Self Esteem Therapists in Albany, CA

Please Note: I am not available to new clients at this time. I believe the foundation of therapy is a relationship built on trust, openness, and mutual respect. I see myself as a guide and partner in the change process. I have experience treating the full range of adult problems and have always worked with a culturally diverse population. I have particular interest in creativity, women's issues, and adult development throughout the life cycle. I have specialized training in addictions, codependence, and eating disorders. My therapeutic orientation is broadly psychodynamic, along with EMDR and mindfulness-based approaches.

Developing a trusting relationship is the most important element in successful psychotherapy. We will create a unique relationship that encourages your expression of inner feelings and learning to know what is true for you. I appreciate depth work, and although weekly sessions are beneficial, up to three sessions per week deepens the process. I frequently work with the following issues: depression, anxiety, relationship problems, disabilities and chronic illness, self-esteem and LGBTQ issues.

Therapy is a collaboration. I am present and relational in my work. I believe each person is innately their own expert and I am here to help that person tap into their own truths. I get to know you from a place of non-judgement. I listen to what symptoms are troubling you and will teach you skills to help relieve the suffering. Together we develop short term goals that build upon the strengths that you may have temporarily not been able to see. The long term goal is not to be in therapy forever, but for you to have the tools to thrive in your life!

I have worked with people who are looking to find deeper meanings about the reasons they feel things like sadness, anxiety, confusion, rejection, and rage, to name a few. When we sit down, we will work together to sort out your feelings and then help with understanding them so that you can have more control over how you think and react. There are many different paths we can follow to make links between the past and current challenges. My goal is to listen and work with you to uncover thoughts and conflicts that can interfere with your happiness and comfort in daily living.

Are you having difficulty managing intense emotional states? Are anxiety, depression, hurt or anger barriers to connecting with partners or potential partners? Do you have a harsh inner critic? Using a therapeutic style that is supportive, interactive, and understanding, I have been providing psychological treatment to individuals for 30 years. Important areas of my practice include anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

We all go through difficult times at some point in our lives. How we adjust, cope, and learn from these experiences will help us regain the sense of empowerment, inspiration and resilience to endure the many stages in life. Todos pasamos por momentos dificiles en nuestras vidas, pero el como nos ajustamos y lo que aprendemos de esas experiencias, es lo que nos ayudara a volver a sentir la capacidad, inspiracion y fortaleza para sobrellevar las diferentes etapas de nuestra vida.

I work with clients virtually, in nature, or in person. I prefer to work with a client who will come to sessions even when it is challenging. I allow the therapy relationship to open up space for safe exploration of the realities of life, ways to cope with reality and improve spiritual and mental strength. Therefore, my client would demonstrate commitment to the therapy relationship, whether for brief therapy or long-term work, by doing the work necessary to understand the self and make necessary life decisions to maximize the availability of life energy.

Feeling stuck, confused, in limbo or in transition can be so painful. With focus and support, taking those first few steps can feel more approachable, as you try new strategies and skills for managing difficult challenges, improving well being, and leading a fuller life.I bring a warm, supportive, practical and interactive approach to working with clients. Together, we collaborate to uncover and identify your concerns and obstacles as well as strengths, hopes and pleasures.

In my psychotherapy practice I create a space where you can feel comfortable and safe expressing emotions and exploring difficult issues. With compassion and mindfulness I listen to what you say through your words and what you say when there are no words. Together we will decide on the treatment modality that is best for you. I have tended to specialize in two main areas: trauma and relationship issues. My background in psychodynamic therapy offers a strong foundation for understanding behavior and the way we unintentionally get trapped in patterns.

2020 has brought multiple life-changing events. COVID-19 forced you to rethink your physical and emotional health, how you conduct business, and how you interact with everyone in your life. All of your relationships shifted in some important way. It's possible your role was shifted from an active co-worker to a former co-worker, from a supportive parent to a confused teacher, or from a loving spouse to a frustrated housemate. in addition to COVID-19, we are also faced with an unprecedented look at how America's social structure impacts race relations in our country.

My focus is on assisting those clients with issues they need greater support on, grief, chronic illness, chronic pain and Highly Sensitive Persons (HSP). The misunderstood nature of health issues such as fibromyalgia, lupus, headaches, can lead to disruption in clients' lives and relationships, and grieving the healthy self is not unusual. HSPs experience the world with a heightened perspective, often finding interactions and sensory stimulation difficult as well as health challenges. Navigating such a world often requires more support and validation, which psychotherapy can provide.

Welcome! I offer psychotherapy to adults, couples and other relationship configurations, families and teens, as well as sex therapy. I am a Certified Sex Therapist (CST) through AASECT and am also a gender care provider. I believe therapy is a collaborative process; you can think of me as a companion as we travel down the roads of your growth together. If you have been thinking about starting therapy, I invite you to contact me. I am committed to helping my clients become the most authentic version of themselves.

Figuring out who you want to be and how you want to live is a huge undertaking. It’s even harder to do while depressed, anxious, recovering from trauma, or grappling with your mental health. Add in the after-effects of a global pandemic, climate change, systemic and interpersonal racism, threats to reproductive rights and LGBTQI rights as well as to our democracy, and an uncertain economic future? What’s there to feel good about? I hold out hope that you can create something beautiful and satisfying out of your experiences, even in the face of a traumatic past and uncertain future.