Locations California Therapists Oakland Therapists Erin Carnahan

Vetted

Erin Carnahan(She/Her/Hers)

(She/Her/Hers)

Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor, CCMHC

California

Identity development- LGBTQIA, gender, & sexuality topics-Race & cultural identity-Spirituality & religion-Gender identity & transgender health-Shame-

See Erin's Details for:

Accepting online

Out-of-network with insurances

$200

About Specialties Locations Insurance & Fees

Professional statement

Erin Carnahan is a licensed mental health counselor based in Oakland, CA who provides online therapy to individuals with multiple marginalized identities and adults undergoing major life changes. Many of Erin’s clients come in to address painful experiences, religious trauma and abuse in un-affirming communities and relationships. She creates space and safety for people whose identities don’t fit neatly in one box to question and explore their identities and beliefs without judgment or condemnation. Erin is passionate about serving mixed-race and multicultural folks, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, neurodivergent people, and ex-vangelicals or Christians deconstructing their faith.

 Erin’s practice is grounded in Client-Centered and Feminist Therapy and frequently incorporates cognitive-behavioral, mindfulness-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). She collaborates with clients to unpack traumatic experiences and develop personalized strategies to dismantle and heal from harmful legacies of imposed and internalized beliefs.

In session, Erin continually works to acknowledge the layers of broader contexts to clients’ experiences (i.e. power imbalances in relationships, systems of oppression). In validating her clients’ experiences, Erin supports and empowers them towards greater acceptance and celebration of their intersectional identities and a life that is genuinely their own.  Erin's style is warm, collaborative, and unconditionally accepting. When clients first start therapy, she respects and trusts their past and present experiences, boundaries, and self-knowledge to co-create a therapeutic environment and priorities that work for them .

Message to clients

Codeswitching, masking, being seen as "other," or feeling unsafe to be your whole self is exhausting and isolating; I hope that therapy can be at least one space and relationship where you don't have to hold anything back. You don't have to be alone even in the loneliness of being invalidated, silenced, or barely tolerated. While I won't presume to know your specific life experience, you also don't have to educate me either. In my trauma-informed, feminist, and strengths-based approach to counseling, you won't be getting preached at or pathologized -- we go at your pace and guided by your values towards the goals we identify together. Pursuing therapy takes vulnerability and courage, particularly if you've lived with cultural taboos around addressing mental and emotional health or had poor experiences with counselors in the past. You've already taken a crucial step by checking out therapist profiles; if you're up for taking another one, I encourage you to book a free consultation call with me.

Work and Education

Years of Experience: 8 years

Living Oak Counseling

Earth Circles Counseling Center

Christian Counseling Centers

Lincoln Families

Wheaton College Counseling Center

Wheaton College Graduate School, M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, 2016

Whitman College, B.A. in Psychology, 2009

Licensure

California: 9075

Languages

English

Specialties

Identity development - Accepting and strengthening one’s intersectional sense of self; connecting with one's embodied experience of emotions, needs, values, beliefs, and desires; integrating experiences related to race, class, gender, neurotype, sexual orientation, and disabiility

LGBTQIA, gender, & sexuality topics - Affirming and exploring romantic and sexual orientations, gender identity and presentations, polyamory and kink; challenging and coping with compulsive heterosexuality, allonormativity, discrimination, oppression, internalized homophobia and/or transphobia; navigating relationship, family, spiritual, community and/or cultural challenges

Race & cultural identity - Examining topics of racial, cultural, and ethnic background as it relates to one’s family origins, personal identity, and community relationships; navigating code-switching and having mixed/multiple racial and cultural backgrounds or experiences

Spirituality & religion - Looking at personal beliefs and practices related to meaning, existence, and spiritual health; processing and deconstructing religious influences, experiences, and/or traumas; developing a deeper felt connection with the spiritual dimension of one's life

Gender identity & transgender health - Exploring gender identity, including trans, non-binary, and gender expansive identities; affirming support throughout transitioning (if/as desired) and daily life at home, at work, and/or in community

Shame - Investigating how shame shows up in one’s life and its origins, especially relating to evangelicalism/Christianity, being labeled as "gifted" and/or under-achieving, and familial/cultural expectations and social norms; disentangling one's sense of worth from shame

Clientele

Adults (24+)

Young adults (18-24)

Locations & Hours

Insurance

Erin Carnahan is not in-network with any insurances.

Read about the benefits of seeing an out-of-network provider here.

Out-of-pocket fees

Individual sessions:$200 (50min)

This provider has no upcoming call times available.