My goal in healing work is to support the natural growth of children, couples and individual adults. I will work with your unique insights and tribulations as an individual or family, so that you can recover from whatever limits you from acting on your own inherent resources and vision. Chronic stress is considered the root of most physical and emotional illness. So imagine the power of learning to live nourished by life’s potential rather than worried and stressed by projections of fear. Imagine the difference between straightening your back and looking someone in the face with a smile rather than looking down into yourself. Somatic Psychotherapy helps you integrate these kinds of emerging insights into how you approach your life and relationships.

If you'd like your days to hold more joy and peacefulness, psychotherapy can help. In therapy you can explore options, gain new skills, and address specific areas of concern. • Do your unique abilities leave you feeling misunderstood, or as if you don’t fit in? • Is your relationship less satisfying than you’d like it to be? Do you struggle to find meaningful communication and intimacy in a relationship? • Have you experienced trauma (an acute incident or a chronic pattern) that leaves you feeling frightened, frozen, or numb at certain times? Or perhaps you just feel depressed or unhappy more than you’d like, and can’t figure out why? • Are you concerned about your child or family? Therapy can help with these situations, along with many others such as depression, anxiety, drug/alcohol/sex use; as well as prejudice and challenges that LGBT individuals may encounter. You deserve to have a happy and fulfilled life, and therapy may be a tool to help you in creating that. I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) working in Noe Valley, in San Francisco, CA. If you’d like help addressing the things that trouble you; or want to feel happier, calmer, and more excited about your life, please call or email me. In a free short consultation you can get a sense of what it might be like for us to work together. I hope to hear from you.

Congratulations on taking this first step to making a positive change in your life. Itʼs a reflection of the belief you have in yourself, your courage to change, and your willingness to empower yourself with the tools and support to finally live the life you want. I work with artists, activists, teenagers, immigrants, dieting survivors, couples of all kinds, bicultural identities, money matters, sexual outsiders, grief and loss, body size issues, PTSD, trauma, substance abuse, sex and love addiction, adult children, LGBTQIQ/gender identity, and eating disorders. Together, we will roll up our sleeves and explore whatever it is that is keeping you depressed, overwhelmed, anxious or stuck in behaviors, patterns and relationships that arenʼt serving you. I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt, that we all have the capacity to transform our lives; to find satisfying relationships, meaningful work, and make conscious contact with the incredible healing power inside of us all.

Starting or returning to therapy takes courage & getting there is sometimes part of the battle. It's challenging to be really honest with yourself, let alone with someone else. I'm sensitive to this. I'm also very interested in helping you to get some relief and find sustainable change. I want you to uncover a way to be in the world that is authentic, honest, conscious, and fulfilling. I work with Adults, Children, & Adolescents in my practice. I offer a free phone consultation to determine if we should meet in person. Sessions are 50 minutes long. I always encourage people that I work with to come in at least once per week to start. This arrangement seems to work best with the psychotherapy that I offer. We can discuss other options as time goes on and as we assess your needs.

I specialize in relationship focused counseling for individuals and couples. I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and certified in Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples. I currently practice in the Inner Sunset neighborhood of San Francisco. My practice is pretty evenly divided between individual and couples counseling. I love to help people workout how to love and feel securely bonded. I am constantly training and working on my skills and psychotherapeutic approach. I am not one to rest on my laurels. In particular, I love being a couples counselor. I often find it is the perfect space, not only to work on improving relationship, but also to explore one’s individual “stuff” in the process. I strive to show up with as much access to my own wounded parts as I do my healer parts when I sit with clients. That way you get to sit with a fellow traveler on the journey of life. If you want an old school blank slate therapist, tis not me you need to call. Relationship is what ultimately heals. So our first step together is to establish a relationship and alliance. Psychotherapy is truly a vocation for me and I am happy to share my passion and down to earth approach with you.

Thank you for visiting my site. I am a licensed therapist and wellness coach whose specialties include: obesity/weight management, bariatric surgery, self-esteem, disordered eating, emotional eating, self-esteem and body image, life transitions, depression, anxiety, stress management, decision making, communication skills, and anger management. WHO I WORK WITH I provide both therapy and life coaching services and am particularly passionate about working with the specific challenges faced by young adults living in the Bay Area. My specialty areas include life transitions, navigating your 20’s and beyond, self-esteem, body image, disordered eating, anxiety, dating and relationships, healthy communication, and entrepreneurial stress. In addition, I have extensive expertise working in the field of weight management and supporting clients who are considering, or who have already undergone, bariatric surgery. MY APPROACH First and foremost, I believe that it’s the relationship between the therapist and client that creates the foundation for change. My clients will tell you that I’m accepting, hopeful interactive, and often incorporate humor (as appropriate) in my work. I believe deeply in the power of positivity and personal connection and offer a highly personalized approach (blending psychotherapy and coaching techniques) tailored to fit each of my client’s unique needs, personality, and preferences. I also believe that you are the ultimate expert on your own life. It’s my job, however, to ask the right questions and act as your guide. I’ll help you identify your strengths and talents, develop self-awareness, and gain confidence where you need it. I’ll challenge you at times and provide feedback on the thoughts and behaviors that may be keeping you stuck. A BIT MORE ABOUT ME... My life has been a series of adventures (both exhilarating and heartbreaking) and I’m a prime example that you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover. It took me a long time, and a lot of mistakes, to feel like I was finally getting life right. This is why am so passionate in guiding others through their toughest times and helping them live a meaningful life with intention and direction. I find happiness in nature and in the color green. I value friendship and a good belly laugh above all things and will never turn down an opportunity to listen to live music or sit in the sunshine. I fill my free hours with family time, road trips, being creative, and learning how to be a better ME. I’m left handed and was voted Most Shy in junior high school (yeah, I’ve come a long way).

I am a psychotherapist and clinical hypnotherapist in San Francisco, CA. I help people emerge from depression, heal from traumatic experiences, improve relationship patterns, decrease anxiety and become more relaxed and confident in their lives and relationships. I also provide couples counseling to help couples talk about the tough subjects they need to address. I help them improve the way they communicate, resolve or accept differences, deepen their mutual understanding and intimacy. I work from a holistic perspective that integrates body, emotions, mind, and spirit, and I’m flexible and open in how I approach each person.

I have diverse and rich experience including school-based and community mental health, in-patient psychiatric care, medical social work, residential treatment, as well as supervision in these areas. Moreover, I incorporate movement arts from my years as a hoop dance instructor and my current education in Movement-Based Expressive Arts at the Tamalpa Institute. I offer treatment and support for: Depression/Anxiety Behavioral/Social Issues Loss/Grief Family Transitions Step-parenting/Co-Parenting Body Image/Eating Disorders Living with a chronic medical or psychiatric condition I use a variety of modalities, including: Solution-Focused Play/Sand-tray Cognitive-Behavioral Expressive Arts/Movement Family Systems Group Therapy I provide my clients a holistic approach from a Trauma-Sensitive, Strength-Based and Environmental lens, and work in conjunction with the family, school, and community. I believe as humans, no matter our age, we hold the innate capacity for change through support, creativity and our internal and external resources.

We are committed to the healing of distressed and broken relationships because we believe family, relationships, and marriage really do matter. It is our hope that as we help people improve their relationships their lives will be filled with greater happiness and joy. We want to make the world a better place one relationship at a time. At Windows of Opportunity Counseling Services we provide individual, couple, and family therapy and counseling. We believe therapy is about healing, change, and personal and relationship growth. We think that no matter what you have been through or are going through that life can get and be better for you. When you choose to start psychotherapy you are making an investment in your life. Interpersonal and personal distress can manifest in many ways: stress, depression, anxiety, loneliness, compulsive or addictive behaviors (drug, alcohol, or sexual in nature), out of control eating, work problems, relationship conflict, and family discord. These are the types of things you can work toward resolving in therapy.

Feelings of depression, loss, chaos or anxiety can be overwhelming and can interfere with everyday life. If you have developed destructive coping skills to manage painful events or depression/anxiety it is possible to learn new ways new ways of coping and process feelings. If you or your child or adolescent has developed disordered eating patterns, a significant loss such as death of a parent, divorce or separation, or any major life change it can be important to process and express feelings of loss or distress that you may or may not have felt before. I have a special interest in working with adults, children, families and couples that are experiencing big life changes or transitions that are difficult. I also encourage family involvement with eating disordered clients. I am a Registered Art Therapist and have experience in expressive and process based therapy, Sandtray, and Play Therapy. I can also help children during a divorce and help with co-parenting.

7/25/2012 I came to see Debora when I was feeling over whelmed by the tasks of motherhood and as my role as wife, I needed some guidance with parenting. In one session I felt immediately better because Debora taught me ways handle my daily stress and how to work with my kids so that they would respond to me in a positive manner. We also saw Debora as a couple and my husband also felt the positive effects of one session with Debora, everyday we use tips Debora taught us to be a better husband and wife and also parents. I could not be happier with the results thus far. -Lafayette Mom 7/23/2012 Debora brought my family back into the warm sunshine after months of living in a cold and disconnected home. After feeling desperate watching my relationship with my young son spiral into a dark whole, she gave both us tools to help focus our daily interactions with each other so that we could once again grow together and learn to navigate our ever changing world of mother and son. My son enjoyed his time talking and playing with Debora and she always gave me a chance to review the previous week and hone my new skills during our weekly check-ins. For us, she is our safety net for the future should the need arise again. - mother of a seven year old son 7/18/2012 Debora's play-therapy practice is interactive, fun, and well loved by the children who receive services. We are more than pleased with her program, and are so happy to be working with her. Play-therapy, as opposed to talk therapy, uses play and active processes to help children express feelings and learn new behaviors. It's like they are going to play with a friend who helps, rather than going to a "therapist". We (as parents of a child ) couldn't be more pleased. R. Pleasant Hill, CA 3/27/2012 Upon adopting our son from foster care suffering from a lot of trauma, I started researching for a therapist with a lot of experience dealing with high-risk children and found Debora. Debora has been my family's therapist for two years now. Debora has been a lifesaver to me. I could not have made it through all the trials which come from adopting a child from foster care had it not been for Debora and her expertise. Debora is very professional and goes above and beyond what is expected. Debora is always there when needed providing her help and guidance. I cannot thank Debora enough. S. (Alamo, CA)

Are you tired of relationship pain? Whether you're upset about problems in your relationship, unhappy about a breakup or divorce, or feeling lonely, I can help you re-claim the happiness you deserve and make lasting positive changes in your life. I work with singles, couples, and individuals in relationships, and truly believe that a healthy relationship is within your reach. I'm a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with extensive experience in relationship counseling. I'm happily married, and am committed to helping people have more satisfying relationships. If you're like most people, painful relationship issues affect your entire outlook on life. And, perhaps you feel like you've been spinning your wheels trying to resolve your relationship problems on your own. If you're tired of relationship pain, call me for a FREE consultation so we can discuss your current challenges and how I can help.

The mission of Therapy2Thrive™ is to provide clients with a therapeutic relationship that provides thoughtful, caring foundation that builds trust and safety for our clients. Therapy2Thrive™ works with our clients with practical research based counseling skills and interventions to assist people in making choices to lead to more joy and less distress in their lives. We offer: 1) Research and evidence based theory and interventions. 2) Practical solutions that support positive change. 3) Guidance that supports helping people to help themselves. 4) Relatable therapists who provide services of quality, value and worth. Life brings challenges and how we care for ourselves is important. Our goal and Therapy2Thrive™ is to move you toward self value and self care. Imagine yourself standing on a beach, as the waves crash upon you. Each wave nearly knocks you over. You feel breathless as the waves continue to roll in. You tire, you feel worn, your zest for each day dampens and what once was a joyful view of the sea has now turned into a stressful experience. Holding yourself, day by day in order to make it through the daily grind your passion diminishes and you feel worn. At Therapy2Thrive™ we work with you to implement the tools and strategies that allow you to stabilize your feet in the sandy beach. We work with you to strengthen you stance and the muscles inside of yourself to sustain the waves that crash upon us as the tides of life pass in and out. We work with out clients to feel re-refreshed, so they can feel breeze and not be blown over by the wind that comes off the waters of life. We work with you to not just sustain but to thrive again to find the joy of playing on the beach in your life. Embrace the fun and laughter again and let go of the burnout and apathy of stress and despair. We work with your courage of all you have survived and move you with hope to thrive again. We offer services that include individual counseling, couples counseling, family counseling and group counseling. We provide services for adults, youth and seniors. Individual counseling is one of the most common ways people participate in the counseling process at Therapy2Thrive™ Pleasanton. The individual counseling relationship between client and therapist becomes a vehicle for positive change as you gain awareness regarding the issues that are brought into therapy. Couples counseling is different from Individual Counseling because the focus of the counseling relationship is the relationship between the two partners rather than the therapist with each individual. We work with evidenced based therapies for couples counseling. Child play therapy is an important area of treatment at Therapy2Thrive. Developmentally, children often communicate their fears and worries in largely a non-verbal way. Your Therapy2Thrive™ therapist interacts with your child’s inner world through the strategic use of imaginary play, art, games and, other symbolic activities. This process of “Play Therapy” helps children cope with difficult emotions, create solutions to their problems, and develop healthy self-esteem. Therapy2Thrive™ child counselor understands the important role parents have in their child’s life. Therapy2Thrive™ works with teens to support their development of themselves while still maintaining their relationship to their families. The Therapy2Thrive™ family therapist supports the family’s overall health and well-being through skill development and shared growth. Group counseling provides a setting where a group of people come together, usually on a weekly basis, to explore, learn and grow through the collaborative sharing of the group’s members. Come join us at Therapy2Thrive™ to Thrive Again!

Since I enjoy working with many different ages, I provide psychotherapy and counseling to a wide range of clients; from preschoolers to retirees. What we have long suspected, and what science is now confirming, is that the relationship that develops in the therapy room is the most significant factor in the success of therapy. I understand how difficult starting the therapy process can be and do my best to make my clients feel comfortable and safe from the very beginning. I view the first few sessions as an assessment period for both of us since it is important that we both feel it is a good fit. I generally see my clients for 50 minute sessions, once a week. Occasionally, when it feels appropriate we'll meet a couple times in the week. The children's sessions are for 45 minutes. Please see my article on Children and Therapy for a more comprehensive description of my work with children.

Are you feeling stressed? Do you wake up moody? Is your anger affecting your loved ones? Has your addiction isolated you? Is your relationship suffering? I offer empathic therapeutic services to individuals, couples and families. My areas of clinical focus include: Relationship issues Depression & anxiety Anger Addictions Improve your quality of life. You can feel better.

Work load, sharing custody, co-parenting, anxiety, depression, loss, sickness and children acting out, are all difficult situations to deal with. While you struggle with these issues you are suffering and your family is suffering, Let me help you strengthen your family unit and increase your ability to deal with life's stresses. My approach to counseling is integrative and personal. During the assessment process I seek to utilize the "best fit" of techniques, tools and theory for each client. My theories of choice are developmental, cognitive behavioral, expressive art, play therapy, and solution focused therapy. I incorporate Applied Behavior Analysis principles throughout my work with families. I believe that it is important for families and children to be given the tools that they need to grow. This is best accomplished through an eclectic, personalized approach to therapy. Each person is unique and special, just as every family is. I seek to bring out and strengthen those unique qualities in families and children by utilizing strength based therapy.

Of course you are affected by your loved one's behaviors. How could you not be? It makes perfect sense that you would want to support and give to the dear ones in your life. But sometimes focusing on other people can become a problem. Especially if prioritizing others and trying to anticipate their needs before they've even voiced them has been the main source of one's validation, praise, even identity. This pattern can stand in the way of your success if it leaves no energy for your personal development. People can find themselves feeling lost and lonely in their own lives. Feeling purposeless, unmotivated, drifting, can be signs that something is wrong. Because in study after study, human beings have shown themselves to be overwhelmingly drawn to work they are passionate about, motivated to be part of making a difference, endlessly creative when given the right circumstances, wanting to make connections Often people don't talk about the way they are feeling because they're afraid of the stigma of DEPRESSION, what if that's what they're feeling? Perhaps, but most of the time there are simple Life Skills missing in these instances and with a few simple evidence-based tools in hand there can be major change. A person can see themselves having more success in communication in general, but specifically in negotiating what they need at their jobs to make it worthwhile for them to be there. They can see themselves suddenly not paralyzed when major things don't go as planned because they know how to talk themselves through it, who to reach out to for help, and how to take care of themselves until they feel better enough to make decisions from a healthier emotional/mental state. They are able to put into play a few regular practices that support self connection and develop emotional intelligence allowing them to think on their feet, experience and identify emotion in the moment and not have to act on it, see and articulate choice and so many other emotional intelligence capacities. If you are experiencing difficulty in personal relationships, finding it hard to function at work or in the rest of your life, experiencing either a confused, dissociated state or an extreme loss of motivation, struggles with self-esteem, a chronic self criticism, not acknowledging your successes or thinking you have none? You can stop feeling badly that you struggle with these things. They are often part of a set of behavioral symptoms that has points to a lack of Life Skills, one of those repurposed words, which means several things: *you aren't alone *you are ok *you can feel better because there is help, support, and these skills can be learned There's no reason to struggle alone with this any longer. I offer free consultations so you can call and schedule one today. 415-378-7506

Of course you are affected by your loved one's behaviors. How could you not be? It makes perfect sense that you would want to support and give to the dear ones in your life. But sometimes focusing on other people can become a problem. Especially if prioritizing others and trying to anticipate their needs before they've even voiced them has been the main source of one's validation, praise, even identity. This pattern can stand in the way of your success if it leaves no energy for your personal development. People can find themselves feeling lost and lonely in their own lives. Feeling purposeless, unmotivated, drifting, can be signs that something is wrong. Because in study after study, human beings have shown themselves to be overwhelmingly drawn to work they are passionate about, motivated to be part of making a difference, endlessly creative when given the right circumstances, wanting to make connections Often people don't talk about the way they are feeling because they're afraid of the stigma of DEPRESSION, what if that's what they're feeling? Perhaps, but most of the time there are simple Life Skills missing in these instances and with a few simple evidence-based tools in hand there can be major change. A person can see themselves having more success in communication in general, but specifically in negotiating what they need at their jobs to make it worthwhile for them to be there. They can see themselves suddenly not paralyzed when major things don't go as planned because they know how to talk themselves through it, who to reach out to for help, and how to take care of themselves until they feel better enough to make decisions from a healthier emotional/mental state. They are able to put into play a few regular practices that support self connection and develop emotional intelligence allowing them to think on their feet, experience and identify emotion in the moment and not have to act on it, see and articulate choice and so many other emotional intelligence capacities. If you are experiencing difficulty in personal relationships, finding it hard to function at work or in the rest of your life, experiencing either a confused, dissociated state or an extreme loss of motivation, struggles with self-esteem, a chronic self criticism, not acknowledging your successes or thinking you have none? You can stop feeling badly that you struggle with these things. They are often part of a set of behavioral symptoms that has points to a lack of Life Skills, one of those repurposed words, which means several things: *you aren't alone *you are ok *you can feel better because there is help, support, and these skills can be learned There's no reason to struggle alone with this any longer. I offer free consultations so you can call and schedule one today. 415-378-7506

For over 25 years, I have specialized in addiction treatment, including alcohol, drugs, and eating disorders. When the substance is dealt with, self esteem increases and relationships can be repaired. I also work with couples who see no other option than to end or divorce. Through guiding each individual to understand what they are doing to continue to the breakdown of the relationship and to then repair the unhealthy dynamics, the relationship will have a chance to recover and flourish. I teach assertiveness and anger management, thereby increasing self confidence and good communication skills. Anxiety and depression are replaced by the ability to have a healthy and strong sense of self worth. I have developed a model for treating eating disorders that comes from what we know to be successful in treating other substance abuse problems. I also make HOUSE CALLS around the Bay Area providing counseling in the privacy of your own home. The counseling is practical and solution focused. I work with you to solve problems by providing a true understanding of the issues so that a plan can be made and a course of action developed. People like to know what the real problem is and how to make it better. I tell my clients that they will know fairly quickly into the therapy process that their lives will improve. The process will not be vague or open-ended. You will gain insight into what is really troubling and you will learn new skills and tools to feel better and become more clear and confident about what you need to do to resolve what is bothering you. As an EAGALA Certified Equine Mental Health Psychotherapist, I use my unique and friendly horses and other farm animals to assist with gaining self knowledge, psychological insight, and healing.