You and your life isn’t one note. You are multifaceted and the demands you face happen to be as well – particularly when you are a student. Currently, the sound-track of your life has moved away from the sounds of a harmonious symphony -or maybe from an upbeat pop song- to something more unnerving and stressful (like the alarm you use to wake up to in the morning or the background music in a horror film—building tension, bracing yourself from some known or unknown threat). It makes sense that li...
You've got a lot going on. You can usually handle a lot. But right now it's too much; your relationship is changing, your anxiety is increasing, or ways you used to cope aren't working anymore. Maybe you've experienced a loss or trauma and feel out of your element. Or maybe you feel unsatisfied with your life, like you can't ever catch up or achieve what you feel you should. Whatever brings you to therapy, I want to help....
Are you interested in a type of counseling that is practical, goal-oriented, and short-term? Want to figure out what's causing you struggle and learn and practice tools to make it better? Tired of endless talk therapy without any change? I use an approach to counseling called TEAM-CBT that was developed by David Burns, MD, at Stanford. Clients who are a good fit are highly motivated to make changes in their life, willing to set specific goals to recover from their struggles, and ready to do the ...
Providing thoughtful psychiatry for children, adolescents, and adults....
As a licensed psychologist I offer individual therapy to treat a range of presenting concerns, including relationship stress, life transitions, depression, anxiety, parentification and trauma. I use an approach based on openness and sincerity and aim to provide a comfortable and collaborative environment for my clients. My style is fluid and catered to best suit the concerns and subjective experience of the client. My approach borrows from psychodynamic theory, emotion-focused therapy, cognit...
I partner with individuals offering compassionate, trauma-informed care that promotes healing and personal growth. Partnering as a relational helper, I hope to expand from problem-focused stories to those of strength and resilience, matched with empowerment and a clearer sense of agency, working together to create the desired changes. I have experience working with individuals, families and couples from diverse backgrounds. My areas of work have included but are not limited to struggles arou...
I primarily work with college students, adults and couples with a variety of concerns, including anxiety, depression, grief and loss, parenting, relational and emotional issues, infidelity, childhood abuse, gender and sexual identity, and religious and spiritual issues. I also work with people who feel stuck, aimless, or desire to possess more purpose and meaning in their lives. In addition to psychotherapy, I offer psychological assessment services for such issues as ADHD Evaluation, diagnostic...
Do things feel off track and overwhelming this semester? Procrastination, imposter syndrome, lack of academic focus, feeling socially awkward, breakups, friend drama, existential fear of what comes after graduation, family conflict, relationship communication breakdown, feeling like everyone else has it together but you, roommate boundary issues, school/work/social out of balance? Yep, that sounds hard. Let's talk. While I do specialize in the treatment of anxiety, ADHD, eating disorders, ...
Adjusting to life changes and managing stress can seem overwhelming at times. If you experience anxiety, depression, other mental health symptoms, or just life changes you're familiar with the desire to find stability and ways to cope. It could be a change in job, or managing stress from work, strain in a relationship with a partner or family members, recent grief and loss, feelings of worthlessness, feeling on edge, or looking for a tune up after life events. I believe therapy offers a space t...
I have been described by clients and colleagues as non-judgmental, warm (but direct), validating, and compassionate - I'd like to think that's true, but who am I to say? In any case, my hope is to help people develop self-acceptance versus self-loathing, practice self-compassion versus self-criticism, heal past wounds or trauma that continue to cause pain today, and create a purpose-driven life built around values they care about. In my personal and professional experience, the more we can accep...
Let's be real - anxiety and depression can cripple anyone's life, especially students and graduates. These symptoms often cause people to feel "hopeless" and can damage academic performance, family and personal relationships, one's sense of fulfillment, and individual identity. For many years, I've successfully treated college students struggling with anxiety and depression. I specialize in blending a unique combination of therapeutic methods that helps students to overcome life's hardships. ...
College life is exciting—but it can also feel overwhelming. Between academics, relationships, family pressures, and figuring out who you are, it’s easy to feel stressed, anxious, or alone. Maybe you're struggling with a breakup, grieving someone you’ve lost, feeling disconnected from friends, or just totally burnt out. Maybe you’re questioning your path or feeling like no one really “gets” what you're going through. These moments can feel heavy—but you don’t have to carry them on your own. Re...
Life happens. Everything is running smoothly in our lives and then something occurs that throws us off balance: a relationship breakup, the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, divorce, or a trauma. Instead of a single event, it can also be the buildup of stress or the accumulation of various life experiences. Sometimes we just want to learn more about ourselves. It can even be a wound from our past from which we have difficulty healing. All of us experience obstacles in our lives tha...
I work best with those who are committed to their healing and wellbeing journey. My practice is holistic focused with a body-mind-spirit connection. I work from an Energy Psychology framework and include Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT/Tapping) to support healing in the energy body system. I have a passion for the integration of indigenous practices into modern psychology. I offer a free 20 min phone initial consultation. Please refer to my website for more information....
DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC I AM OFFERING VIDEO SESSIONS. I have worked collaboratively with UCSF medical students, doctors, interns, residents, nurses and dental students for over 20 years in both individual and couples therapy. I understand the milieu that you practice and study in. I am an active and collaborative therapist and strive to build developmentally appropriate interventions to meet the needs of clients throughout the lifecycle. About half my practice is dedicated to couples work a...
Hello, I’m Alison. I help young adults who are overwhelmed, hopeless or anxious feel more in control and able to manage life's stressors and challenges. Some of the issues young adults have come to see me for include: relationship concerns, feelings of being overwhelmed, struggling to adapt to college or missing home, body image issues, life transitions, questions about gender/sexuality, and personal and family trauma. Trauma can include many things, such as relationship abuse, childhoo...
I am a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist who focuses on real ways to change the ways you feel about yourself and your life. Together you will learn tools to use to change your thoughts, tools that you can take with you and use for the rest of your life. I practice with you in session, and provide homework for you to do outside of our sessions for additional reinforcement. In addition to helping people struggling with depression or bipolar disorder, I also focus on supporting families who have ...
Please visit my profile to learn more about my services.
For students who have not been in therapy, and sometimes those who have been, there are often many questions: When is therapy right for me? How long can therapy last? Is therapy only about talking about feelings? All of these are important questions, and there can be different answers based on what has brought you to consider therapy to help you with your problem or your feelings of distress. There isn't necessarily a "right time" for therapy. Some students have specific problems they w...
Hello and Welcome! I am an SCU alumni and currently have a fully remote and in-person practice (In person on Thursdays only). Ultimately, we all hit bumps in the road associated with being human and making our way through LIFE. But you don't have to struggle and suffer alone. There is support, and I'm happy to help. I enjoy helping people work through issues around stress, addiction, codependency, anxiety, substance abuse, boundaries, family issues, relationship issues, and issues around lif...