Attachment-based Therapists in Oakland, CA

I believe most people seek therapy as a road to change: lessening sadness, loneliness, anxiety, guilt, shame; changing relationships; making life transitions. I have devoted many years of training and practice to better help my patients understand their unconscious obstacles to desired change. For some patients change means learning to confront pain from chronic conditions like anxiety, depression, bi-polar or attention deficit disorders, For others, change entails finding their authentic voice in relationships or facing difficult realities. I enjoy developing a close, working relationship with my patients to create new capacities within themselves, hopefully perceiving new choices in their lives.

I am passionate about supporting creatives, artists, innovators and activists looking to break limiting patterns and cycles in their art, work, relationships and sex lives. In our sessions together we will explore ways to work through personal, creative and/or intimacy deadlocks, create and thrive while living in a world that often does not view your work/existence/desires as valid, manage symptoms of emotional overwhelm, creative fatigue, sexual shame and “imposter syndrome" and challenge habitual responses to help discover and reintroduce the parts of ourselves that may have been left behind, unexpressed, repressed or unexplored.

I'm authentic and direct, and I value science equally with the domain of intuition and art. My style is anchored in cognitive science, attachment theory, mindfulness, social justice, parts work, somatic psychology, and archetypes. I'm queer and LGBTQIA+ aligned, and I consider myself an especially huge nerd with evolutionary psychology.

Do you find difficulties with feelings of depression, anxiety, relationship/family problems, and trauma? These emotional disruptions can have a significant impact on our lives. Coping with these events requires various approaches, and I can assist you in recognizing your emotions and identifying possible patterns in your relationships. I can also help you develop resilience and acceptance towards challenging emotions, and support you in setting meaningful goals. I utilize EMDR, CBT, trauma-informed care, mindfulness, & person-centered therapy to reduce anxiety and trauma symptoms, foster resilience, and enhance the quality of life.

Change happens when our insights align with a feeling or sensation in our body. It happens as we discover aspects of our experience and who we are in the presence of another person. I work collaboratively to help you define your goals and how you'll know that therapy is helping. Each one of us has a different idea of success; one size definitely does not fit all. My approach is warm, practical, and focused on the present. I blend a dynamic understanding of human development and how we adapt to and can potentially change our present circumstances. I also offer ketamine-assisted therapy to support your therapeutic goals.

I know that coming to therapy can be challenging and I am committed to creating a warm, empathic, and safe space for our time together. I tailor the treatment to meet your individual needs and goals. My priority is to meet you where you are in order to help you on your journey to a more authentic and fulfilling life. I have an integrative style, drawing on psychodynamic, systems, and attachment theories which allows us to look at the root of issues that you may be struggling with. I also draw on cognitive behavioral techniques, mindfulness and meditation practices to help deal with symptoms by improving coping and self-care.

When challenges and struggles in life arise, you do not have to walk alone. Whether you have experienced a recent life transition, loss, setback, have struggled with mental health or addiction challenges, or, are seeking support to heal from a recent or childhood trauma, I will be honored to guide you to gain control of your life and reclaim your personal power. I have committed nearly two decades holding a safe and empowered space for adults, children, and adolescents to discover their human potential, heal from trauma, and develop the tools to live a life of vitality and empowerment.

My work is to help individuals, couples, and families with any issues that may be causing distress. I'm open to working with anyone or any couple or family that is interested in a deeper exploration of who they are and how they are in the world. I work with people with anxiety, depression, trauma, and anything that may be causing difficulties in your relationships and in your life. I will take many different approaches in sessions based on your needs in the moment. My goal is your independence, self-sufficiency and self-acceptance.

It's possible to have a fulfilling, meaningful and joyful life. I create a safe space for you to explore how your life experiences shaped your view of yourself and others. As a result of childhood abuse or neglect, intergenerational transmission of trauma and ongoing injustice, we can develop negative beliefs about our worth and what the world will provide for us. These often unconscious thoughts and behaviors helped you survive and even thrive but may not work well now. As humans, we go through many times of growth where we shed what doesn't fit, so we can become even an better version of ourselves.

I’m an interactive and solution-focused therapist seeing individual adult clients only. It is important to me that you feel heard and understood. If you are struggling with anxiety, depression, life transitions, and questions about your identity or place in the world, therapy can help. I will work with you to determine what your needs and goals are and do my best to support you in a meaningful and expeditious way.

As someone navigating the world between cultures, ethnicities, and labels, you have been given the gift of insight, adaptability, and attunement. You can see what others don't, and are highly sensitive to what goes unspoken or unacknowledged. The gift of being adaptable in any environment can be a major strength, and it also presents a challenge.  ​When we are highly skilled at anticipating, understanding, and accommodating the feelings and needs of others, it is easy to lose sight of what is most important for our own physical, mental, and emotional well being.

I welcome you to journey inward with the support of another person by your side. In our work together, I hope to make space for all parts of your experience to come forward, especially ones that have seemed unacceptable or unwelcome in society. My approach to psychotherapy is holistic. It is descriptive rather than prescriptive, and focused on the whole person and their environment.

I help folks who grew up in highly stressed, conflictual, or dysfunctional families of origin, who didn’t receive emotional attunement from their parent(s), who were abandoned, neglected, excessively criticized, and/ or abused - due to unresolved parental trauma, narcissism, substance abuse, and/or mental illness. I offer support with grieving that experience, managing anxiety, growing self-worth and confidence. I’ll coach you in recognizing and honoring your feelings, finding your voice, setting boundaries, and asserting your needs in relationships.

I love solving puzzles together. What that means to me is that when we talk, I am thinking about your situation not just through your personal lens, but through the situations you currently exist in and have been in throughout your life, as well as the bigger societal and systemic context. I am a solution oriented therapist, meaning that I love to unpack stories and look at root causes, and also to focus on your goals and health in the current time. I would love to walk with you towards freedom from habits and thoughts that aren't serving you. You deserve to feel hopeful and empowered, so let's talk.

Keeping your head above water, let alone thriving while navigating work, relationships, parenting, infertility or postpartum journeys is HARD. We’re often set up for what feels like an impossible task, with a lack of a village to hold the struggle alongside us. There is an old Celtic saying, "It is in the shelter of each other that we live". I work with many parents and those on the journey to parenthood to help form their village and bring some more intentionality, ease, and joy on that journey. I'm enthusiastic about collaborating with you to explore practical coping strategies while also fostering a sense of self-compassion.

I am called to support individuals and couples ready to liberate themselves from stress and overwhelm to create more fulfilling relationships and lead happier, more balanced lives. Despite what brings you to therapy, my goal is for you to leave with the ability to respond effectively to life's challenges. I provide a safe, supportive environment for you to begin exploring your feelings, needs and internal reality. Through mindfulness, interactive dialogue and practical wisdom we will invite compassionate curiosity around old patterns that no longer serve you. Visit me at www.deannajimenez.com.

There are so many reasons to enter therapy and I consider myself privileged to have the opportunity to hear your story and earn your trust. I specialize in supporting clients who are struggling with anxiety, perfectionism, people-pleasing, self-judgment, OCD, and various relationship issues. Additionally, I have expertise in helping those who want to take a non-diet approach to bulimia, binge eating disorders, and compulsive/emotional eating concerns. In general, I work well with clients who feel stuck using coping strategies that no longer feel good and are ready to move in a new direction.

We all want to feel seen, heard, accepted and affirmed. I support people who are in transition, who are working to define their relationships more clearly, and people who are struggling with issues of identity and sexuality, with a particular focus on polyamory and consensual non-monogamy. I believe we can dismantle behavior and reactions that no longer serve us through self-reflection and challenging entrenched habitual communication. I use narrative techniques, emotionally-focused strategies, and parts work to build acceptance, compassion, and presence in oneself.

Are you suffering from PTSD, anxiety and depression while struggling to make changes in your life that support your health and well-being? Have you been through something painful and traumatic and are having difficulty moving on or making meaning out of what happened? I completely understand how paralyzing these feelings and events can be and I would love to support you on your path to recovery. Trauma and painful life experiences can offer a profound opportunity to understand ourselves deeply while we learn how to heal, allowing us the possibility to transform our pain into fuel for the inevitable growth that follows.