Play Therapy in Alameda, CA

Is your child struggling at school? Are you struggling at work? Perhaps a learning disability or ADHD are to blame? As a school psychologist in the public schools since 2011, I have extensive experience conducting psycho-educational assessments to identify impediments to learning. I can also screen for Irlen syndrome, a visual perceptual difficulty that can make reading hard. If your child is struggling emotionally, I offer play therapy, talk therapy, and art therapy, depending on age and inclination. For parents, I offer practical advice combined with an understanding of the special education process.

Whether experiencing distress due to current life circumstances or lingering hurts and difficulties, working with a supportive therapist can help. Each individual and family has its own unique story and set of strengths and struggles. My practice consists of working with children, families and adults. I have provided services in diverse settings including schools, youth and family service organizations and substance abuse programs. I have had the honor of working with people of all ages and cultural backgrounds. I believe in working collaboratively with clients and I strive to provide a welcoming environment that promotes healing, self-acceptance and learning new skills to cope.

I have worked with adults and youth for 25 years to help calm anxiety and lift depressed feelings and to find a way out of being limited by difficult emotions. My specialties include helping clients through life changes, issues related to work, school and personal relationships, anxiety and depression. Painful experiences or feelings from the past can cause us to feel disconnected from the relationships and opportunities in the world around us. I can work with you to help shift the unhelpful patterns of thinking and feeling to allow that valuable mental and emotional energy to be redirected towards positive change.

When individuals, couples, families or children make the difficult decision to come to therapy they are usually feeling stuck and often scared. Each of us has our own strength and wisdom which we don't see when we are troubled. My goal is for us to work together to rediscover those qualities. I use a cattail plant as a symbol of how I see therapy. Why? Cattails are found stuck in a marsh and often regarded as weeds. But when looked at carefully they are graceful and strong. Let me help you find your strength and grace.

We are all born whole, in lovingkind perfection. But life produces obstacles that sidetrack our becoming ourselves. Obstacles take any forms: trauma in the body, inauthentic identities, existential fears, beliefs indoctrinated but in conflict with one's essential values, or anxiety that something is wrong with oneself. The result can be alienation, grief, substance use issues, depression, anxiety, difficulty connecting, or incapacity to speak or create from the heart. Reconnecting with ones body, the natural world, and with an unconditional community are the foundations re-emerging into the Self you've always been.

I specialize in whole-bodied therapy to heal anxiety and trauma for children, teens, and adults. I offer attachment-based, trauma-healing, body-oriented approaches (EMDR, Havening & Somatics), play therapy, integrative talk therapy, & nature-oriented outdoor therapy. I also provide therapy for hopeful, awaiting, and new parents who are navigating the fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum journey. I provide therapy online across CA and outdoors if you are local to the East Bay. In-home therapy is also available for children and families.

If you’re experiencing anxiety or trauma, I can help. Trauma, particularly from early childhood can have a deep impact on your self-esteem, relationships and functioning. You may struggle with perfectionism, people pleasing or codependency. Your nervous system may be dsyregulated which can lead to feeling flooded with emotions and or exhausted. This can lead to adaptions which may have serious consequences. Some interventions I use with clients include EMDR, Internal Family Systems, somatic therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, art, sandplay and play therapy. Which interventions are based on your preferences and fit.

Clinicians in our program provide comprehensive mental health treatment for families. Our licensed psychologists provide Psychoeducational Evaluations/testing for children designed to help you understand how your child learns and the best way to support them. Evaluations consist of a full cognitive and academic evaluation, as well as an assessment of social, emotional, and behavioral concerns. Additionally, we provide comprehensive testing for children and adults including IQ testing, and child and adult ADHD.

Are there experiences or challenges in your life that have left you feeling stuck, lost, disconnected, or alone? Are you struggling with your job, relationships, family, or just life in general? Do you need help making sense of the world around you and your place within it? Is it time to begin living your best life? All journeys begin with the first step.

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.

I am a licensed clinical professional counselor and a registered dance movement therapist. My expertise encompasses postpartum, pregnancy, parenting, as well as support for infants, children, and families. My therapeutic approach is rooted in harnessing the body's wisdom, allowing us to explore and effect change through the body. I guide you in understanding body signals and collaboratively develop strategies to facilitate the desired transformations. I believe in the power of nonverbal communication and self-expression to foster emotional growth and strengthen connections within these vital relationships.

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.

Welcome. I work with children, adolescents, and adults coping with relational, attachment, and anxiety disorders. In my practice, therapy often entails exploring the impact of early attachment experiences on our views of self and our ability to form close, meaningful relationships throughout life. In our work together, you will be treated with warmth, empathy, and openness. The most important part of our work is the development of a trusting relationship. This relationship creates a thoughtful, safe space to explore your strengths, challenges, and goals. My approach to clinical work is largely relational and psychodynamic.

I work with children ranging in age from kindergarten through middle school, as well as parents and caregivers. I can help children who are facing challenges around anxiety, life transitions, losses, self-esteem, and relationships with peers and/or family members. I know that children are most effectively treated when their parents are engaged in the treatment process. The degree to which parents are included depends on each child’s needs. I am also happy to provide parent consultation as the primary intervention if a parent is interested in trying that approach instead of individual child therapy.

As your therapist, I will help you address the challenges that are holding you back from creating the life you want. Many times this involves simple, guided questions that explore how you came to feel the way you feel and why you do the things you do. I utilize a relational framework when working with adults and older teens. Research has shown that the most important aspect of therapy is the relationship you have with your therapist. The modalities change over time, but the need to experience trust in examining your inner landscape is essential and unwavering.

Starting therapy can be scary, exciting, and bring up feelings of uncertainty. You may feel alone, stuck, have difficulty expressing your thoughts/feelings, and not know who to share these intimate and vulnerable thoughts/feelings with. An important part of having a positive therapy experience is a warm, trusting, and open therapeutic relationship. My aim is to provide this positive experience and support your overall well-being. I also speak Cantonese (廣東話) with native fluency and have experience in providing psychotherapy and parent support in Cantonese.

Thank you for visiting my page. Choosing to embark on the path of healing can be difficult, and I applaud you for taking the first step. I work with adults (both women and men) seeking to address concerns related to relationships, infidelity, self-worth, and commitment issues. I offer a safe and supportive space for exploring these complex issues. My goal is to support you in having a clearer understanding of the barriers you face while navigating life's challenges. Whether you are struggling with anxiety, grief, depression, or relationship issues, I am here to help you create a more fulfilling life. I invite you to reach out.

You are courageous to take the first step toward healing! It is my goal to assist, guide and support my client onward through the Ups, and the Downs that life brings. Lets be open to discover new paths of healing from various issues such as trauma and loss, anxiety and depression, couple and family conflicts and much more. I aspire to create, and maintain a safe space that nurtures the mutual respect and trust needed for growth and healing through Expressive Arts and Talk Therapy modalities.

As a psychotherapist, I help clients redefine how they live their lives. I am a licensed clinical social worker who sees children, adolescents and families as well as individual adults. By engaging in a series of conversations, I will help you to challenge the problematic assumptions and ways of being that prevent you from realizing the full potential of your life. I work from a colloborative stance that assumes you are the expert on your life. But my own expertise in helping people overcome emotional problems, troublesome habits and relationship roadblocks can help you create new solutions to old problems.