Building relationships to last a lifetime!
Counselor in Oakland, CA
I enjoy working with adult children and their parents to help open the lines of communication and change old relationship patterns. I think adulthood is a great time to work on re-working relationships with parents and siblings so you can have healthier connections going forward.
I am a Certified Gottman Method Couple Therapist, and have training and experience in Emotionally Focused Therapy as well - two of the most well-researched, well-validated approaches to couple and relationship work. I begin every case with an in-depth assessment of relationship strengths and challenges, which will provide a road map for our work together.
I have worked with queer and trans clients for over 20 years on all kinds of identity, family, and life issues. I work with queer and trans-including couples which is some of my favorite work. I can help with nuclear and extended family issues, and blended and non-traditional families. I do tranition-focused work with trans and non-binary/genderqueer clients, and can serve as the primary mental health provider for people wanting to pursue medical transition or provide a second letter for GCS.
My therapy is always sensitive to issues of power, privilege, and oppression along many dimensions, not just gender. I approach feminism from an intersectional perspective, and am mindful of my own privileged identities as well. I take a collaborative, curious approach with all clients and recognize clients' expertise on their own lives.
I have completed the EFT Externship and have used EFT in my practice for many years as well as taken other EFT training at conferences.
I am a Certified Gottman Method Couple Therapist, #406.
I believe that the space between people is the most powerful place to create change. We are all embedded in relationships and come from families, no matter our current situations, and even individuals carry with us a history of those relationships. A family systems orientation lets me take into account far more than just what's in any one person's "head" when it comes to getting unstuck. I am a Clinical Fellow of AAMFT and have held leadership positions in many family therapy organizations.