Lesbian Therapists in San Leandro, CA

Are you or your child a BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Color) who feels overwhelmed by the current racial and political climate? Are you struggling to feel good about yourself? Do you focus so much energy on caring for everyone else that your own needs get pushed aside? If you feel stuck repeating challenging patterns in your relationships, know that you are not alone. Let's work together to support you in becoming more balanced, self-confident, and intentional.

Helping you to discover your authentic self and live a fulfilling life is our specialty. Many times we find ourselves seeking help for answers to fix our lives. It is important to know you are not alone. Whitaker, Inc.'s team will work in collaboration with you to motivate and support you, while creating the life and career of your dreams. Our counselors provide a supportive, non-judgmental and safe environment. We provide techniques that will increase opportunities for success. Whatever your reason for seeking a Life Coach or Spiritual Counselor, together we will discover the path to the authentic YOU.

Our team of clinician's approach is to provide a safe and supportive environment for clients when they are facing emotionally traumatic events in their lives such as depression, anxiety, domestic violence , sexual abuse or substance use disorders. We take a proactive approach to our client's emotional healing by drawing on their individual strengths and guiding them to become collaborators of their own healing. We focus on supporting client to make healthy decisions that can help them feel empowered despite the impact of the events they have experienced.

Are you experiencing marital conflict? Do you worry about how conflict with your mate affects your children? I have over 20 years experience working with clients dealing with a wide variety of issues, including family conflict, divorce, child custody, parenting issues, depression, addiction, and anxiety. Research has proven that the parental relationship directly impacts a child's self esteem and social skills. I am a warm, dynamic and solution oriented therapist. I work along side you, to help you identify and overcome the problems which are causing pain in your life.

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 grew up in San Francisco, Ca and after high school attended City College of SF, and then SF State University. I graduated with a BA in Psychology and went on to obtain a Masters Degree in Social Work from University of Pennsylvania. Following my graduation in 1987 I went on to obtain a certificate in couples and sex therapy from the Penn Council for Relationships. I have over 30 years of experience counseling couples, families and individuals from all over the world addressing depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and racial trauma issues.

I founded Be Love Community Counseling to provide safe, healing space for people that have been oppressed, marginalized or have an identity outside of the "dominant culture." Historic trauma and past hurts may show up as depression, anxiety, anger management issues, low self-esteem, underachievement, oppositional behaviors etc. You may think that something is wrong with you while what you're experiencing may actually be a result of something that has happened to you or your ancestors. Therapy is empowering as you may increase awareness about what is keeping you from freedom to live the life you desire.

Hello! I am currently offering trauma informed and EMDR therapy. I work primarily with high functioning women who are struggling with depression, anxiety, or PTSD and are ready to get to the root of it all and feel better. Whether you are challenged by intimacy issues, feeling unfulfilled at work or school, or are just tired of being controlled by emotions like anger or grief, emotions can be hard to manage. Lasting change happens within the context of a safe relationship, and regardless of your attachment style or history, I can help you create the changes you want to see in your life.

The line between what we want, need, and can deal with can be a juggling act. Striking a balance is not always easy. Think of your life as an overflowing suitcase. Consider what it would be like to have help opening that suitcase, and take out or adjust a few things in it to lessen the load. That's working with me. I aim to help you find and learn to value your truest self and work on how to release, shift, or find new ways to carry your experiences and move within - or break free from - the systems you're a part of (systems like: family, school, work, community, and society).

You are beautiful and deserve to be celebrated! As a Black Woman, Teen, Girl, and/or Queer person in a world that tries to stamp or silence you, you have survived some difficult things. Maybe someone significantly hurt you in childhood, or you experienced trauma as an adult. Maybe you lost someone and the grief feels unbearable. You have been trying to move on, but this "thing" just won't let you. Fortunately, there is help. You can recover and live a fulfilling life. You can feel more like yourself again and create the life that you want and deserve. A life of wholeness, joy, and freedom IS possible for you.

I believe therapy is a collaborative and creative endeavor, and provide a safe, supportive environment for you to explore your identity, relationships, history, and desired changes. I am trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help you create lasting changes, and am also influenced by Mindfulness, Narrative, Relational, and Systemic approaches to therapy. I am certified in the Triple P Positive Parenting Program and trained in Trauma-Focused CBT. I am also supportive and affirmative of clients of all sexual orientations and gender identifications, and can assist with issues such as coming out, homophobia, and LGBT relationship or parenting issues.

In addition to adult individuals and couples, I work quite well with difficult adolescents and pre-teens, and can tolerate a high degree of intensity in therapy sessions. I am uniquely capable of providing a containing and non-judgmental space, and am particularly interested in working with issues that arise as a result of counter-culture lifestyles. I bring a social justice perspective to my work, meaning that I take the entirety of my clients' environment as equally important and formative as their early childhood relationships and mental processes.

Generally, what brings clients to my office are concerns related to work, relationships, and life. I offer both short-, and long-term therapy for individuals and couples. I welcome those from the Latino community. In individual therapy I will work with you to better understand your feelings and thoughts, find new ways for dealing with problems, and be more effective in recognizing and meeting your needs, desires, and aspirations. Couples often want to understand where their communication is not effective. We will work to improve your relationship by strengthening communication skills. I don't work with domestic violence.

With over 35 years of experience as an individual and family therapist in many types of settings, I view therapy as a co-created, compassionate and courageous journey into the discovery of the self. I work with individuals and couples, and particularly enjoy helping people find their true passion, gifts and sense of self. I also work with individuals who are in life transition, struggling with depression, anxiety, work stress, spiritual crisis, relationship issues, parenting issues, or any issue that is interfering with living life fully.

If you're struggling with your relationship, I can help. You might be considering therapy because of a crisis or because of a slow build-up or breakdown over years. Now's the time to turn it around. Whether you want to improve communication, reduce conflict, rebuild trust, create more intimacy, or all of the above, I'm here for you. I have over twenty years of experience helping individuals and couples to change unhealthy patterns so that they can find fulfillment and joy again.

You are struggling and you feel alone. I can help. Have you ever been told you are too sensitive? Do you often feel judged or alone? Are you interested in looking within, learning more about yourself and creating the life you deserve? If so, I am here to help. I support clients struggling with depression and anxiety, learning about and coping with the highly sensitive trait, as well as grief and difficult life transitions. I specialize in older teens, college students, young adulthood/emerging professionals. and women around issues of fertility, pregnancy, postpartum and family life.

Reaching out for support may feel difficult but you are totally worth it. I can provide you with a place where you will be listened to with compassion and understanding. Through our work together I will bring gentle curiosity to the areas of your life you want to explore. This can look like nurturing any tender wounds, fostering belonging for abandoned parts of yourself, embracing acceptance for things you can't change, and building skills needed for constructing the life and relationships you desire.

My goal is to empower individuals who call the Bay Area home to live their best lives by utilizing my education, skills, and experience to enhance evidenced based practices. My experience as a child welfare social worker has gifted me with the ability to support individuals who are struggling with the most challenging issues which could include attachment issues, behavioral challenges, family discord, couples issues related to parenting, substance abuse, anxiety, depression and anger management. Additionally, I have a passion for working with the underserved African American and L.G.B.T.Q. community.

I am passionate about helping my clients achieve personal growth and mental well-being. I offer tailored therapy sessions designed to meet you where you are. Whether you're seeking support for yourself or looking to enhance family dynamics, I provide a compassionate and effective approach to help you navigate life's challenges.

I believe in the transformative power of therapy to bring about positive change. I understand that change is hard, and together, we will create goals that feel real and attainable, actively working hand-in-hand to achieve them.