Self-Harming Therapists in Berkeley, CA

I love seeing folks at a turning point in their lives, who want to heal painful beliefs or repeating relational patterns, to find direction and self-love. With modalities of Gestalt awareness, Jungian imaginal discovery, Existential inquiry, psychoeducation and caring exploration, we dive into what wants to be seen. I see clients recover from dysfunctional family systems, addiction, and codependency. We heal past wounds and build self-support for increased choicefulness. I reference 12-step models, having over 20 years experience with them. I respect recovering individuals who often have readiness to do deep therapeutic work.

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.

I have been working or volunteering with adolescents and adults for the past 25 years. In my most recent position as group psychotherapist/treatment coordinator in an adolescent partial hospitalization program, I have provided individual, group, and family therapy for teens struggling with an array of mental health challenges. These include depression, anxiety, chronic suicidal ideation, self-harming behaviors, PTSD, family strain, and self-esteem issues. My work with adults has centered around many of the issues mentioned above, as well as life transitions, marital conflict, loss, and parenting.

Trauma takes many forms; often in the guise of unprocessed grief and loss. Loss of employment, financial insecurity, divorce, separation, domestic violence and abuse; all must be mourned. We become stuck; often not understanding our own reactions to people, places and things. Our partners, children, colleagues and superiors can appear to feel unfairly entitled to what we have to offer. Our ability to tolerate distress is limited.

At The San Francisco Marriage and Couples Center, we offer couples therapy, marriage counseling, and relationship counseling. We are an organization of professional mental health clinicians with a top priority in providing progressive and cutting edge treatment for trauma, mood, and relationship issues. Our therapists have been chosen for their expertise in helping mood, trauma, and relationship issues. Therapists who practice at The San Francisco Marriage and Couples Center provide as integrative approach to treatment offering Western talk therapy and Eastern complimentary recommendations including meditation, yoga, and qigong.

The most important questions is: "What pain brought you here? What is the hardest issue for you to deal with?" The most important result of the first session is that you walk out feeling that I understand you and will be able to be your ally in working through your issues. In other words we need to like each other and you need to feel that I have the expertise to handle your problems and not judge you.

We at the Bay Area Center for Adolescents understand that adolescence can be a difficult time for preteens, teens, young adults, and parents. On the one hand, adolescents are learning to manage life on their own and wanting more independence, but on the other hand, they may not be prepared for the responsibilities of life or realizing the consequences of their actions. We work with adolescents and their families to navigate this difficult time while helping adolescents to become independent, but still maintain the relationship with family. The Bay Area Center for Adolescents is a group of providers who all know how to connect with adolescents and their families and provide effective therapy.

Have your emotions been feeling unmanageable lately? Have you been feeling unable to fully participate in life the way you want to? Taking that first step to start your own therapeutic journey can be a challenging one, and it's my job to provide an empathetic, nonjudgmental space for you to work towards your goals and build a life that you want to live. Through the use of tools based in mindfulness, I aim to help you manage life stressors, work on relationship issues, identify your goals and values, and feel fulfilled in life.

As a psychotherapist, I act as your collaborator, witness and guide, and bring curiosity and warmth to your exploration. Trauma, past wounding and internalized negative beliefs can make it difficult to know what you need from moment to moment. Therefore, in session, I support you in cultivating self-agency so that you may become familiar with what is right for you at a pace that is both constructive and safe. I am here to help you navigate difficult transitions, past and new traumas, grief and loss, shifts in identity, and a desire to change patterns in relationship on your path towards fulfilling connections to self and others.

Are you feeling stuck or overwhelmed? Do you get in your own way, with negative thoughts or behaviors? Do you struggle with intimacy and trust? Perhaps you're gripped by emotions you cannot control; or the opposite - feel disconnected, alienated, unable to get close? Others have found healing and transformation through psychotherapy - there is hope!

Whether you are struggling with difficult emotions, your health, or you would like to have a more vital life, therapy can help guide your personal journey. There are moments when we all struggle, get lost, and stray off the path towards our goals. We get stuck in unhelpful patterns that are hard to break free from. Insight into these patterns can lead to making different choices that are empowering and life-affirming. I create a warm and inviting space for exploration and personal growth. While I provide therapy for adolescents and adults, I also provide psychological evaluations to clients across the lifespan.

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.

I strive to facilitate a dialogue that both empowers and engages clients in their own self-healing, valuing the co-creation of a transformative narrative and experience. As a licensed clinical psychologist, experienced in treating both children and adults, I view emotional and behavioral challenges as a dynamic outcome that develops as a result of complex interactions across time, as opposed to something inherently "broken" inside an individual.

I am a trauma-informed, somatic therapist, passionate about supporting and empowering adults and children through therapy. I have an interest in working with adults on: complex & acute trauma, emotion regulation, anxiety, relationships, self-esteem, grief, and life transitions. With children, I treat: anger, traumatic events, adjusting to change, general/social/separation anxiety, friendship skills, bullying, frequent arguing, self-esteem, school-based issues, OCD, and PANS/PANDAS. I welcome clients who are queer, gender-nonconforming, and in poly/kink/non-traditional relationship structures.

I am bilingual in Spanish, and offer therapy for individual adults, couples, families, teens, and children 6 and older. My specialties include trauma, interpersonal violence (IPV), and loss, especially for human beings who have experienced displacement and/migration. I offer services for expecting and new mothers to aid in the transitions and attachment issues that arise. Also I am interested in bridging periods in human development. I embrace a culturally humble stance, and am LBGT welcoming.

Are you wanting to be more true to who you are but do not know if it is possible? Do you often repress your desires and ignore your needs? Does this end up making you feel stuck, unhappy, hopeless, sad, frustrated, depressed and/or anxious? Whether you were raised by people who failed to see you and support you, or in a culture that oppressed you, it is important that you do not give up. You deserve to prioritize yourself and be who you are truly meant to be.

I provide culturally sensitive, empirically validated psychotherapy services to individuals, couples and families, ranging from adolescents to seniors. I am committed to the therapeutic process as a collaborative journey and consider it a great privilege to be entrusted with my clients' most deeply-held thoughts and feelings. I am actively engaged with those who are grappling with issues of anxiety, depression, bereavement, relationship problems, life transitions, trauma, interpersonal difficulties and creative blocks, addressing my client's concerns in a humanistic and holistic manner that transcends preoccupation with pathology to work toward a life of deep meaning, creativity and interpersonal fulfillment.

Do you struggle to know yourself, find meaning and manage relationships? Do you feel tire, overwhelmed, or anxious knowing that your experiences are impacting all areas of your life? Are you struggling with substance use, relationships, anxiety or depression? As an authentic and curious clinician who likes to meet clients where they are at and explore how they show up for themselves and others, I am glad you are here!

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!