed & deep understanding for the path that you are on. I believe a strong therapeutic relationship is important in order to grow in therapy. I have experience working with depression, anxiety, grief, life transitions, relationship issues, self-wellness, children of divorce & various teen concerns. By offering questions, observations & insights I can help guide you in managing life's challenges & making changes in your life.

I work with individuals and couples facing significant life choices and transitions in areas such as relationships, marriage, divorce, parenthood, career, and identity. I also have a sub-specialization in work with survivors of trauma. I am experienced in working with clients from a wide range of cultural and geographic backgrounds. In our sessions I provide clients a place to find support, acceptance, perspective and hope, to explore themselves and their lives in depth, and to develop more effective ways of relating to themselves and others.

As a psychologist, teacher, mother and trauma specialist, I enjoy working with teens, young adults, adults and couples who are trying to feel better. If you are wanting to stop the challenging patterns in your life, we may be a good fit. If you are wanting to find (or re-find) the joy in life, we may be a good fit. If you are wondering how your history may be affecting your current life, we may be a good fit. If you are looking for a psychotherapist who will help you help yourself, we may be a good fit. You and I will develop a warm, accepting, compassionate environment where we work to establish hope. Give it a try!

Choosing a therapist and beginning therapy isn't easy. The first step is recognizing the feeling that you don't want to be alone in working on your challenges. My commitment is to help you find out whether I might be a good match as your therapist, and to be your guide in the process of getting support. I work particularly well with anyone who is negotiating difficult life cycle transitions--from challenges of beginning school, moving or dealing with loss to the strains of adolescence, marriage or divorce or the demands of aging and caring for aging parents.

Has a recent loss or traumatic experience turned your world upside down? Do you struggle with the aftermath of childhood abuse and unsure how to move forward? Do others see you as successful but inside you feel anxious and uncertain of your worth? Do you feel something missing in your life? Are you experiencing a divorce or other major life transition?

Awarded Oakland Magazine's "Best Therapist" 2018 & 2020, my specialties include: relationship issues (such as conflict resolution, dating, pre-marital counseling, divorce, blended families, infidelity); grief & loss; addiction, recovery & codependence; anxiety & depression. My approach is both warm and direct-- my clients experience me as accepting and empathic, while also feeling challenged the right amount to grow and change. I am an integrative therapist, meaning I integrate more than one way/theory/model to view and treat psychological and/or relational concerns. See my website for education, experience and credentials.

People who need personal engagement and direct feedback about their life dynamics and challenges are a good fit for my style. Whether one is managing a mental health diagnosis, personal growth or dealing with a particular life circumstance. I also offer Divorce Mediation. Helping people achieve a fair and equitable divorce settlement.

Sometimes our lives can just be overwhelming. Are you struggling with a more recent change or stressful situation? Relationship, work, parenting, divorce, job/school or overall imbalance in your life? For some, there are long term factors that can be obstacles to relationship, employment and success in our lives. Depression, anxiety, addiction, weight and body issues, often only worsen. Getting support, new perspective and tools to deal with challenges can be life changing and a key for long term emotional wellness.

Building relationships to last a lifetime! I work with * Individuals from all walks of life * Couples of all kinds - married, co-habitating, dating, divorced * Families of all sorts * Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people and their partners and families * People who are part of the kink community, or who participate in BDSM in their personal lives * People in open, non-monogamous, polyamorous, or other non-traditional relationships * Cross-cultural couples and families * Genderqueer folks * Current or former workers in the sex industry * People with body image and self-acceptance issues * People with all kinds of mental and physical health problems

I work with individuals and couples to help reduce struggles and find ways to live more fulfilling, gratifying lives. Our relationship is the context in which we work to find where you're stuck, what's getting in your way, and ways to do things differently. My specialty areas include grief and loss, adoption, ADHD, race/class issues, work/life balance, LGBTQ issues, and divorce. I help people manage anxiety and mood problems. I help couples with concerns related to parenting, managing conflict, and addressing needs and expectations. I see communication as the grease that keeps relationships running smoothly, and I help facilitate good communication.

We can all use help dealing with life's challenges. I have more than thirty years of experience helping adolescents, adults, couples and families through tough times. My goal is to help you deal with problems, become more aware of your feelings, face sensitive issues and achieve personal growth. Our work together will enable you to develop the strengths and skills that allow you to deal effectively with life's challenges. Clients have reported that I am a good listener and create a warm and friendly environment in which they feel supported in the pursuit of solutions to their problems. I use a variety of theoretical approaches,

Have a child struggling with behavioral problems or a teen not acting like their normal self? Trained in EMDR, my heart and speciality as a therapist is in working with children, pre-teens and teenagers aged 10-17 struggling with Divorce, Blended Families, School, Bullying, and Anxiety/Depression.

Many of the clients I work with have either lost or struggled to develop a sense of control in their lives and relationships– having fallen into destructive patterns of substance abuse/addiction and impulsive and/or self-harming behaviors. Others may be struggling with an excess of self-imposed control– leading to a sense of isolation and fear of taking healthy risks. Some are confronting a major life-transition, loss of identity, divorce, death of a loved one or faced with a pervading sense of meaninglessness. All are, in one way or another, seeking to increase their sense of personal agency and effectiveness in daily life.

We all sometimes face a challenge in life that we just can't seem to resolve on our own. It might be a new chapter in your life that brings unexpected trials: adulthood, marriage, parenting, step-parenting, divorce, children leaving home, caring for your aging parents, the loss of a loved one, or facing your own mortality. It might be a conflict in a relationship with a loved one or in your professional life. Or it might be more of an internal struggle, whether recent or long-standing, that is giving rise to anxiety, depression, struggles with food or alcohol, or other self-defeating behaviors.