Couples Counseling Therapists in Oakland, CA

I help people unwind places of stuckness or struggle in life, through working with ways the past may be influencing the present and impeding your capacity to thrive. My intention is to meet you where you are at: whether you have a need related to a specific challenge such as anxiety or depression, are facing a time of stress or transition, or are ready to devote time to intentional change in your life. I work with both individuals and couples.

Therapy can help you overcome difficulties, live creatively, and feel more alive. Many people become stuck in ways of thinking and living that no longer serve them. Through a caring therapeutic relationship, you can develop the courage to live in a meaningful and fulfilling way. Over the past 25 years, I have helped people with a wide variety of issues work through significant challenges, freeing them to make better choices. In addition to my clinical work, I teach and supervise at various training programs throughout the Bay Area, and was the Director of Counseling at California College of the Arts for 15 years.

Do you find yourself currently struggling? Whether it be with anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, general life, or work stressors, therapy is a safe space to explore and develop skills to cope with life’s stressors and work toward personal goals.

I have been a therapist for over 25 years.  I work with individual, however, I specialize with couples and families. Issues are a part of life, however, they don’t have to run our life. Being proactive rather than reactive is an important aspect in empowering ourselves to look at things that feel so scary.  Our fears can magnify the reality of a situation to where we feel like we are about to climb Mt. Everest rather than going up a hill.

I use a warm, down-to-earth approach in my work with children, teens, adults and couples. I collaborate with clients to develop a whole view of challenges and strengths, which is informed by my wide breadth of clinical experience across the lifespan. I have expertise in working with infants and parents, developmental disabilities, trauma, and both anticipated and unexpected crises across all ages. I integrate these perspectives so that I can attune to your needs and provide responsive support. My hope is to help you water the seeds of your inner strengths, push through stuck situations, and live with more connectedness and vitality.

Therapy provides such a rich opportunity for growth and learning, helping persons to recover from the aftermaths of trauma, abuse and loss, meet the hardships of their lives and thrive. In times like this, with so much anxiety about our collective welfare, it can be an invaluable lifeline. In response to the Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, we are now offering teletherapy (therapy by phone and online by video) for all our clients, whether new or established. Also called telehealth or telebehavioral health, teletherapy can provide vital care and support to individuals, couples and families.

As a Sex & Relationship Therapist, I come from a person-centered, open-minded, sex-positive, trauma-informed, attachment-oriented, and multi-cultural perspective, to support my clients in creating a healthy, satisfying, and empowered sexuality and relationship with oneself and others. I enjoy working with individuals, couples, and partners struggling with relationship & attachment issues, communication challenges, low libido/sex drive, differing/mismatched desires, and erectile/orgasm issues. I work with diverse populations from various races, cultures, identities and lifestyle choices.

I help people to live the life they dream of living.

My belief in human resilience guides my work, and I hold deep trust in each persons path towards a full life. I approach my practice with warmth, presence, honesty, and respect. Together we can examine painful experiences, old belief systems, and barriers that may be keeping you stuck while honing in on your unique strengths. Therapy work encourages deepened self-awareness and compassion, allowing you to embrace a greater sense of agency, and find more joy in your day to day life. My hope is that our work inspires you to create space for the life and relationships you have been striving for.

Are anxiety and stress keeping you from living your life to your fullest potential? Are you feeling stress weighing on you internally or causing you to feel exhausted and hopeless? Together we will explore ways to grow, further develop self-acceptance and unearth traumatic experiences and daily stressors that are hindering you from achieving this potential. I will be available to provide an unbiased listening ear and warm spirit as you reimagine the life you want for yourself. In this safe and accepting environment, we will develop an action plan to better manage your unique symptoms and your life.

I am inspired by the innate human drive to heal. This healing is courageous, intimate, and deserving of honor and care. I bring compassion and respect for all the ways we humans adapt to survive. Together, we can find new ways of being that can liberate us from strategies that no longer serve us. I can help you holistically address a number of issues, such as: complex and developmental trauma, grief, depression, anxiety, embodiment and dissociation issues, compulsions, addiction, assertiveness, relationship issues, self-esteem issues, gender, and sexuality.

Are you asking, How can I find love? or, What is missing in my relationships? Are you stuck in complaining and blaming, or avoiding and withholding? Are you noticing your relationship struggles make you feel lonelier rather than more open to each other? I provide an environment of safety where you may explore how you are stuck and how your persistent conflicts spoil your potential for intimacy. Tracking the repetitive patterns of communication, and the stories which confirm your most negative beliefs, I will strengthen your awareness to the influences that affect whether you keep repeating old patterns or open to real change.

Do you feel like you're doing everything you're supposed to do, but feeling constantly stressed, overwhelmed, or helpless? Are you stuck in unhealthy relationship patterns? Are you living in your head so much that it’s getting in the way of your relationships, health, or work? Are you constantly busy yet feel unfulfilled, like the ‘go’ button is stuck in the on position? Maybe this is you, or maybe this is your partner. I’ve worked with lots of clients like this — working through trauma, identity issues, anxiety, and stress to live a healthier, more meaningful life.

Want to feel more connected in your relationship? I focus on creating a safe and non-blaming space for partners to talk about things that feel difficult. Therapy may not be easy, but I’ll offer guidance and support to help you recognize and break patterns that keep couples “stuck” in a negative cycle. Together we'll explore how past experiences, temperament, values, and culture affect relationships. We’ll discuss tools to help calm intense emotions so that couples can communicate with intention and disagreements can be resolved more effectively.

I utilize a client centered approach in working with adolescents and adults who struggle with anxiety, depression, grief, relationship issues, and life transitions. In a safe, supportive, and non judgemental space we can explore the negative patterns in your life, work through any barriers, and move towards healing, growth, and change.

My practice is focused on people with depression responses, anxieties and difficult adjustments to their health or perceived health. As an RN, AND a psychotherapist, I am also very experienced with family members adjusting to a new major diagnosis in a child or other family member. The people that I help the most are motivated to feel more hopeful about their relationship with health including their relationships with their body and the health care community. If you feel overwhelmed or hopeless, please consider reaching out. I also have a special place in my heart for people working on nutrition and weight control.

Welcome! I offer psychotherapy to adults, couples and other relationship configurations, families and teens, as well as sex therapy. I am a Certified Sex Therapist (CST) through AASECT and am also a gender care provider. I believe therapy is a collaborative process; you can think of me as a companion as we travel down the roads of your growth together. If you have been thinking about starting therapy, I invite you to contact me. I am committed to helping my clients become the most authentic version of themselves.

Are you experiencing challenges in dealing with anxiety, depression, and traumatic experiences? Do you struggle with effective communication and setting boundaries in your relationships with others? Life often presents obstacles and difficulties that might lead to these difficulties without proper tools, resources, and guidance. I utilize CBT, DBT, ACT, and Trauma-informed care to help you manage symptoms and promote healing and growth. With a deep appreciation for the uniqueness of each client and their lived experiences, I foster a collaborative and inclusive therapeutic environment.

Life can be hard... And we don’t have to do it alone. I work with couples and individuals ranging in issues of anxiety, depression, grief/loss, self esteem, relationships, and parenting. My own painful experiences, and the work I have done to heal, have afforded me the ability to be present and sit with people in their own pain. I have a natural inclination to seek out deep connection with people which informs my work with clients. This can help my clients to deepen connections with others, outside of the room. I work with couples to strengthen connection, deepen intimacy, and find their voice within the partnership.