Expressive Arts Therapists in El Cerrito, CA
We may work through talk therapy, present moment awareness, somatic work and/or expressive arts.
What would it be like to feel at home in your body, in your mind, and in your heart? How would it feel to truly inhabit your life, with a greater sense of aliveness, ease, and connection? From my experience working with hundreds of clients from all walks of life, I know that difficult times can become a doorway to healing, change and greater connection with one's true self. I have a warm, collaborative approach and will support you in healing the wounds of the past and making inner and outer changes needed for a more fulfilling life.
We may work through talk therapy, present moment awareness, somatic work and/or expressive arts.
What would it be like to feel at home in your body, in your mind, and in your heart? How would it feel to truly inhabit your life, with a greater sense of aliveness, ease, and connection? From my experience working with hundreds of clients from all walks of life, I know that difficult times can become a doorway to healing, change and greater connection with one's true self. I have a warm, collaborative approach and will support you in healing the wounds of the past and making inner and outer changes needed for a more fulfilling life.
Christopher Patrick White
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified Verified
1 Endorsed
El Cerrito, CA 94530
However, I sometimes use expressive arts, dramatic play, and exploration of body and breath as powerful tools for creating a deeper and more intimate therapeutic encounter.
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.
However, I sometimes use expressive arts, dramatic play, and exploration of body and breath as powerful tools for creating a deeper and more intimate therapeutic encounter.
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.
Kathryn Buys
Marriage & Family Therapist, MFT, ACSP
Verified Verified
1 Endorsed
El Cerrito, CA 94530
I integrate expressive arts & Spiritual practices from all over the world, i.
If you are a woman ready for more happiness, more peace, & a greater sense of choice, I am here to guide you on your way. Your depression, anxiety, or relationship challenges may be signals that something greater is around the corner. If they persist, though, it’s a good time to find someone who can re-orient you so that you’re on the path of a joyful life, a life of intention, a life where empowerment and “yes!” are within reach. I work with women who feel even just a slight spark of knowing that this path might be available. We may start with mindfulness & how to cope with the effects of trauma and depression so you can thrive.
I integrate expressive arts & Spiritual practices from all over the world, i.
If you are a woman ready for more happiness, more peace, & a greater sense of choice, I am here to guide you on your way. Your depression, anxiety, or relationship challenges may be signals that something greater is around the corner. If they persist, though, it’s a good time to find someone who can re-orient you so that you’re on the path of a joyful life, a life of intention, a life where empowerment and “yes!” are within reach. I work with women who feel even just a slight spark of knowing that this path might be available. We may start with mindfulness & how to cope with the effects of trauma and depression so you can thrive.
Phyllis Rothblatt
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified Verified
El Cerrito, CA 94530 (Online Only)
I integrate EMDR, mindfulness meditation, play & expressive arts, somatic awareness, and humor into my work.
As a therapist for over thirty years, the focus of my work is helping people to create and sustain healthy relationships, and to learn how to thrive in their lives. I listen carefully to the nuances of what you say and don't say, and help you to become more aware of your unconscious beliefs and the energy that you hold in your body that may be an obstacle to your creating the life and relationships that you yearn for. Together, we take the journey of understanding and resolving what is in your way, so that you can discover new pathways to live your life with more joy, ease and connection.
I integrate EMDR, mindfulness meditation, play & expressive arts, somatic awareness, and humor into my work.
As a therapist for over thirty years, the focus of my work is helping people to create and sustain healthy relationships, and to learn how to thrive in their lives. I listen carefully to the nuances of what you say and don't say, and help you to become more aware of your unconscious beliefs and the energy that you hold in your body that may be an obstacle to your creating the life and relationships that you yearn for. Together, we take the journey of understanding and resolving what is in your way, so that you can discover new pathways to live your life with more joy, ease and connection.
I have training and experience in a variety of therapeutic approaches--play therapy, Filial Therapy, expressive arts, sand tray, EMDR, and mindfulness, as well as "talk" therapy.
Sometimes, the stress of daily life can exhaust our ability to cope. A child struggling in school, family conflicts, traumatic events, major life transitions, the loss of a loved one, friend, or pet, financial and/or medical issues, pregnancy and the birth of a child—all of these experiences can leave us feeling overwhelmed, helpless, and defeated. From experience and research, we know that stressful experiences--sudden or chronic--can lead to feelings of disconnection, sadness, anxiety, low self-esteem, and conflict within ourselves and with our friends and loved ones.
I have training and experience in a variety of therapeutic approaches--play therapy, Filial Therapy, expressive arts, sand tray, EMDR, and mindfulness, as well as "talk" therapy.
Sometimes, the stress of daily life can exhaust our ability to cope. A child struggling in school, family conflicts, traumatic events, major life transitions, the loss of a loved one, friend, or pet, financial and/or medical issues, pregnancy and the birth of a child—all of these experiences can leave us feeling overwhelmed, helpless, and defeated. From experience and research, we know that stressful experiences--sudden or chronic--can lead to feelings of disconnection, sadness, anxiety, low self-esteem, and conflict within ourselves and with our friends and loved ones.
Farhana Sobhan
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified Verified
2 Endorsed
El Cerrito, CA 94530
When appropriate and with permission, I incorporate multi-modal somatic and expressive arts tools such as visual art, movement, and play to deepen the therapeutic process.
My practice is supporting others in becoming more resilient and taking steps towards leading a life with more meaning and intentionality. Our unique intersections of life have brought us experiences and challenges that made a lasting impact on how we navigate our systems and relationships. Becoming more aware of the patterns that enabled us to survive in the past can aid in providing more insight and clarity into ourselves to inform our future. Together we will build capacity for unlearning old patterns and developing new capacities that support your growth process and change the narrative from surviving to thriving.
When appropriate and with permission, I incorporate multi-modal somatic and expressive arts tools such as visual art, movement, and play to deepen the therapeutic process.
My practice is supporting others in becoming more resilient and taking steps towards leading a life with more meaning and intentionality. Our unique intersections of life have brought us experiences and challenges that made a lasting impact on how we navigate our systems and relationships. Becoming more aware of the patterns that enabled us to survive in the past can aid in providing more insight and clarity into ourselves to inform our future. Together we will build capacity for unlearning old patterns and developing new capacities that support your growth process and change the narrative from surviving to thriving.
Treatment includes: DBT, CBT, Attachment, EMDR, Expressive Arts, Guided Meditation, Experiential, Existential/Humanistic, Metaphor, Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing, Psychodynamic, Solution-Focused.
Do you find yourself at a crossroads, with recent events or longstanding issues to sort through and understand? Are you experiencing a challenged relationship, a sadness lingering from Covid isolation, anxieties, a shake up of self esteem, or a desire to re-calibrate life/career goals? What do you want to release and what to retain as learning? I offer compassionate, supportive, resourceful, pragmatic collaboration to help you balance these awarenesses. Together, we will set achievable goals and reclaim your resources within, so that you, and your relationships can move forward in a positive way.
Treatment includes: DBT, CBT, Attachment, EMDR, Expressive Arts, Guided Meditation, Experiential, Existential/Humanistic, Metaphor, Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing, Psychodynamic, Solution-Focused.
Do you find yourself at a crossroads, with recent events or longstanding issues to sort through and understand? Are you experiencing a challenged relationship, a sadness lingering from Covid isolation, anxieties, a shake up of self esteem, or a desire to re-calibrate life/career goals? What do you want to release and what to retain as learning? I offer compassionate, supportive, resourceful, pragmatic collaboration to help you balance these awarenesses. Together, we will set achievable goals and reclaim your resources within, so that you, and your relationships can move forward in a positive way.
Megan Elise Carney
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified Verified
1 Endorsed
El Cerrito, CA 94530
Megan Carney is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in working with children ages 5-12, adolescents, and adults. Working with a therapist can help you or your child learn skills to adapt to and integrate challenges including grief and loss, anxiety, and depression. Megan’s goal is to collaborate with clients and families to create sustainable change and meaningful goals for treatment and the future.
Megan Carney is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in working with children ages 5-12, adolescents, and adults. Working with a therapist can help you or your child learn skills to adapt to and integrate challenges including grief and loss, anxiety, and depression. Megan’s goal is to collaborate with clients and families to create sustainable change and meaningful goals for treatment and the future.
You may have a goal of living a meaningful life in all of its richness - and are seeking help with mental health, such as depression, anxiety, trauma / complex trauma related challenges. Childhood or a distant emotional wound may continue to impact present day relationships, and/or day to day life. Or, perhaps, more recent incident(s) of distress or significant strain? A collaborative person-centered approach can help you with working towards your goals and healing. Self-reflection on your life experiences can help with acceptance and resolving ('letting go').
You may have a goal of living a meaningful life in all of its richness - and are seeking help with mental health, such as depression, anxiety, trauma / complex trauma related challenges. Childhood or a distant emotional wound may continue to impact present day relationships, and/or day to day life. Or, perhaps, more recent incident(s) of distress or significant strain? A collaborative person-centered approach can help you with working towards your goals and healing. Self-reflection on your life experiences can help with acceptance and resolving ('letting go').
Adrián Orozco Blair
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified Verified
9 Endorsed
El Cerrito, CA 94530 (Online Only)
Welcome, I am Adrián. Would you benefit from a man who provides empathy and guidance to resolve issues of anxiety, depression or grief? Would you like to find new ways out of your stuckness? I can help you wake up to your feelings. I nurture self awareness to improve your relationship with yourself. I create a space and a relationship that is nurturing and helps empower you to live with more freedom. I am bilingual (Spanish) and bi-cultural (México/United States).
Welcome, I am Adrián. Would you benefit from a man who provides empathy and guidance to resolve issues of anxiety, depression or grief? Would you like to find new ways out of your stuckness? I can help you wake up to your feelings. I nurture self awareness to improve your relationship with yourself. I create a space and a relationship that is nurturing and helps empower you to live with more freedom. I am bilingual (Spanish) and bi-cultural (México/United States).
About Us - We are an incorporated psychotherapy group practice established in 1985. We specialize in working with children, adults, families who are dealing with issues of sexual abuse and/or other forms of trauma. We also provide co-parenting, custody evaluation, forensic evaluation, family reunification, and general psychotherapy services, including couples counseling.
About Us - We are an incorporated psychotherapy group practice established in 1985. We specialize in working with children, adults, families who are dealing with issues of sexual abuse and/or other forms of trauma. We also provide co-parenting, custody evaluation, forensic evaluation, family reunification, and general psychotherapy services, including couples counseling.
Welcome! If you are a parent, or an adult struggling with depression, anxiety or memories of painful events, I can help you. I can help you with difficult child behaviors. If your child is angry, if they are fighting in school, or has learning difficulties, I can help you. For many years, I have been investing all my professional skills and my heart into helping wonderful children and families to heal. Please, tell me about your relationship with yourself, and with the world. Please, tell me how I can support and nurture you.
Welcome! If you are a parent, or an adult struggling with depression, anxiety or memories of painful events, I can help you. I can help you with difficult child behaviors. If your child is angry, if they are fighting in school, or has learning difficulties, I can help you. For many years, I have been investing all my professional skills and my heart into helping wonderful children and families to heal. Please, tell me about your relationship with yourself, and with the world. Please, tell me how I can support and nurture you.
Dora Ritzer
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified Verified
El Cerrito, CA 94530 (Online Only)
Waitlist for new clients
Play is the language of childhood and I speak it fluently. Whatever situation your child is going through, we will face it together. We might be adventurers, exploring the rocky seas of emotion regulation. Perhaps we are princes and princesses trapped in a castle of loneliness, race car drivers going around on the track of ADHD, or warriors battling monsters in the dark. We might even teach a bear to use the potty.
Play is the language of childhood and I speak it fluently. Whatever situation your child is going through, we will face it together. We might be adventurers, exploring the rocky seas of emotion regulation. Perhaps we are princes and princesses trapped in a castle of loneliness, race car drivers going around on the track of ADHD, or warriors battling monsters in the dark. We might even teach a bear to use the potty.
Eva Smith
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, MFT
Verified Verified
9 Endorsed
El Cerrito, CA 94530 (Online Only)
We learn to survive and cope with our circumstances in the best way we know how at the time. Therapy offers an opportunity to slow down and get to know what is really going on inside and to learn to listen to your body's natural wisdom. I am interested in collaborating with you to explore where you're feeling stuck, confused or overwhelmed. I can help guide you to discover new, more effective ways of showing up for yourself and in your relationships. My own love of nature and mindfulness meditation practice informs much of my work with clients.
We learn to survive and cope with our circumstances in the best way we know how at the time. Therapy offers an opportunity to slow down and get to know what is really going on inside and to learn to listen to your body's natural wisdom. I am interested in collaborating with you to explore where you're feeling stuck, confused or overwhelmed. I can help guide you to discover new, more effective ways of showing up for yourself and in your relationships. My own love of nature and mindfulness meditation practice informs much of my work with clients.
Wendy Fiering
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified Verified
El Cerrito, CA 94530 (Online Only)
Feeling overwhelmed? Is anxiety, grief, or stress taking over? I'm here to help. I offer therapy for adults, kids, and families that's strengths-based, collaborative, and solution-focused. We'll create positive momentum from our first meeting. Building on the strengths you or your child already have, I’ll offer tools and strategies to use when challenging situations arise. You'll gain a new perspective, a sense of hope, and practical strategies to use during the week.
Feeling overwhelmed? Is anxiety, grief, or stress taking over? I'm here to help. I offer therapy for adults, kids, and families that's strengths-based, collaborative, and solution-focused. We'll create positive momentum from our first meeting. Building on the strengths you or your child already have, I’ll offer tools and strategies to use when challenging situations arise. You'll gain a new perspective, a sense of hope, and practical strategies to use during the week.
Joy Wong Liu
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified Verified
6 Endorsed
El Cerrito, CA 94530
Do you often feel ashamed and not good enough, even though others think you have it all together? Do you find yourself caring for those around you, all the while wondering when it will be your turn to get what you need? Does the intensity of your negative feelings sometimes scare you?
Do you often feel ashamed and not good enough, even though others think you have it all together? Do you find yourself caring for those around you, all the while wondering when it will be your turn to get what you need? Does the intensity of your negative feelings sometimes scare you?
Lise Serrie Stern
Marriage & Family Therapist, MFT
Verified Verified
El Cerrito, CA 94530 (Online Only)
Whatever it is that brought your here, whether it is a personal crisis, long term wounds of trauma, or the disappointment of a life not fully lived. You are not alone. These are the very human concerns that we all share. Along with a desire to heal into greater fullness, authenticity, creativity and more meaningful connection with ourselves and others. I believe that we all know what want most deeply - and even, how to get there. But we are blocked by limiting beliefs about ourselves, often from the past.
Whatever it is that brought your here, whether it is a personal crisis, long term wounds of trauma, or the disappointment of a life not fully lived. You are not alone. These are the very human concerns that we all share. Along with a desire to heal into greater fullness, authenticity, creativity and more meaningful connection with ourselves and others. I believe that we all know what want most deeply - and even, how to get there. But we are blocked by limiting beliefs about ourselves, often from the past.
Tenei Nakahara (杨天婴）
Pre-Licensed Professional, MA
Verified Verified
3 Endorsed
El Cerrito, CA 94530
No matter what is happening in your life and what you are going through, you can expect me to hold a dedicated relational container to meet you with compassion, empathy, warmth, and curiosity. I believe these qualities of mine are what make a therapeutic relationship successful to accompany your healing and transformative journey. I don’t take your trust lightly, and I believe trust and safety are earned in an on-going process.
No matter what is happening in your life and what you are going through, you can expect me to hold a dedicated relational container to meet you with compassion, empathy, warmth, and curiosity. I believe these qualities of mine are what make a therapeutic relationship successful to accompany your healing and transformative journey. I don’t take your trust lightly, and I believe trust and safety are earned in an on-going process.
Thank you for your interest in me as your therapist. Starting the journey to find the right fit for a therapist can be difficult and I am here to provide any support and guidance through the process. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Social Worker with a focus on children, teens, young adults, and families. I am a Registered Play Therapist and utilize play therapy as a modality in the majority of my work. Play is a critical part of expression and communication for children and youth, but can also be used effectively at any age.
Thank you for your interest in me as your therapist. Starting the journey to find the right fit for a therapist can be difficult and I am here to provide any support and guidance through the process. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Social Worker with a focus on children, teens, young adults, and families. I am a Registered Play Therapist and utilize play therapy as a modality in the majority of my work. Play is a critical part of expression and communication for children and youth, but can also be used effectively at any age.
Are you feeling challenged to be understood by your parents and this creates awkwardness around setting boundaries with them so that you are treated like an adult? Sometimes, if you have not resolved your conflict with your parents, your personal relationships can be impacted as well. It is easy to feel overwhelmed when your love ones seem to rub you the wrong way. As a first generation Chinese American raised in the Bay Area, I am culturally sensitive to support you healing yo childhood wounding that occurred when you felt neglected by your parents. Learn tools to return to self-approval and release guilt about not being enough.
Are you feeling challenged to be understood by your parents and this creates awkwardness around setting boundaries with them so that you are treated like an adult? Sometimes, if you have not resolved your conflict with your parents, your personal relationships can be impacted as well. It is easy to feel overwhelmed when your love ones seem to rub you the wrong way. As a first generation Chinese American raised in the Bay Area, I am culturally sensitive to support you healing yo childhood wounding that occurred when you felt neglected by your parents. Learn tools to return to self-approval and release guilt about not being enough.
See more therapy options for El Cerrito
Nearby Expressive Arts Therapists Searches for El Cerrito
- Albany
- Berkeley
- Corte Madera
- Emeryville
- Lafayette
- Martinez
- Oakland
- Orinda
- Piedmont
- Richmond
- San Francisco
- Sausalito
Expressive Arts Therapists
What happens in expressive arts therapy?
In an expressive arts therapy session, the therapist will provide the space and materials necessary to encourage the client to express themselves creatively. These can include art supplies, musical instruments, a journal, a camera, and more. The therapist offers careful guidance throughout the creative process, often noticing and talking about psychological issues as they arise. Many clients also benefit from the mind-body connection—the physical act of making art can help them feel more grounded and present.
How long does expressive arts therapy take?
An expressive arts therapy session will typically last between 50 minutes and an hour. Group sessions may run longer. Sometimes, a client might only need one or two sessions of expressive arts therapy in conjunction with talk therapy to resolve a psychological issue. Others might find a fixed number of sessions over the course of either weeks or months to be beneficial. The duration depends on the client and their individual needs and goals for therapy.
How does expressive arts therapy help children?
Creativity is an important part of normal child development. Expressive arts therapy proves a safe outlet for child clients to learn to identify their emotions and express them in healthy ways. In expressive arts therapy, children can build their self-esteem, discover more about their personality and strengths, and feel a sense of normalcy in an otherwise chaotic world. This therapeutic approach can be particularly helpful for children with developmental disabilities, autism, ADHD, speech impairments, and other conditions.
What are the limitations of expressive arts therapy?
Sometimes individuals have physical limitations that can affect their ability to express themselves artistically in certain mediums. For example, someone with hearing problems might find it difficult to make music. Sickness and mobility issues can make some types of art physically inaccessible (e.g., sculpting, dancing, etc.). Sometimes, clients are overly skeptical and have trouble letting go and engaging with the creative process. Individuals who require a higher level of care may be better served with other types of therapy.