Therapists in Alameda County, CA

Have you recently experienced a traumatic loss and are feeling lost and overwhelmed with grief? Are you in the midst of a major life transition with your career or relationship? Perhaps you are an artist experiencing a creative block? Art Therapy may be the answer for your or your teen. As an Art Therapist, I specialize in guiding clients through grief and loss, life transitions, trauma, anxiety, depression, ADHD, and blocks in creativity and self exploration. I help my clients to harness the power of creativity to deepen emotional exploration and uncover feelings that may be challenging to otherwise articulate with words.

Hi, I am an experienced therapist with over 25 years of working with individuals, groups, couples and families. If you are experiencing anxiety, depression, fear, sadness, anger, or confusion, and the serenity and peace in your life is being compromised, I have experience helping people work through and understand these emotions. You can come out on the other side. I believe that everyone is wise and has their own solutions within themselves. I am dedicated to helping you find your solutions and your inner wisdom, so that you can live your life with joy, peace and serenity.

As an Integrative Psychotherapist, I base my approach from the relational work of Psychodynamic Therapy and integrate forms of Attachment Therapy, Narrative Therapy, CBT, DBT, Mindfulness Practices, Parts Work, Addiction and Trauma work - all based in Social Justice. I fully believe that every individual has the power and strength they need to actualize the changes they want, and can shift the old and new narratives of established stories and patterns of their daily lives.

My name is Alexander Warnow and I'm the founder of XY Counseling. At XY we work primarily with adults, teens, and couples helping them to live more fulfilling, connected lives. Often what brings someone to seek therapy is a chronic issue that has reached a crisis point: anger, depression, anxiety, self-worth, intimacy problems, communication issues and many more. Sometimes it is a recent change in one's life: infidelity, a move, or the end of a relationship. Taking the risk to ask for help is the first step on the road towards healing and growth. Our therapists include Jacob Donnelly, Stacey Klein and Walker Witte.

Do you feel stuck in the same loops, repeating old patterns, and self-defeating behaviors? Through a mindfulness-based, somatic, and trauma-sensitive approach, I support you to break these cycles, let go of limiting beliefs and be free to live the life you want. I specialize in supporting individuals who struggle with issues related to anxiety, perfectionism, low self-esteem and depression. My style is warm, authentic and direct - I'm here to help you feel more grounded and self-assured so that you can better navigate relationships, life transitions, and daily stressors.

I am grateful for the opportunities I have to know first hand our common humanity; our struggles and pain, our resilience and triumph through my personal and professional experiences. I am bi-cultural and have worked and traveled around the world. My exposure to and appreciation of human differences and similarities across cultures inspire my life and work. I am an experienced psychologist and I deeply and holistically understand complex psychological processes. I am here to skillfully, lovingly and affordably support your psychological growth and transformation and to help you reclaim joy and vitality.

As a Licensed Psychotherapist I help people with feelings of anxiety, stress, panic, depression and disconnection. You might be struggling with low self worth or a relentless inner critic that affects your relationships, work or school performance. By using a trauma informed approach we uncover what lies underneath allowing for understanding, access to compassion and the easing of overwhelming emotions.

When challenges and struggles in life arise, you do not have to walk alone. Whether you have experienced a recent life transition, loss, setback, have struggled with mental health or addiction challenges, or, are seeking support to heal from a recent or childhood trauma, I will be honored to guide you to gain control of your life and reclaim your personal power. I have committed nearly two decades holding a safe and empowered space for adults, children, and adolescents to discover their human potential, heal from trauma, and develop the tools to live a life of vitality and empowerment.

Do you seek relief from experiences of anxiety, depression, or shame? You may be wanting more self-confidence or deeper intimacy in your relationships. Perhaps you long to shed unwanted conditioning and live more fully in your embodied truth. I can support you to identify and move through old patterns that constrict your vitality, helping you to unearth your passion and unique gifts. My approach is warm, grounded, and collaborative. Together we will develop a safe space to explore any wounds and limiting beliefs and allow you to encounter and live into your deepest wisdom.

My framework as a psychotherapist is inspired by black feminist sci-fi writer, Octavia E. Butler who saw the possibility of many more worlds than just our own. I believe that transformative internal healing is critical to envisioning and building these worlds without the presence of imperialism, white supremacy, capitalism and cishet-patriarchy. The tools I use to support the exploration of individual, interpersonal and intergenerational trauma are shaped by abolition that rejects punitive and scarcity mindsets and disability justice which strives to value every body.

We live in powerful times, filled with much opportunity and yet so much pressure to succeed that it can be difficult to navigate our personal challenges amidst the demands that come with it. We want to feel connected, whole, and in our purpose, but often feel separate, isolated, and fragmented instead. In order to heal, awareness, compassion and courage are needed to meet the painful spaces and shed light on our shadows, transforming them into opportunities for more presence, fulfillment and joy. I aim to empower the healer within you. As we heal, we serve ourselves and the world around us for the better.

The decision to begin therapy is a courageous step–one that can be life-changing. Whether you are feeling anxious, sad, stressed, angry, confused or stuck, therapy can offer a safe space for you to explore your inner world and gain new insights and skills. I have helped clients across the lifespan manage difficult emotions, heal traumas, gain self-confidence, learn new skills for navigating romantic and social relationships, find relief from long-term mental health issues, uncover creativity and life purpose, and reconnect with their partners in new ways. Therapy is a collaboration and I am here to help you on your journey.

Change, healing and growth are no small tasks. I know this first hand and am here to help others find their own success overcoming the pain and obstacles they encounter throughout life. I work collaboratively with individuals to identify sources of stress, discover unsuccessful patterns, embrace difficult feelings and develop both internal and external resources for getting to where they want to go. I hope to foster greater self-awareness, acceptance and compassion in all of my clients. I work frequently with adults struggling with depression, anxiety, social anxiety, trauma, grief/loss, attachment wounds and life transitions.

I recognize that making a decision to come to counseling is not always easy, and will partner with you at your own pace to engage your natural capacity for healing and change. My style is warm, collaborative and non-judgmental. The way our time is spent together will be unique to your interests & needs. My practice is eclectic and may include mindfulness, expressive arts, nature, as well as traditional talk therapy, which we will discuss in our first meeting together. I'm passionate about providing therapeutic services to youth and young adults; and also work with adult clients & parents.

I have been in private practice as a psychotherapist in Berkeley since 1994, working with adults and teens individually and with couples and groups, on recovering from relationship and betrayal trauma. This trauma may manifest as recurring intrusive reminders of overwhelming and unresolved past experiences and as emotional / somatic distress in your present life. Or it may result from inadequate nurture and protection in childhood (attachment trauma). Often, both contribute to the need and desire for relief and a better life beyond trauma. Individualized trauma therapy addresses the need for a new relationship with your past.

We all feel lost from time to time, but there’s always light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve been through my own therapy as a young adult when I was stuck in a bout of anxiety and panic attacks due to childhood trauma. Throughout my years of working with traumatized individuals, I learned first-hand about how childhood trauma can have a strong impact on adulthood. I can help you address unresolved trauma, in order for you to find passion, connection, and purpose in your life.

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.

Transforming our inner dialogues and practicing radical self compassion is an important part of healing. Speaking to oneself with gentleness and compassion can be a challenge for many, but we are all worthy of our own kindness. I am here to offer support in your healing journey with yourself. My approach is warm, patient, strengths based, and practical. I offer tools that clients can use to support their personal growth and healing, both during and outside of sessions. This includes learning how to build distress tolerance, learning emotional regulation skills, and practicing strategies for transforming inner thoughts.

I work with individuals struggling with issues of self-worth, either shame or grandiosity; couples needing help to restore their communication, dealing with codependency and navigating non monogamous life; and I specialize in working with men seeking to develop a healthier relationship to their masculinity. I am offering you supportive, non judgmental yet direct and clear feedback on what you are thinking and doing that keeps you from moving forward. Changing the way we engage with our thoughts and feelings requires self-awareness, education, and support. You don't have to do this alone!