Family Systems Therapists in Walnut Creek, CA

I approach the process of therapy with the deepest respect for the inherent wholeness and dignity of every individual I have the privilege to work with. I will support you in addressing the challenges of chronic stress and the painful effects of trauma while holding the conviction that your capacity for connection, peace, and well-being is your birthright. And I will accompany you as you begin to find your way back to a truer, more vital and clear sense of who you are and what matters to you.

I focus my work on families and adult patients. In my professional experience, I find the most growth in children by utilizing a family systems approach and accessing the client's innate strengths and desires for change. In adult patients, much of my work surrounds developing healthy coping skills and managing stress in more adaptive ways.

Compassion is the foundation of my therapeutic work with all clients. It's important to me that you feel respected, cared for, and that you feel better. Challenging life situations, traumatic experiences, and/or dysfunctional family dynamics can cause all of us to feel distressed. Sharing your experiences, feeling validated and listened to, can decrease your emotional pain. Using a relational and client-centered approach, I can address your individual needs. Working together, we can find solutions and tools to help you make lasting changes that ultimately result in you feeling better.

I help adults and couples with relationship and codependency issues, grief and loss, depression, anxiety and addictive patterns with self and others. I help you to create a relationship with yourself and others based on respect, caring and trust. This helps build the feeling of safety that lies at the core of any successful therapy. My goal is to support you in finding and strengthening your own inner voice. When we learn to free ourselves from old, stuck patterns of relating (in mind and body), we often feel a lightness of being that allows us to experience more joy in our everyday lives.

I am a warm, caring, understanding, and empathic clinician who uses various modalities to help people heal and thrive. The main modalities I utilize in therapy are person-centered, narrative therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and family systems therapy. I believe the therapeutic relationship/alliance is one of the most important aspects of therapy, coupled with a warm, genuine approach and skillful use of theory and intervention. My goal is to meet clients where they are at and to facilitate them in making the appropriate changes in their lives that they are ready to make.

I specialize in guiding individuals and families through intricate paths of healing, offering a unique blend of evidence-based models tailored to your specific needs. Whether you are suffering from anxiety, OCD, depression, trauma, relationship challenges, habits/addictions, perfectionism, or grief, my holistic approach spans every facet of life – from home to work, school to sports. With expertise as a guide and therapist, I excel with those who enter with motivation to address their suffering and make the deliberate choice to dedicate time to their healing journey. This is 360 healing and I am here to help you.

EMDR therapist in the East Bay specialized in Trauma / PTSD, Marriage Counseling, Food Issues / Disordered Eating, Anxiety, LGBTQ, Depression, Women's Issues, Spirituality, Life Transitions, Adoption, Parenting, and Teen Issues. I regularly see Couples, Families, Teens and Adults ranging from early adolescence to late 60's.

Welcome! I am thrilled that you are seeking support! It is a major step! For more than twenty years I have worked to support individuals and families experiencing anxiety, grief, depression, trauma, substance abuse, and adjustments in life. My approach is holistic and focuses on meeting the individuals where they are. I incorporate Mindfulness, Family Systems, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic, and EMDR in my work. I see each person, not as a diagnosis or label, but as an individual with life experiences, strengths and challenges. If you are interested in if we would be a good fit together, please reach out.

Together, we will identify your concerns and goals, create a treatment plan that fosters growth, increased level of functioning, interpersonal effectiveness, empowerment and self-acceptance. Collectively, we will identify and challenge distorted thinking and behavioral habits, then cultivate balanced more rational thought patterns and adaptive behaviors. We will explore principles of Mindfulness, de-escalation, emotion regulation, boundary setting and self care to create a holistic approach to your healing process and ultimately reduce suffering.

What is it that causes you so much pain? Frequently our mental health is directly related to unresolved past hurts and traumas. These struggles can be from childhood and our family of origin, or perhaps they show up in the form of shame from choices we have made or choices other's have made against us. I encourage you to begin the work to overcome your negative experiences. Seek counseling if you want support and direction in gaining a positive perspective, want insight into managing difficult circumstances, or want to improve your communication or conflict resolution skills. You deserve to find fulfillment and joy.

As a therapist my focus is your (and your family's) emotional health and happiness. Therapy can offer strategies and coping skills as well as guidance to access your own wisdom for solving the challenges you are currently facing. My approach has been to unitlize a compassionate, creative and flexible approach to the complexities of life's struggles that is tailored to your needs. My experience lies in my work with individuals, children, families and couples with a wide range of issues and life transitions.

For 25 years, I have assisted people with a variety of addictions, from the exogenous abuse of drugs and alcohol, to the ones that stem from the chemicals already inside the brain, such as sex and love addiction, abandonment patterns, sexual compulsions, gambling, internet, and workaholism. Unlike most psychotherapists, I’m a Board Certified Addiction Specialist, well versed in both abstinence and harm reduction strategies. Unlike most addiction professionals, I am also psychotherapist who also treats the anxiety, depression, and other psychological issues that often manifest after being uncovered through recovery.

I work with adolescents, and adults. It is my goal to work in partnership with you and the appropriate family and community members to consider all factors which may be influencing your mental health and well being. Together we will design a plan to support your own resilience and innate healing response. My philosophy is more pragmatic, than theoretical. The focus is not merely on the treatment of symptoms of the disorder, but on achieving health, and a renewed sense of purpose, meaning, and joy. I strive to provide responsive and effective assistance with compassion and respect.

I work with individuals, couples and families that are ready for help and wanting to make a change in their life. For almost 30years I've treated depression, anxiety, eating disorders, relationship problems, as well as difficulties stemming from past abuse or trauma. My philosophy about therapy is not one size fits all. I have been trained in Psychodynamic, Cognitive Behavioral, Dialectical Behavioral, Family Systems as well as other methods of therapy; and I draw on whatever techniques and methods work best for each unique individual or individuals with whom I'm working.

I am a licensed therapist who works with adolescents, adults, and families, and am someone who believes in the resilience and innate healing potential in each individual. It is my job to work with my clients to come up with a plan to address their mental health concerns and to improve their well being. I have training in cognitive behavioral therapy, psychodynamic therapy, client-centered therapy, and family systems therapy.

My focus in therapy revolves around relationships and support. The most important relationship I speak of is our relationship with ourselves. To be truly whole we benefit from a well developed relationship with ourselves to then be able to have good relationships with others. This comes from learning and honoring our strengths and our limitations. In fact, one's limitations can grow into strengths when addressed from a position of self-care

I offer strategies and tools for College age students and adults experiencing anxiety, depression, self-harming behavior, and trauma. My highest aim as your therapist is to co-create a lasting and genuine healing relationship, one where you feel supported to express yourself authentically and make the changes necessary in your life to live, love and work wholeheartedly. My warm, genuine and practical approach allows us to move through difficult times and gain clarity about yourself and your relationships . All are welcome in my office and I see clients from 18 on up.

Being a human being is complicated, and complex, and can sometimes be overwhelming. It is therapeutic to have someone to share our true selves with free of judgment. I believe each client holds the answers, and in my work, I support you on your journey. I meet you where you are, and together we identify where you would like to go, and what parts of yourself you would like to call forward. I can help you explore your inner world, and help you connect your internal experiences to your external experiences. I support clients dealing with depression, anxiety, trauma, and relational dynamics.

I work with adults, teens, and children experiencing a range of concerns including anxiety, stress, parenting issues, school or work challenges, and life transitions. Clients are often interested in taking a pause, reassessing their current situation, and collaborating to try new approaches, improve coping skills and resilience. My goal is to help clients move forward in their daily lives with greater ease, a sense of purpose and peace, and curiosity to care and connect to themselves and others authentically.