Family Therapy in Alameda, CA

As a high achiever you may feel like you're never good enough, or maybe you find yourself weighed down by lived trauma. Are you wanting to heal from your own childhood trauma so you can be a better parent? You might feel anxious, stressed and overwhelmed. I am here to assist women like you in going further than just coping with symptoms. Let's move toward adapting, thriving and connecting to God's true design for your life. I understand seeking help can be a big step and possibly pretty scary. I want to take a moment to offer praise for taking this step!

Do you feel lost, questioning who you are or where you're going with no easy answers? Sometimes life takes an unexpected turn, we hit a bottom, or we just realize that something in us is different...or something must change. Such times of confusion and crisis are often the meeting point for our work together. They are also openings to self-discovery and real change. I listen deeply for what you want, develop a relationship of trust, and work WITH you to establish the clarity and direction you need.

Services are provided in both Spanish and English. My therapeutic approach used in treatment varies depending on the individual's needs and recommended treatment modalities for the individual's presenting issue. I've spent the last 8.5 years working in community mental health, focal population includes young adults, adults, older adults, and their families who have moderate to severe mental health illnesses. During my career in community mental health, I provided treatment for various mental health disorders.

I specialize in treating adults living with a disabling health condition, caregivers who are supporting someone with a health condition, and those grieving the loss of a loved one. Living with a serious illness or grief can bring out difficult feelings of uncertainty, anxiety, depression and fear. I use an integrative approach with elements of narrative therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and mindfulness. Together, let's create a safe space to help you cope while attending to your heart, mind, and body.

My approach is psychodynamic, relational, and insight-oriented with a holistic focus on the mind-body continuum.

I emphasize warmth, compassion and collaboration. I give feedback and listen to yours. Together we look at what you do outside and what we do together. We use conversation, intuition, meditation and silence to discover what drives you, what nourishes you, what blocks you, and what helps you make changes that allow you to develop a fuller, more spontaneous life.

You can thrive, feel more freedom and peace, and you don't have to do it alone. Relationship challenges, confusing emotions, and transitions can leave us feeling shaky. Somatic (body-centered) therapy can help you understand yourself while healing past hurts. Every relationship you have had with others and society influences your well-being. I can help you navigate relationships with self, loved ones, and the wider world with confidence and ease. You possess tremendous inner strength, courage, and determination. If you are willing to work, you can have the change you desire. You deserve to be your best self.

"Reaching out is the first step. I invite you to take that first step and CALL me at 510-652-1902. I look forward to talking with you."

I have over 12 years experience working with adults, children, and adolescents experiencing relationship problems, anxiety and mood concerns, emotional and/or behavioral troubles, trauma and loss, and difficulties with burnout and the compassion fatigue of caring for loved ones with these issues. If you are an adult attempting to work through such difficulties in your life, the partner of someone having these problems, or if you are a parent seeking help for your child, I would welcome a chance to talk with you about how I may help.

People come to therapy with unique needs, concerns, and life circumstances. Through the process of self-inquiry, I help clients gain insight and develop effective coping skills to move through a challenge with greater ease and understanding. My therapeutic style is warm, compassionate and curious about one's experience. I use an attachment based, person-centered approach that offers individuals and couples clarity around repetitive patterns that cause pain, conflict, and limit growth.

Relationships are as important to us as food and water. They can strengthen us, like a vitamin, or weaken us, like the flu. You are only as good in relationships as the relationships you have been in. As your therapist I can assist you in many ways. I can help you learn more about yourself, increase both self-compassion and compassion for others, and heal past trauma. Together, we can explore how to feel more connected to yourself, your values, and people you care about.

My clients are often sensitive, intelligent, and creative people who face life transitions, self-doubt, anxiety, depression, and the challenges of liberating passion and creating meaning in life. Many struggle with the legacy of significant trauma. Through acceptance, loving encouragement, and providing a container for self-exploration, I help clients to find a more encompassing love for self and other, develop strength and firmness of character, and tap into the well of their vitality, creativity, and joy.

I enjoy working with adults who are interested in becoming more conscious. We all have reactions to things but there are some reactions or triggers that cause emotional pain. These triggers are usually a leftover piece of unprocessed pain. Unless they are understood and healed, they'll keep coming up. I enjoy working with clients who are motivated and curious about this process. The result is more peace of mind and a more fulfilling relationship with oneself and others.

As Psychology Today's "Ask Our Therapist" columnist and executive director/psychologist for our Ask Our Therapist online service, every day I learn about and respond to the very diverse and meaningful struggles that people share.

I believe that our experiences in life are reflected in our behaviors, shape our thoughts, are held in our bodies, and trigger our emotions often outside of our consciousness. Increasing awareness at all levels allows us to have access to more choices in our lives. I see the goal of psychotherapy is to help people find a place in them where it feels safe, loving, and truthful, accessing their authentic selves. To facilitate this process, I explore with clients their thoughts and belief systems, behaviors, feelings, and physical sensations, helping to connect and integrate the mind, body and spirit.

I see therapy as an opportunity to have a new kind of relationship, a relationship in which you come to know yourself in a new way. In therapy we work together to uncover and make sense of confusing or conflicting desires, thoughts, and feelings. With understanding, awareness, and the practicing of new skills comes the freedom and capacity to make conscious choices, relate to difficult feelings and situations differently, and change entrenched patterns or habits that are no longer working for you. Many people come to see me after years of trying to "feel better" or "fix things" on their own. You don't have to do this alone.

When people are stuck at critical life crossroads they sometimes need a clear sounding board. I help clients think through important decisions and make choices that let them move forward. Much of my work has centered on relationship conflicts, life transitions, depression, anxiety, parenting, and assertiveness development. I ultimately assist clients in leading authentic lives of their choosing.

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.

Collaborative, respectful, direct, and compassionate psychotherapy. My hopes are to widen the breadth of communication in the Asian Community by reducing the stigma towards mental health and help to dispel the concepts of the model minority and empower clients to nurture their own growth and resilience towards balanced homeostasis. Currently accepting children, couples, and families.