Therapists Providing Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) in San Francisco Bay Area

As your therapist, I am committed to helping you discover your inner power and cultivate lasting change. I help people whose emotions or thoughts take over at the worst possible moments, and those who wrestle with day-to-day life confusion, pain or loss. This period of time can feel overwhelming and debilitating. It may even affect your relationships with family, friends or career.

As Shannon Alder puts it, “courage doesn’t happen when you have all the answers. It happens when you are ready to face the questions you have been avoiding your whole life.” How do you to face the difficult questions, show courage, and claim your Shakti (strength) in order to heal?

Healing begins with love. Let’s work on being in love with the person in the mirror. You have been through so much and are still showing resilience. As your psychotherapist, I help you navigate the challenges of adulthood & manage your feelings through interventions such as Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Walking Therapy and other holistic methods like Crystal Healing.

If you are ready to feel empowered, effortlessly achieve your goals, and feel more happiness in your life, contact me today for a complimentary telephone consultation. I am in this with you & TOGETHER we can navigate any conflict you are trying to manage.

Therapy can be an incredibly rewarding experience for awareness, change and growth.  My goal is to create a safe space for you to express yourself, develop a greater understanding of your circumstances, enhance trust in yourself and regain hopefulness about your situation. I would be honored to support you on your journey of transformation and healing.

It's so valuable to find someone who really listens to your deepest longings and feelings and doesn't judge, but instead invites you to attune to your true self and become more fully who you were meant to be. We'll set aside an hour a week (more or less frequently as needed) to create a space for you slow talk freely and to identify and discuss your feelings, patterns and authenticity in relationships, life transitions, identity development, work/life balance, your vocational calling, spirituality, etc. I'll work with you to set goals, and we'll continue to evaluate your progress toward goals and set new ones, if you'd like. I look forward to talking with you!

Therapy is an opportunity to slow down—at least for an hour or so—to have a conversation with yourself.  I will be there as an engaged and compassionate guide to help you navigate difficult feelings and conflicts and move toward a closer, more joyful connection with yourself and others.

My goal is to lend you my mind and sometimes my nervous system to help you stay in the present, calm and grounded, so that you feel empowered to be your best self.

As a couple therapist I am an active participant in helping you express feelings and needs to your partner(s); learn new ways to short-circuit conflict; and heal painful ruptures in the relationship.  As a sex therapist for individuals and couples my hope is for you to have access to pleasure and connection and confidence in your ability to make healthy choices.

Many people often experience feelings of being misunderstood or isolated in difficult situations where their loved ones are unable to help them navigate their emotional responses. My approach to therapy is to hear you, to understand your perspective, and to provide a supportive environment for authentic self-expression. I strive to be the therapist that I needed when I was younger and to be the therapist that I continue to seek today. A therapist that I can feel comfortable with and relate to on some level because sharing my inner most thoughts is sometimes a difficult task.

I enjoy assisting clients with growth and discovery of new pathways to healing. Whether you are experiencing difficulty with depression, anxiety, communication, trauma, relationships, change, identity, or growth, I will be able to assist you in processing your experiences by providing guidance toward finding your balance. I am passionate about understanding and healing interpersonal relationships through identifying what is most important to my clients. Having experience with children, adults, families, and couples with a multitude of diagnoses, I have the skills to help you accomplish your goals.

I utilize techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, Play Therapy, and Solution Focused Therapy while promoting one's strengths to reach their best sense of self. Call today for a free 15-minute phone consultation so that you can feel comfortable sharing introductory information and determine if therapy at Given Guidance Counseling Services could be beneficial for you.

Effective therapy requires a reliable framework and trust in order to proceed.

My theoretical orientation is based on Self Psychology, which developed out of a more traditional psychoanalytic psychotherapy. This approach has guided me to trust the motivations of patients and better understand material from their points of view.

My goal is to create the space where a range of thoughts and feelings may be safely expressed, where patients can use the relationship with me the way they need to do so. This is a less authoritative model, more creative as it permits me to rely on both my training and intuition in providing optimal care.

How I approach treatment varies with each person, depending on their needs.  I see my role as being like a mountain climbing guide: I know how to climb a mountain, what equipment to use, how to deal with ice or rock, when to push forward and when to proceed with caution.  I  always encourage you to tell me how you are feeling in our work together.

I will put your experience into context, so that even seemingly irrational thoughts and feelings make sense. These may include explanations about things such as how the mind works, what makes events traumatic, and what the components of trauma recovery are.  I offer feedback, always checking in to see if it feels right to you.  I “throw the pasta on the wall, and you tell me what sticks.”  Teaching you strategies such as mindfulness, grounding, and communication skills may also be part of our work.

I am a white, cisgender, heterosexual woman, pronouns, she/her, with awareness and sensitivity to culture and race.

You are welcome to contact me for a consultation to see if we’re a good fit to work together.

My belief is that unless we get to the heart of the matter of whatever is causing your grief, solutions will only go so far. My approach is holistic; helping you heal core insecurities that are causing you distress. By facilitating a process of becoming aware, I will help you relinquish unconscious beliefs that are holding you back and support you in identifying what you need to make change.

It would be an honor to guide you in becoming aware and to watch as you enjoy the fruits of empowered communication, relationships you find fulfilling, and a newly realized acceptance of 'self' as grounded in true personal integrity and genuine self-esteem.

Although it can be difficult to reach out for help, I believe we are most fully alive when we embrace our potential for growth. Often the desire to make more informed choices and gain a deeper understanding of who you are leads to increased self regard and less fear. Feeling fearful while moving forward is possible; the first step may be making the call to begin the process.

It is so important to find someone to collaborate with toward achieving your life’s goals. My space is your safe space. I love walking beside you and creating a place where we find the best solutions for your preferred life narrative. Trauma is not something you need to carry alone and I look forward being a part of this personal journey with you. In my practice we will discover what works best for you and I will help you develop the healthiest ways to navigate life’s decisions, with self empowerment.