Therapists in Oakland, CA

Your calendar is filled to the brim and your mind is racing with thoughts. Soon after you get that rush from checking off a box on your to-do list, panic sets in knowing the list never ends. You are a doer and giver - often going to great lengths to please everyone around you. You try your best but still, it never feels like enough. You fear that if you slow down and pause for a moment, everything will fall apart - even you. You want more balance and ease in your life, but you have no idea where to begin.

Helping people when they are in crisis is my passion. I specialize in emergency and acute mental health evaluation and consultation. I am currently accepting patients for brief intervention services only, including: crisis evaluation and acute treatment planning; urgent clinical diagnostic evaluation and consultation; and, private disability evaluations.

Dígame, if you just want to talk about life, stress, or just have life goals you want to reach and need motivation to take the leap. Dígame if you’re looking to focus on your mental health, heal from traumas, and/or break intergenerational cycles. Dígame about your nervios/anxiety, el espanto/trauma, or cuando te pusistes mal/depression. Let’s translate wellness and mental health into our inherent rights as defined by you. I use a Person Centered, Culturally Driven approach; Decolonizing our minds, hearts, and behaviors to break cycles and barriers. Individuals, Couples, and Families welcome. Platicas disponibles en español.

I have been privileged to have experienced a very diverse clientele. Currently I am accepting clients who are LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, those who are working on trauma or traumatic pasts, 'outside the box' or deep thinkers, and/or those who have lived diverse/alternative lives. When contacting me, please say what about this profile you were interested in, and why you think we might be a good match.

I am an experienced children's psychotherapist, with a private practice in Alameda and have provided therapeutic services for children, teens and families for 20+ years. I have been able to help families deal with a variety of issues including trauma, loss, family-conflict, children/teens with learning disabilities and a variety of behavioral issues, as well as familial substance use issues, post-divorce issues, severe anxiety and depression.

Your bravery has led you here - welcome! If you’re navigating life transitions, grief/loss, depression & anxiety, the impact of trauma (i.e. abuse, racial, adoption) there is hope for healing. Working with diverse people as a biracial Black woman has shown me how powerful it is to navigate life with the support of a person from a shared set of experiences and understanding. I ask to be a partner in your journey, and commit to provide a safe space to discuss challenges. I offer my reflection and guidance, and accept that your story & culture is uniquely yours and I am only in your life by your invitation to help you meet your goals.

I am a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in psychological testing with children and adolescents. I have been practicing in this area for over a decade and have trained with experts in child assessment. My evaluations assess the presence of attention challenges, learning struggles, and emotional difficulties. I conduct thorough, comprehensive assessments informed by the Therapeutic/Collaborative Assessment model. In this model, parents and children are team members in the process and we work together to answer the referral questions. At the completion of the process, adolescents receive a feedback letter explaining the testing findings in accessible language and children receive an individualized picture book.

There are things that happen in life that we try to overcome on our own but realize it has become too much to handle alone. You may be experiencing work related stress, conflict in your relationships, shame, grief, anxiety, depression, or a trauma. As a Therapist I want to support you heal those parts of yourself that hold you back. My goal is to support you in navigating, refining or developing skills to improve and enhance your life. I want to help restore, renew and heal yourself, relationships, life or work. Psychotherapy can be a difficult process; It is important to feel comfortable and safe as you go on this journey.

My "ideal" patient is ready to make changes s/he has long wanted and feels able to explore the barriers to emotional well-being in partnership with an experienced therapist. Building a healthy relationship in therapy is not only essential to immediate goals, but is a skill that patients take away for use with on-going problem-solving.

I can make a difference in your child's success in special education, IEPs, learning differences, navigating for parents whose children may need extra help in school, or having a negative effect on a young child who has lost their self-esteem and has a failure mentality and turns it into a child believing and feeling like they can succeed and has pride with knowing they can achieve success. Academic help is every child's right through a federal law that is already in place. Many parents do not know how to access these programs. These techniques or resources are tailored specifically for your child.

Private pay sessions for 60$ dollars, couples 75$, I take most insurance and the insurance I accept is increasing. I have experience of over 35 years expert professional, licensed in 3 states, CA, VA and WA. Currently in the Wash DC area on assignment with the DOD working with Military Families and providing therapy virtually to clients in California and Washington State. I'm a certified expert provider in CBT, DBT, Mindfulness, Drug and Alcohol Recovery, Family Dynamics and specialist and a DOD consult in Combat, childhood trauma, PTSD Psychotherapy. I also provided Christian counseling upon request.

Through therapy with your child, I will work in building resiliency, learning new coping skills, emotional regulation, and providing a safe space to process memories and current life experiences and traumas. Unlike adults who tend more to communicate verbally or from a logical perspective, children use creativity and imaginative play to express their inner thoughts and feelings, it is often the main way children relate and learn about themselves and their world. Through play therapy, I respond to your child with care, attunement, and skillfulness in helping them understand difficult emotions and make sense of confusing experiences.

I am Karina Valdez, LMFT. I understand life can be overwhelming and stressful. I am here to help guide you to be the best version of yourself where you can learn how to cope with the stressors and adversities that life throws at you on a short- and long-term basis. Therapy is a way for you to have a confidential, non-judgmental, safe space to explore what troubles you most in life. My primary focus in my practice is helping people heal from traumatic adversities that have occurred in their life.

I see clients virtually in California and Florida and in person in western Ma. People enter my therapy practice for all sorts of reasons. You may be at an impasse or a crossroads due to the loss of a relationship, a big life decision or general anxiety that you can no longer bear on your own. You may be suffering from the wounds of homophobia, transphobia, racism, white supremacy and patriarchy, on top of other traumas and early childhood wounds. Regardless, I seek to offer a safe space for you to access a deeper understanding of yourself and your underlying needs and motives, as well as a personal sense of freedom and empowerment.

Life can be unpredictable and going through those valleys can feel overwhelming and lonely. I want you to know I'm glad you're here and have decided to give therapy a try. I am committed to creating a warm, open, emotionally safe and non-judgmental space for you to come and be your most authentic self. A space where you can drop your shoulders and truly lay down the weight of your traumas, anxiety, hopelessness, relational conflict, low self-esteem, PTSD, grief/loss, and every other personal issues you choose to explore. I will gently walk alongside you to support and guide you to finding relief from those painful experiences.

As a psychologist, I strive to create an environment of acceptance and understanding to facilitate healing, growth, and resiliency. It is my belief that each person holds strengths within themselves and their families and, when harnessed, can create greater fulfillment in life, intimacy in relationships, and connection to others. I specialize in working with children, teens, and young adults with a wide range of mental health concerns. My training and expertise are in areas of depression, anxiety, trauma/PTSD, loss, family conflict, culture and diversity factors, and stress related to life transitions (marriage, children, college).

You may be struggling with depression or anxiety, grief or loss, or a difficult relationship. Maybe your stress level has increased recently and you find yourself struggling to cope. These types of situations sometimes leave people feeling “stuck” and unsure of how to move forward and regain their quality of life. Psychotherapy is a powerful, evidence-based mental health treatment that helps many people move past the stuckness and find new ways of managing life’s challenges.

Thank you for taking the time to read my bio. I bring over 25 years of experience in mental health, ranging from addiction to trauma. I believe in a strength-based approach in providing clients support because everyone has skills, talents, and abilities to tap into to assist them in overcoming life's challenges. I am a firm believer in a nonjudgmental approach to therapy so you, the client, feel safe, accepted, and empowered. I use a broad array of therapy techniques such as trauma-informed care, strength-based, systems solution-focused or brief therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, grief therapy, and much more.

Concierge therapy offered in Palo Alto, Rockridge & SF locations. You decide on the day, time, location, in-person or online. This modality is for busy professionals/students who want to graduate psychotherapy fast. Sessions are fun and focused. Most clients can graduate from therapy within 3-6 months for life transition problems. For severe trauma and mental health cases, it can a little longer. Specializing in teens, couples and individuals struggling with trauma, sexual abuse, substances abuse, depression, anxiety, grief, suicide, trust, abandonment, severe mental health and anger.