We serve couples in many ways, most notably by helping couples who are struggling with anger, distressed, challenged by infidelity, or overwhelmed by issues of communication or intimacy. I've helped partner overcome these challenges to live as lover and friends for more than three decades. Along with my husband, Peter Pearson, I founded The Couples Institute in 1984. We serve the San Francisco Bay Area by offering a network of dedicated, qualified therapists. In addition to helping hundreds of couples create and maintain evolving and healthy relationships, we also train therapists across the globe. Our book about couples therapy for therapists is a popular graduate school text throughout the country. As a married couple, we bring the insight of hard-won experience to our work. Just like you, we've been challenged as a couple. By overcoming these challenges together, we've solidified our belief that lasting marriages are both possible and rewarding.

I believe that every person who sits down for counseling with me deserves therapy that is as special and unique as they are. I know how important it is for you to feel like you are being heard and understood. There are no guarantees with therapy, but it should help you learn new things about yourself and others. I will give you the skills to feel better and handle emotions and problems so you can get on to leading a happier life.

I believe every individual is different and therefore there is not one approach that fits all people and all challenges. Therapy is a puzzle of trying to understand the core issues that need to be addressed, finding out the clients goals and then helping the client uncover their strengths which they will use to overcome adversity.

The events and losses in life can be hard to integrate and make sense of without the chance to process and grieve them with someone. I can help you process the feelings, see and work with maladaptive patterns, identify your strengths, develop relevant skills, and plan the way forward. Connecting with and developing your own inner clarity about things is part of the gift of doing this hard work. This is just as true for relationships which can get stuck in cycles of poor connection and communication when resentments or misunderstandings haven't been worked through. A neutral third party is helpful in slowing down the conversation, offering perspective, insights, and a process for repair along with other tools. I offer culturally responsive collaborative Therapy for Individuals and Couples. Let's get started with a plan to help you feel and do better today!

Have you found yourself locked in a pattern of relating that leads again and again to the same negative, frustrating or unsatisfying outcomes? I help couples or individuals identify and alter these patterns, often with insight into how they developed in the first place, leading to happier and more fulfilling relationships and lives. I am committed to helping you receive the services best suited for you, so I am happy to discuss your circumstances to determine if working together would be a good fit. My approach to therapy draws inspiration from multiple theories and perspectives, from psychodynamic and psychoanalytic ideas, to cognitive-behavioral techniques, brief therapy models and the framework of Eastern medicine. I strongly believe that who we are and how our problems and ailments manifest results from the interaction between our innate character and constitution, the important formative relationships in our lives, our physical and social environment, and the various demands with which we are asked to contend. Whether I am working with you in ongoing, long-term therapy to understand and alter unhealthy or disruptive lifelong patterns, or briefly consulting on a circumscribed issue, my approach always includes openness, compassion, and a dedication to developing an understanding of the issues at hand within the context of your particular constitution and circumstances.

I support people to connect with their innate capacities for satisfying relationships and fulfilling lives. Healing and growth occurs optimally in caring and inspiring relationships. I collaborate with each person, couple and family to establish such a relationship, first and foremost. From this secure relational base, symptoms, conflicts and issues can be gently explored with curiosity, compassion and a welcoming awareness. This dynamic inquiry process naturally invites emotional growth, creative solutions, genuine personal relating and life affirming actions.

I provide both psychotherapy and psychoanalysis. I work with a wide range of issues ranging from depression, sadness, anxiety, grief, work-related difficulties, parenting related issues, and intimacy related concerns to more severe issues such as schizophrenia, personality disorders and trauma related symptoms. I also work with couples and have extensive training in working with adolescents. I work best with people interested in making significant changes in their inner lives and circumstances. In my practice, I provide you with a place to speak freely, so that through this singular experience of speaking you can articulate your desire and live your life according to your passions. As a Psychoanalyst, I see people in Lacanian Psychoanalysis. If you are interested in exploring the option of analysis, we can meet for a few preliminary sessions in order to establish whether this is a good fit for what you are looking for. For more information on Lacanian Psychoanalysis, please see my website.

I’m trained in psychodynamic therapy, where one seeks the causes and origins of suffering and works through them, healing and letting them go. In session, I use empathy and gentle, kind curiosity to discover and understand the origins of maladaptive behaviors and suffering to create new, adaptive, and rewarding ways of living. This approach results in clients feeling more relaxed and present, and increases their ability to make decisions that are aligned with their values. My style is warm, active, and goal-oriented. When clients first start therapy, I establish a strong relationship and comfortable environment where they feel safe and understood. Many of my clients come in to address life struggles, transitions, relationships, trauma histories, anxiety, and depression. I have advanced training and experience in treating trauma and can help with a variety of issues. I’ve worked with patients struggling with day-to-day life, career issues, relationship issues, healing from childhood physical, sexual and emotional abuse, or neglect, battling inter-generational trauma, parenting without parents, and other issues. Please feel free to give me a call to see if this might be a good fit for you.

I am here to support your journey back to yourself. Life offers no shortage of stress & challenge. Discovering the ways to tap into your intrinsic healing capacity, reclaim forgotten parts of yourself, and step into an empowered, meaningful life is at the core of our work. Together we dive into the depths of self-awareness, acceptance, and aligned action. The process of unpacking oppressive ideologies adopted beliefs, and barriers to knowing your authentic self is strengthened by embodiment. Thus we'll work holistically to create an ecosystem of resources that transform wounds into wisdom and make space for your enlivened self. My therapeutic approach brings over a decade of work in somatics and integrative healing as a yoga and meditation facilitator and Ayurveda counselor. Beneath the mind and body, the invitation awaits to connect to the transpersonal. I believe for therapy to be effective, our work must be collaborative, integrated, and tailored to the individual. Ultimately, I am here to be your ally, your guide, and your support in the process of knowing and loving yourself. I believe our healing doesn't happen alone and when we have a safe container of compassion & reflection, we make space for all parts of ourselves to be heard, seen, and cared for.

I help my clients to open to and connect with their own inner wisdom and self-love. I try to help them to become aware of the holes in their wholeness, and work with them to heal parts they have disowned or forgotten about-- to find their way back to the true, unique, strong self. I hold my clients in an atmosphere of warmth, acceptance, and respect for all of who they are-- culturally, sexually, physically, spiritually, emotionally, intellectually. I have a good sense of humor, and I think it's just as important to laugh in therapy as it is to cry or feel any other emotion. I embrace all kinds of diversity and I see all kinds of people in my practice. I'm a woman of color and I've lived in various places in the world in my former life as an ESL teacher (and native east coaster), so I bring a wide, deep and varied perspective to my work. Nature, mindfulness, practicality, imagination, creativity, and story are elements that I incorporate into therapy, as well as aspects of the usual suspects, such as Gestalt, object relations, psychodynamics, cognitive-behavioral, and transpersonal psychology.

Are you beginning to think you have a problem with alcohol or other drugs? Are your friends and family members concerned? Have you experienced painful consequences due to drinking or drug use? You may be confused wondering which step to take next. Many people manage painful feelings by using drugs and alcohol; thinking about stopping can feel overwhelming. Others want to consider harm reduction before sobriety. Maybe you're in-recovery already and seeking a therapist knowledgeable about addictions. I'm a substance abuse specialist, as well as a licensed Marriage Family Therapist. I've worked with people struggling with alcohol and drug use and their friends and family members for over twenty-five years. It's painful to struggle with an addiction. It can cause isolation from loved ones, depression and anxiety. You need support to explore your thoughts and feelings in order to make informed decisions. I provide a safe, compassionate, non-judgemental space to help you explore what works best for you. I work interactively and collaboratively, I take into consideration the past as it effects the present. I tailor my work to your needs, together we'll explore your life at your pace. I believe each person has the capacity for growth and healing and I have respect and compassion for all the difficult places we find ourselves in.

I believe therapy is a space where I walk alongside you while you process your unique challenges, and explore and develop your unique strengths. My approach is collaborative, compassionate, and tailored to each person or couple I work with. I draw from psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), existential-humanistic, and solution-focused approaches, blending them to meet your unique needs. Whether we’re exploring past experiences that still shape your present, learning new ways to manage stress and negative thought patterns, or strengthening communication in your relationships, my goal is to help you feel more grounded, connected, and empowered. I see therapy as an opportunity to create lasting change by deepening understanding, practicing new skills, and building a life and relationships that feel more fulfilling. As a certified anxiety specialist, I bring additional tools and expertise to support you in reducing worry, calming your nervous system, and creating lasting relief.