Feminist Therapists in Oakland, CA

I work with clients in CA and FL. I provide individual (not couples) therapy to curious people who are ready to get to work! I specialize in working with Black, POC, & LGBTQIA+ individuals and Fat/bigger-bodied people of all genders.

Hello there! I'm Nicole "Nikki" Abeleda, and I'm thrilled to connect with you. I proudly identify as a First-Generation Queer Filipinx, embracing she/they/siya pronouns. If you’re navigating the intricate intersection of mental health and identity as an LGBTQIA+, BIPOC individual, remember you’re not alone. My ideal client is someone prepared to embark on a journey of self-discovery and healing. I collaborate with those recognizing the significance of their unique narrative, eager to (re)imagine their space in the world.

Hi there! Thanks for stopping by. I get excited about helping people find their personal path of growth, healing and self-discovery. I want to support you feeling safe and supported just as you are. I support all identities and relationship expressions and want to help you find more comfort and empowerment in your life.

I work with individuals and partners from diverse backgrounds and life experiences. My areas of expertise are challenges with relationships and sexuality, communication, intimacy, desire differences, infidelity, sexual orientation, gender, and romantic and sexual lifestyles as well as self-discovery and sexuality through the life span. As a sex therapist I am trained to assist you with sensitivity and competence to address these issues. My goal is to support people in their self-discovery and self-realization as relational and sexual beings and to collaborate with you to strengthen your emotional, spiritual and physical well-being.

My approach to therapy is integral; I work from an attachment and trauma informed lens with a deep grounding in relational psychoanalytic theory. I have experience with treating depression and anxiety, low self-esteem, questions of gender and sexuality, complex family dynamics, relationship issues, chronic pain, and grief work. My wish it to foster a therapeutic space that feels both challenging as well as safe so that we can work together to meet your treatment goals. In our work together I may bring in mindfulness techniques, parts work, attachment theory, dream work, movement, and myth.

My work as a therapist is grounded in trauma-informed, feminist, and attachment based principles that highlight the importance of safe and trusting relationships. I am here to provide attuned feedback and guidance as you navigate sex and love, anxiety, grief and loss, the ongoing effects of childhood trauma, unlearning codependency and strengthening or softening boundaries. My goal is to help you develop tools for self-awareness, resiliency and intimacy building, and conflict resolution. I believe deeply in the power of healing work, and the great courage it takes to turn inward, to turn toward pain, and to face and love ourselves.

I specialize in working with couples and 2+ partnerships, in which one or more of the partners identifies as bi, pansexual, or experiences multi-gender attraction. I support the members of these partnerships in building fulfillment and security in their relationships, while also enjoying full expression of their identities. I help each person regulate and understand their own system, in order to have more freedom in the ways they show up with each other. I also work with individual, queer-identified adults and teenagers who want to develop pride, comfort and agency by unpacking & separating from the impacts of systemic oppression.

I started specializing in neurodivergence as soon as I realized that there were many others who have also struggled to understand who they are and be accepted in a neurotypical society. If like me, you have always felt different, and are now wondering about what makes you different, it may be time for a formal assessment. This is especially important if you are looking for neurodivergent-specific supports (e.g., therapy, couple's counseling, books), personalized recommendations (i.e., "what next?", at-home strategies), and accommodations at work/school.

Life can feel impossible to avoid struggling and we often don't feel we have the skills to cope successfully through. Unfortunately, sometimes we don't have all the resources we need for a given situation. Parts of us take on desperate roles trying to help us to survive. This might look like anxiety, depression, PTSD, addiction, and relationship/family issues. I aim to help you process unresolved issues and feelings and find solutions.

What is "trauma"? Trauma shows up in many ways - it could be a feeling a distance from your life, perpetual anxiety or depression, moments of ‘trigger’ where you can’t control your behavior, or coping mechanisms that are hurting more than helping. We can heal your nervous system, taking it out of fight/flight and into it’s "window of tolerance" where you can not just survive, but thrive.

Feeling understood, feeling helped, and feeling supported are at the core of psychotherapy. Therapy can help when life’s challenges become too much to approach alone. Together, we can explore and understand difficult issues you are experiencing. Some common therapy goals are to understand important relationships, alleviate anxiety and depression, work through life transitions and losses, deepen self-understanding, and unlock troubling stuckness. In a safe setting with warmth and engagement, I provide an opportunity to gently move through what is bothering you most.

Many people want to change in some way: to feel more ease, more pleasure, less anxiety, more freedom, greater connection. I offer a reliably warm space for clients to discover what they want to feel and experience in their lives. With a balance of curiosity and direction, I partner with clients to understand their strengths and challenges, to take action in alignment with their desires. As clarity and agency develop, we stabilize and encourage the emerging self. I think of this process as cultivating the capacity to hold steady in ourselves to connect truly with others, so that we can feel a sense of vitality and ease in our lives.

Hi there! Welcome. I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 9 years of experience supporting adults, children, and families. At this time, I work with adults in 1:1 therapy sessions with the primary goal of creating a safe and supportive environment for you to process challenging feelings and thoughts as well as explore issues related to life transitions, anxiety, trauma, relationship difficulties, and more. These are trying times, and I applaud your courage in taking the first step!

I specialize in trauma (EMDR certified), grief and loss, career, disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorder, depression, and anxiety. I provide counseling for individuals, couples, and families dealing with all types of issues and mental health disorders. My approach is process oriented and goal directed while providing psycho-education and resources. I will help you access your inner strength and build tools to cope, grow, and heal.

I am passionate about working with those who struggle with relationships and boundary setting, and clients who struggle with balancing differing sets of expectations due to cultural, physical, or mental factors. I also work with couples from differing backgrounds to deepen mutual understanding and couples struggling through a difficult phase in their relationship looking to increase communication and understanding. I work well with people from diverse cultural backgrounds, immigrant and first and second generation individuals and families, mixed race or multicultural individuals, and those who are struggling with chronic illness.

How you feel towards yourself can profoundly impact your relationships, work, school, and more. And a lot can make it hard to feel your best. You might be: Exhausted by a relentless self-critical voice...Considering your next steps to feel authentically aligned with your gender and sexuality...Struggling with boundaries and people-pleasing... Stressed and stuck in your closest relationships...Curious about non-monogamy but unsure where to start...Looking for nonjudgmental guidance navigating dynamics within polyamory and kink — not to mention managing all of this under capitalism. No wonder you'd like support!

The decision to begin therapy is not simple and often comes at a particularly challenging time in your life. I know how difficult it can be to reach out during these times and my goal is to respond with curiosity, open-mindedness, and empathy. I believe that lasting change can come from exploring and ultimately freeing ourselves from the underlying causes of current symptoms. I want to work together with you to find ways to gain insight and relief. I work in an open and transparent manner, to help answer any questions or concerns you have along the way.

Maybe you are dealing with new and difficult circumstances, or maybe you are ready to confront issues that have been bothering you for some time. Wherever you are, I will meet you there, help you discover where you would like to be, and move in that direction with you. Psychological pain often comes from being stuck in patterns of thought, behavior, and emotional response that were necessary to our self-preservation at one point, but that are no longer serving that purpose. You have gotten where you are today thanks to your inner strengths; my job is to help you build on those strengths while helping you change harmful patterns.

I am passionate about working with: People of Color; Trans, non-binary, and genderqueer individuals, and their partners and families; Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Queer folks; Polyamorous and non-monogamous individuals, couples, families and other relationship configurations; Activists and organizers involved in social justice movements and struggles for liberation; and especially, people at the intersections of these categories. Therapy with me may be able to help with: depression and anxiety; grief and loss; PTSD and complex trauma; difficulty forming and maintaining nourishing relationships; and distress related to oppression.