Therapists in Berkeley, CA

We all have the innate capacity for healing. We tend towards growth. But sometimes, internal and/or external barriers get in our way. The purpose of my practice is to help you tap into your inner wisdom to achieve a greater sense of fulfillment, connection, and liberation. I do so by creating a safe space for self-inquiry, providing firm guidance and alternative perspectives, and supporting you to find tangible ways inward and forward. I work with a trauma-informed and anti-oppressive framework. I also provide remote and in-person Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) for individuals and couples.

Therapy with me involves working with the body as much as the mind. This can be challenging for some, but leads to long-term resolution and healing in a more complete, organic nature. Through Somatic Experiencing (SE), I have been trained to work with various forms of trauma (developmental, event specific, chronic/long-term) and the way in which our survival energy becomes trapped in our bodies. We embody our lived experience.

Every person carries a unique story, filled with experiences that shape who they are and how they view the world. As someone who is passionate about helping others, I firmly believe that everyone deserves to feel peace and make meaning from their circumstances, no matter how difficult they may be. From my work in wilderness therapy to private practice, I have seen the transformative power of post-traumatic growth firsthand. Through my own therapeutic journey with EMDR, I have learned that healing old wounds is not only possible, but necessary for personal growth and fulfillment. I am excited to help you.

Do negative thoughts, feelings, sensations, and habits cause you to overidentify with a limited sense of self? Do you need a psychospiritual therapist that is skillful in helping you use past and present experiences, including the most difficult or traumatic ones, in service to your evolution and spiritual awakening - without bypassing challenges or dwelling on an outdated version of yourself? I can help. I specialize in helping women recognize & amplify inner resources to recover from trauma, anxiety, stress, and distress while attending to the important relationships in their lives - within the context of awakening.

Are you looking for therapy to support & cultivate the wisdom of your whole being – mind, heart, body, & spirit? Would you like your challenges to be doorways to personal transformation?  You may be coming to therapy feeling overwhelmed by life transitions, relationship challenges, depression, anxiety, grief, or loss. You may want to heal old trauma, change negative thought patterns, and break free of self-doubt. Or you may be ready to work towards deeper personal and spiritual growth. I support clients with these and many other issues in a warm, nurturing, non-judgmental way, informed by over 15 years of experience as a therapist.

I have been in private practice as a psychotherapist in Berkeley since 1994, working with adults and teens individually and with couples and groups, on recovering from relationship and betrayal trauma. This trauma may manifest as recurring intrusive reminders of overwhelming and unresolved past experiences and as emotional / somatic distress in your present life. Or it may result from inadequate nurture and protection in childhood (attachment trauma). Often, both contribute to the need and desire for relief and a better life beyond trauma. Individualized trauma therapy addresses the need for a new relationship with your past.

I work psychoanalytically with all kinds of adults in my Albany, California-based office, and online with Lebanese and other Arabs around the world. I often see immigrants, expats and other individuals and couples who navigate more than one location, cultural system, or types of trauma. I specialize in working with complex trauma and war-related, inter-generational trauma.

Navigating this thing called Life is truly a trip! My mission is to support you to have more effective communication and coping skills, develop an uncompromising and joyful sense of self, develop stronger life skills, increased healthy coping with life transitions and heal traumas so that you can be the person you need to be.

I believe people are inherently oriented to heal and grow. Sometimes on the healing journey we need support to navigate difficult transitions, especially if old traumas are clouding our current vision. My role as a psychologist is to accompany you on your personal path. I welcome people with all types of concerns. I am especially experienced in treating people struggling with trauma, eating and body image issues, depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, life transitions, relationship and parenting issues.

I am a trauma-informed, somatic therapist passionate about supporting and empowering adults, teens, and children through therapy. I have a special interest in working with adults and teens on: complex & acute trauma, emotion regulation, anxiety, relationships, self-esteem, grief, and life transitions. With children, I treat: anger, traumatic events, adjusting to change, general/social/separation anxiety, friendship, bullying, frequent arguing, school-based issues, OCD, and PANS/PANDAS, and more. I am affirming of those who are queer, gender-nonconforming, kink, and in poly/ENM/non-traditional relationship structures.

I am passionate about supporting people to quickly move through psychological blocks that create stress and stop the flow of creative, productive energy. I focus on facilitating freedom from anxiety and depression created by past experiences, opening the mind to what is present and possible, instead of old and no longer useful. I work extensively with the therapeutic technique known as EMDR, which is clinically proven to be an effective treatment for Anxiety/Depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I am an EMDRIA approved Consultant and a Trainer for the Trauma Recovery Humanitarian Assistance Program. www.emdrhap.org

I work with adolescents, adults, and couples seeking insight, self-knowledge, and healthier, more fulfilling relationships. Many of my clients are immigrants or children of immigrants from families where mental health and therapy are not routine topics of conversation. Coming to therapy can feel strange and intimidating. I strive to provide a warm and supportive space for clients to face the things in their lives that are distressing, to confront painful aspects of themselves and their pasts, and make positive and lasting changes.

Sometimes our emotional states can distract or even derail us. These states can get overwhelming and cause us to lose confidence, act self destructively and withdraw from others. Engaging in a supportive relationship with an experienced psychotherapist is useful at these times. In my practice I work with clients who are navigating relationship challenges, life transitions and the difficulties of developing and achieving an important life goal. My approach is interactive and collaborative with the aim of creating a respectful and caring environment that will facilitate exploration and growth.

I use somatic, IFS, Buddhist-informed and mindfulness-based therapy to help clients attune to their mental, physical and emotional needs. I specialize in working with artists and creative thinkers, people who have experienced religious trauma, queer folks, HSPs, women, and parents. If you have struggled with the impacts of trauma or with feeling "too sensitive," I am here to support you. If you've had a challenging psychedelic experience that you'd like to process, I also offer psychedelic integration therapy.

Do you often feel ashamed and not good enough, even though others think you have it all together? Do you find yourself caring for those around you, all the while wondering when it will be your turn to get what you need? Does the intensity of your negative feelings sometimes scare you?

Every patient is unique, and so is every therapist. I have lived and practiced therapy in two very different cultures, which has given me insight into culturally specific and universal issues that underlie personal and interpersonal conflicts. I approach every client with acceptance and understanding, providing them with a compassionate space for exploring challenges and obstacles to happiness in themselves and their relationships. I enjoy working with people of all ages and backgrounds, seeking to understand each client's worldview and to help them to discover their own solutions to the difficulties they face, including anxiety, depression, and relationship conflicts.

Healing in therapy begins by finding a therapist who is a good fit. I am glad you found your way to this website to find someone who may be a good fit for you. My areas of focus are helping people who are struggling with anxiety, depression, grief and trauma. These struggles can lead us to feel stuck, frightened, overwhelmed, sad, exhausted. When our attention is drawn to a few strong feelings, a few loud inner voices, and a few number of life choices we feel limited and not fully ourselves.

Are you feeling stuck, blocked, or living less fully than you would like? Maybe you would like to feel more embodied, alive, and confident. Whether it is fear, trauma, or stories we tell about ourselves and others, there are many obstacles that prevent us from thriving. I am here to support you on your journey toward wholeness.

Triumph Over Trauma East Bay provides trauma-informed counseling services in Berkeley for Individuals, Couples and Families.