In Person Therapists in Lake Merritt, Oakland, CA

Psychotherapy isn't one size fits all. It's a unique relationship that develops and responds to your needs, life-experiences, gender/ethnic/cultural identity, challenges and resources. You may be feeling stuck-repeating painful patterns, wanting to make changes but not knowing how. Or you're a survivor of sexual violence and the ways you've been coping aren't working anymore. I meet you where you are and bring my clinical and life experience, deep listening, compassion, acceptance, warmth and creativity. Together we create and draw on the power of a safe, accepting therapeutic relationship to support your growth and wholeness.

My approach balances compassion with being direct. My clients experience care, acceptance and belonging, while also feeling challenged the right amount to grow, change and decrease suffering. I offer empathy while actively engaging my clients by setting weekly treatment goals, building coping tools/resources, and providing skills/knowledge to build self-awareness and integration. We are deeply influenced by our cultural identity and heritage. I am committed to the values of respecting and celebrating diversity, and supporting social/political policies of equal rights and opportunities.

I offer professional and experienced support to make enduring changes. If you are looking at this, you may be having a time of suffering or you may be looking for ways to thrive in your life. Psychotherapy is based on solid research and the world’s wisdom traditions, and is an experience between us that is unique to you. I believe it is the most important journey you can take to move towards healing and living a rich, meaningful life.

Daniel N. Weiner received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the State University of New York in 1996 with fellowships at Rutgers, Brown, and Stanford Medical Schools. He served as Clinical Assistant Professor at Brown University Medical School for four years. He has been licensed as a Clinical Psychologist since 1997, and has worked in a variety of settings including an independent psychological practice, a private psychiatric hospital, and a medical practice. He is currently an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.

I understand that choosing a therapist can be an intimidating and awkward process. I think personal referrals are usually the best but sometimes not possible. After thirty years of working as a therapist, I feel I've met and worked with all kinds of patients and helped many of them to change- feel differently about themselves, their relationships and their work. I see individuals, couples and women with new babies.

Our therapists at the Bay Area Center for Couples Therapy can help you and your partner improve your relationship. Don't wait until it's too late. Research has found that couples wait an average of six years to seek help after their problems begin. Whether you're in the beginning of your relationship, been together a long time, have been just starting to struggle, or are on the brink of calling it quits, remember, its never too late to fix your relationship. We use effective, evidence based therapy called Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, which has shown significant improvement in 88% of couples treated with EFT and 70-73% of couples moving from distress to recovery in an average of 20 sessions. Our work is also informed by John Gottman's research on couples.

I enjoy working with children and adults to help them find grounded ways of being with and moving through the struggles they face. I believe that strong relationships, with the self, the body, and with others, are central to a healthy lifestyle. Painful life experiences, transitions, trauma, anxiety, and depression are opportunities for growth, and helping people move through these challenges is incredibly rewarding. I love working with people of diverse sociocultural backgrounds and exploring how culture shapes experience. A deep understanding of development allows me to connect with people of all ages and help them move through difficult stages.

Anxiety is the most common mental health problem, with an estimated 18% suffering from anxiety disorders at any one time. Fortunately, anxiety disorders are one of the most researched areas of mental health and have numerous treatments with strong research showing its effectiveness. Anxiety can come in many different forms from specific phobias to an inability to stop worrying about most everything. Anxiety can cause physical illness, pain, difficulty sleeping, weight gain, distress in relationships with partners, children, or parents, and can have a profoundly negative effect on work and school.

Orah Krug PhD. is recognized in her field as a master clinician, supervisor, teacher and author. She has been a licensed psychotherapist for over 30 years and an adjunct professor at Saybrook University for over 15 years. Through decades of client work, research and teaching Orah has developed a comprehensive process applicable for individuals or couples.

I am a warm, collaborative therapist who enjoys working with people of all ages. My hope is to build an alliance with each person that will facilitate personal growth and increased satisfaction with their own lives and in relationships. I employ an eclectic mixture of: EMDR, Super Resourcing, FLASH, Ketamine Assisted Therapy, Attachment Theory, Internal Family Systems, Positive Psychology, and Mindfulness. When things seem difficult I can help brainstorm practical strategies for getting through hard times. I have a strong belief that we all know what is best for ourselves, sometimes it's just hard to envision.

With over 25 years as a licensed therapist, I am a skilled and compassionate guide in helping people feel better, function better, and have more fulfilling relationships. I am able to understand people from multiple perspectives, how their family system has shaped them, how their attachment style impacts them, how their connections with others cause them joy and pain. I am very present in sessions and have an interactive style, giving direct feedback. You won't find me just listening and nodding, I am there to understand you and collaborate on a plan with you for meeting your goals.

Psychotherapy is a uniquely effective way to address and process deeply rooted issues that manifest in ways that are painful, confusing, and make people feel out of control. I work with children, adolescents, and adults in individual therapy, using a collaborative approach that centers on empathy, understanding, and exploration. My orientation is predominantly psychodynamic, and I tailor my approach to each individual to address unique circumstances and complexities. I strive to create a safe, warm, and validating environment that enables people to share and be vulnerable without fear of judgment.

My work ranges from people who have experienced serious trauma, and suffer from depression and anxiety to those who just want to feel better in their lives and their relationships. I love working with couples. I know from my own experience of being married since 1990 that relationships need nurturing and intention. I love helping couples find intimacy that may have been lost. I really see my work as helping individuals and couples live their best life!

As a psychoanalyst and clinical psychologist, I work with a variety of issues ranging from depression, sadness and anxiety to more severe issues such as schizophrenia and personality disorders. I work best with those clients who are interested in making lasting changes in their inner lives and circumstances. In my practice, I provide you with a place to speak freely, so that through this singular experience of speaking you can articulate your desire and assume responsibility for your life.

Do you want more aliveness in your life, your love, your work, your play? Do you want to develop the skills to engage more creatively and effectively with the challenges you face? I help you to understand and change relationship conflict; communicate more honestly and effectively; recover from grief and loss; stop giving your power away - exude more natural authority and self-possession; move on from addictions and other self-defeating behavior patterns; deal with anger, depression, worry, shame, and self-criticism.

I work with adults, teens, couples, and families who are struggling in their own lives or in their relationships (with children, partners, themselves) in an empathic, non-judgmental, directive and engaged manner. I can help you identify where you are stuck and give you the opportunity to practice trying things a different way in order to feel better. I am experienced in working with mood disorders, anxiety disorders, family/relationship conflict and life transitions. I obtain regular feedback from my clients to ensure we stay focused on client-defined treatment goals.

Do you ever find that the more you try to get rid of painful emotions, the more overwhelmed you feel? Life can sometimes feel like a straw finger puzzle: the more you pull, the tighter the grip. This is partly because life is challenging. It is also because in times of stress, we are wired to protect ourselves by focusing on potential dangers. Although adaptive for some situations, this wiring can become a closed feedback loop: the harder you try, the more you see only problems; and the more problems you see, the more you lose sight of the strengths and resources that facilitate change.

The challenges of growing up in today's rapidly changing society are enormous. Children and adolescents need to be equipped with skills for survival and growth that were never before imagined. Some of the more common issues I help my young clients with include anxiety, depression, self-harm, suicide ideation, perfectionism, self confidence, challenging peer relationships, social anxiety and difficult family dynamics. I also work with parents offering them guidance and support.

Helping people when they are in crisis is my passion. I specialize in emergency and acute mental health evaluation and consultation. I am currently accepting patients for brief intervention services only, including: crisis evaluation and acute treatment planning; urgent clinical diagnostic evaluation and consultation; and, private disability evaluations.