Therapists in Montclair Village, Oakland, CA

My approach is friendly and collaborative; working with you to explore reactions, emotional patterns, and thought processes. I encourage honest exchange at your own pace while providing tangible techniques to take into your life. I incorporate mindfulness practices from my training as a yoga teacher. My professional background includes two decades of experience in the conflict resolution field with a focus on assisting individuals and teams who have workplace and academic concerns. I work with people from a variety of backgrounds including executives, university faculty, medical professionals, engineers, and people who work in tech and startups.

When difficulties are too much to handle or the next level of growth seems just out of reach, you may find yourself living with pain & stress. Some stress in life helps people grow, but chronic stress has a negative effect on your mind, body, emotions & spirit. You may find yourself using old mental, physical & emotional coping tools to survive, yet feel unable to make real change. Your ally in holistic healing, I offer a supportive, warm presence so you can explore what's difficult, hone your strengths, & gain simple yet powerful mind/body tools.

Life is full of unexpected events and struggles, which are sometimes overwhelming. I strive to create a safe and welcoming environment where children, adolescents, and adults feel comfortable to explore ways to achieve their goals. Having a person who listens with no judgment, who cares, and who can help you gain some perspective and insight is extremely valuable. Together we will create a plan that will allow you to regain a sense of empowerment, purpose, and happiness in your life.

Discover how to liberate yourself from shame, past trauma, false beliefs, doubt and internalized oppression so you can embody your unique creativity and power. Perhaps you have encountered a deep longing to express your truth, but you find yourself caught in a pattern or habit that blocks your ability to express it or believe in yourself. Some of these patterns run very deep and therefore I work with techniques that can really help us to get to the root of them so real change can happen. Through this process we will focus on developing your strengths and discovering your unique gifts.

I am a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of California. I received my Masters degree in 2005 and my doctorate (PsyD) in 2011, both from the Wright Institute in Berkeley, California. I opened my private practice in 2005. My doctorate is in clinical psychology, and my work involves helping people with a wide range of problems. I see children, adolescents, and adults in my Oakland office.

I view psychotherapy as a collaborative process between therapist and client, where the relationship is part of the healing process. My style is active, creative, and holistic. I will meet you where you are, not-judging, engaged and curious. I work with clients who struggle with anxiety, depression, trauma, shame, relationship distress, life transitions, and existential dilemmas (questions about the meaning of life, questions about dying and death). I also have experience working with individuals struggling with dual diagnosis (addiction and mental health issues combined).

Relationships are foundational. They are one of the deepest expressions of our essential humanity. As a sex-positive, LGBTQ-affirmative relationship therapist, I bring expertise in romantic relationships, supporting adult siblings and family dynamics, alternative lifestyles, sexuality, intimacy, and the inner workings of attachment. I invite you to bring forth what’s most real and true for you, with no fear of judgment. OFFICE HOURS: Tuesday-Friday, 9-5p

People often come to see me carrying psychological and spiritual wounds of others, often ancestors who suffered violence, immigration, racist persecution, religious oppression, poverty or other trauma. Others are painfully and sensitively attuned to the current collective suffering of the earth, genocide, war and the injustices we all live within. These burdens can overwhelm a person's mind and heart, produce frightening dreams, create a sense of overwhelming despair or helplessness, or on the other side create an exaggerated sense of responsibility and capacity. Jungian analysis is a soulful approach to core sources of suffering.

Real. Relational. Solutions. For Couples. Research proven 90% effective. Virtual or in person in Burlingame California. Get help today. Free consultation.

I am relational & direct, collaborative & holistic in my approach, and understand that society, systems, power & culture - in addition to family, community & self - are essential & inseparable ingredients when exploring our histories, present experiences, narratives & beliefs. I encourage my clients’ natural resilience & support integration & sustainability. I believe that we all inherently have what we need. Through the intentional creation of a safe, dignifying, empathetic & courageous therapeutic environment, clients move towards understanding, satisfaction, healing & transformation.

Everyone runs into trouble at some point in their life. When they do, they often benefit from talking to someone who isn't primarily their friend or member of their family, someone who is empathic, curious, non-judgmental, and relentlessly focused on helping you feel better. Therapy isn't a one-size-fits-all enterprise, but has to tailored to what you need. Whether it's about simply feeling less anxious or depressed, or mastering an inhibition or block you've had all your life, therapy can get you back on the track you once were on or want to be on.

Most of us agree that it feels terrible to be stuck. My goal as a therapist is to meet you in your stagnant place and help you find your way through it. Whether you are struggling in school, your career, parenting, relationships, or in finding your purpose, I can help you create and achieve realistic goals for living a more fulfilled life.

The decision to pursue therapy is often not an easy one. However, in working with a therapist, most people find a sense of relief that comes with learning that change is possible. Whether your concerns are long-standing patterns or new adjustments, through collaborative exploration within a therapeutic relationship, new ways of relating and coping can develop.

During challenging times, people often feel defeated and focus on what is wrong. I want to shift the focus from what is "not working" to identifying what is "working." We will work to uncover patterns (behavioral, thought beliefs, relationship), that will lead you to making better decisions. I want to offer a safe place to process thoughts and feelings around issues that can be challenging. I am interested in helping people who experience stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, grief/loss and challenges with relationships (social or romantic). Many conversations are around “adulting” and how to manage life, career, relationships, etc.

Many of my clients describe me as compassionate, open-minded, and patient, while maintaining a good sense of humor. I utilize these traits to build rapport with clients, while also drawing upon my knowledge and skill in research-supported interventions to alleviate mental and emotional distress. I specialize in working with adults and adolescents struggling with depression, anxiety, stress management, and life transitions. I also work with people to accept and tolerate their emotional distress, to appropriately communicate their needs in relationships, and to find meaning and purpose in their work, academic, and personal lives.

Do you feel tired and overwhelmed? Are you exhausted from bobbing and weaving around the needs of others? Is it difficult for you to ask for and trust in help? While you feel depleted, there is still a spark within, guiding you to focus on your own wellness. Your head is barely above water, yet you are determined to emerge and need help to do so. Perhaps it is time to enter a relationship with a therapist; a collaborator who can journey with you to explore your past, build mindful awareness in the present, and develop skills to achieve your future goals of self compassion, acceptance and authentic connection to yourself and others.

Have you been strugging with Depression, Relationship issues, or Life Transitions? I can help you find a place of acceptance and healing through our relationship and our work together. I have been helping people change their lives for 25 years. I use an interactive, relational approach to help guide you toward a higher level of self-awareness, and improved self-esteem. I believe therapy works through exploring your relationships to others, and by developing our relationship and connection to each other. I provide a safe, non-judgmental space for us to explore who you are and who you want to be.

Whether you're looking for psychotherapy, coaching, focused EMDR or biofeedback, everyone is coming with unique needs, difficulties, and strengths. My focus is working with men and women experiencing traumatic stress, loss and grief, chronic or terminal illness, as well as adults who have had near-death experiences (NDE), and other spiritually transformative, exceptional experiences. My approach is holistic. Together with clients we work to ease distress, build on strengths already present, gain insights, and cultivate relating to yourself and other people in life-enhancing ways.

If you often find yourself feeling out of place or struggling inside—even though other people think you have it all together—I can help. I work with individual adults who are familiar with psychotherapy and want deeper, root-level healing for symptoms related to anxiety and relational trauma. This can include concerns around relationships, life transitions, overthinking, people-pleasing, self-doubt, self-limiting beliefs and thought patterns, boundaries, and self-criticism. My style is active, spacious, and focused on supporting you in slowing down, tuning into yourself, and feeling the healing wisdom that thrives within you.