I specialize in working with 1st and 2nd generation immigrants on issues such as anxiety, school stress, intergenerational trauma, and cultural identity issues. I tend to be very active and engaged in session with my clients and enjoy discussing practical tools that may be helpful. I want to learn how your unique environment and experiences have shaped who you are today and the challenges that may occur as a result. One of my passions is working with clients from bicultural backgrounds. Having n...
In my practice I cognize that choosing a psychologist & treatment modality can be difficult and confusing & that suffering experienced in relation to burnout, trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, developmental difficulties, marital distress, parenting, illness, & other experiences can result in debilitating distress. I also have served as a founder of companies including Tech & understand the incredible toll & joy startup life takes. I specialize in psychotherapy for children, teens...
My practice is dedicated to working with people who are seeking emotional emancipation. They desire to claim or reclaim their lives after traumatic experiences or relational struggles that have left them feeling down, anxious, lonely, confused or scared and often don't really know how to begin to be different in the midst of all of these feelings. Working with me means exploring together the experiences thar make you who you are by looking both at what your life is like today and how your pas...
Whether borderline, narcissistic or simply toxic, wounded and self-centered parents create wounded children. And these children grow up without the basics of warmth and kindness, acceptance and encouragement. In order to survive, we adapt to the needs of our demanding parents. That might mean we learn to parent our parent. Or we develop antennae and quickly respond to their changing moods and needs, simultaneously ignoring our own. We hope if we do and say the right thing long enough, then o...
I like to think of therapy as a journey of inner exploration and I am along as a guide. I believe that therapy is most effective when it is a combination of intellectual understanding and emotional experience. In that regard, it feels like your feelings are our road signs that we are in the right track to self-growth. I try to not have a specific agenda going into sessions, but rather to go where it is you feel like you need to go at that time. I believe that it is my role to create a safe space...
When people come to treatment with problems, it is important to remember that they are trying to cope with them in the best way they can. With that in mind, I offer a reflective and engaging partnership with my clients, working toward the goal of helping them to be autonomous, authentic and compassionate in a world that can be extremely stressful. Although my work is solidly grounded in psychodynamic, cognitive/learning, and systems theories, my approach is client-centered, practical and s...
My practice specialization is focused on women’s issues and perinatal mental health. In response to the recent changes in access to women's reproductive healthcare, many of us are feeling confused, scared, (and p*ssed off!). I provide a safe space for women to process whatever emotions they may be feeling as a result of their direct experiences or related to future concerns. I believe that the relationship between clinician & client is the foundation for a successful therapy experience. ...
Hello, We can start with what is your immediate concern, and then see the possibility of changes within that can open new possibilities for satisfaction and broader changes. Our goals will include more satisfying and close relationships for you....
I'm a clinical psychologist and a trained psychoanalyst. I believe that what promotes growth and mental health is the process of putting real but hard to see aspects of your experience into words. This decreases their power and brings them more to heel for you. This is different from challenging thoughts or skill building. You as the patient should have clear evidence in therapy that you're coming to understand yourself better and more fully. Old, stuck ways of thinking should slowly give way to...
I am from the Bay Area and went to residency at UCSF for psychiatry where I wad trained in student health. Since graduating residency in 2005, I have loved teaching and mentoring medical students, residents and peers at UCSF in many capacities such as: UCSF's Women, Mood and Hormone Clinic, Brain Mind and Behavior and a Dream Seminar. I have run a full time private practice in Cow Hollow from day 1 of graduating residency. It is therapy based with medication use/evaluations in that set...
I aim to create an environment that is respectful, supportive, and collaborative. My approach to therapy is primarily based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). A core idea in ACT is that trying too hard to get rid of or control our emotions tends to backfire. Thus, instead of trying to get rid of unwanted thoughts, feelings, or emotions, I will help you learn to react differently to them so that you can keep your focus on living a meaningful and fulfilling life based on what’s important ...
I believe that we are shaped, known, and grow in relationships. Therapy can help you better understand your thoughts, feelings, and experiences — and find greater freedom, vitality, and meaningful connections with yourself and others. With curiosity and openness, I work to create a supportive and collaborative environment. We will work together to make sense of who you are as a person, including the experiences that shape how you relate to yourself and to the world. We can address your presen...
​My undergraduate focus was in math and science. However, through the years I decided that relationships were more important and realized that most individuals don't have the tools to form good marriage, family, and friendship connections. Much of this is the result of poor parenting that leaves an individual fearful, without confidence, and having no idea how to navigate life's challenges. Children are precious and deserve to feel loved and secure. This is difficult if their parents weren't ...
We all face challenges in our lives and sometimes we need some extra support to help us overcome them. I moved to the Bay Area (from Toronto) in my early twenties without knowing a soul. It was the most exciting and also challenging time in my life. I navigated my career, dating, and relationships; all while facing the same pressures that most of us women face today. I understand feeling pulled in different directions, competing priorities, and anxieties about living up to high expectations...
I work with clients who are struggling with feeling "not good enough" whether because of their own inner critic or because of marginalization and oppression from a world that is telling you you are "too much," or "not enough." I am passionate about helping clients move past their anxiety, self-doubt, and self-criticism to feel confident, secure, and proud of themselves. I also integrate career counseling into my work, helping clients move towards a future they are excited about. I offer ...
I've worked with parents in the Sacramento area for 2 decades now, but as my own children have grown into young adults I have also made a shift into working with college students of any age. I'm not sure whether it's an openness to learning that extends to person growth, my ability to relate to the challenges of academia, or what exactly makes the relationship so successful, but I have found it to be mutually beneficial to the students I work with. I use an eclectic approach of mindfulness, psy...
Catherine O'Brien is a licensed marriage and family therapist, author, speaker, educator and college professor. She has dedicated her life's work to helping new and expecting parents navigate the challenges of parenthood. As a mother of two children, Catherine understands the overwhelming nature of parenting and wants to help couples thrive during this transition instead of just surviving. She founded HappyWithBaby.com to provide counseling and coaching services for new parents and offers cou...
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...
Sick of trying to get emotional support from a screen? I get it. Teletherapy works great for some. For others, it feels awkward or uncomfortable. Being on camera and seeing yourself on a screen can make it hard to be vulnerable and feel connected with your therapist. I offer both in-person and remote sessions. If teletherapy works for you, we can connect by phone or video. If it doesn't, we can meet in my office. Either way, I'll be here when you're ready. Text me at 415-841-3338 to set u...
The Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program is for individuals with moderate to severe levels of anxiety whose needs have not been effectively met through weekly individual or group therapy sessions. It is also for individuals whose symptoms significantly disrupt daily activities such as work, school and relationships, which can result in isolation and depression. Clients work individually with a behavioral specialist so that each person’s unique needs are addressed. ...