I am a somatic psychotherapist counseling East Bay clients in Berkeley and  Oakland. I work with individuals, couples, families, and groups.

Somatic Psychotherapy and Mindfulness

Somatic comes from the Greek word “soma”, meaning body.  Somatic psychotherapy is “talk therapy”, but with a difference. It values bodily experience as much as thoughts and feelings.  Working somatically with a mindful approach helps to bring about change by raising awareness in the present moment.  Change happens in the here and now.   There is something about really being present that fosters transformation.

Holistic  Psychotherapy

The goal of therapy is to help us live more fully. Many people come to therapy because there is something in their life that they want to transform, but they have been unable to do so on their own. Working with the right therapist can change your life.

My approach is holistic and non-pathologizing.  In other words, I see the problems that bring people  into therapy as  stages of growth rather than a permanent condition.  I believe that the natural tendency of the human psyche is to be whole and healthy, and that the task of the therapist is to help you to discover what gets in the way, and how that happens.  When obstacles are removed, healing occurs.

In this style of therapy, the client is an active participant.  The therapist guides the healing process,  and  the client is the expert on his or her own experience.  Together we look at what is bothering you, and we also look for ways that you can flourish.  This balanced approach places equal value on what is working in your life as well as what’s not working. While your problems may be what brings you into therapy, it is your resources that help you to grow into the next stage.