INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOTHERAPY
I work with adults and adolescents who have a wide range of emotional and interpersonal difficulties. My approach to psychotherapy is to create a safe environment through supportive listening and empathy that will enable my clients to talk about patterns in their lives that are causing them distress. I help my clients understand how their problems developed and what will be required to work through their difficulties. One important aspect of psychotherapy involves accessing the unconscious mind through the exploration of one's thoughts, emotions, relationships, and behaviors, and through the interpretation of dreams. This opens the door to resolving difficulties that my clients are having, and to developing healthier relationships and new sources of self-worth and life satisfaction.
I work with individuals in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy with the following treatment goals:
Overcoming Depression & Anxiety
Enhancing Self-Esteem
Improving Intimate Relationships
Resolving Work & School Difficulties
Reducing Stress & Health Problems
Controlling Destructive Habits with Hypnosis
Coping with Loss & Life Transitions
Addressing Type "A" Personality Issues
Controlling Attention Deficit Disorder
Resolving Issues From Childhood
RELATIONSHIP & MARITAL THERAPY
I work with couples with a wide range of problems on improving the quality of their relationships.
I create a safe environment where couples can explore frustrating patterns in their relationships, work through their specific conflicts, and deepen trust.
I use practical exercises and techniques to helps couples improve relationship skills and decrease patterns of relating that cause frustration and emotional upset.
I teach couples how to express feelings constructively and how to listen compassionately in order to increase mutual understanding.
I help couples create a healthy balance between togetherness and independence and work out many types of conflicts such as: sexual difficulties, power imbalances, monetary struggles and family conflicts.
I do intensive work with couples by looking at each partner's intimacy issues as seen in their prior romantic relationships and their childhood experiences. This enables each partner to come to a greater understanding of him or herself and to participate in the relationship with enhanced romance, and greater enjoyment and intimacy.
I provide the following services for couples:
Relationship & Marital Therapy
Pre-Marital Counseling
Separation & Divorce Counseling
I work in Couples Therapy with the following treatment goals:
Improving Communication & Assertiveness
Learning Conflict Resolution Skills
Deepening Trust
Decreasing Power Imbalances
Enhancing Emotional & Sexual Intimacy
Resolving Individual Barriers to Intimacy
Licenses/Certifications
 Clinical Psychologist
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Doctoral Degree (Ph.D.)
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Licensed Clinical Psychologist (State)
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Licensed Psychologist
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Member, American Psychological Association (APA)
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License Info
PSY13509
Education
Licensed Psychologist: (1993) State of California, License #PSY13509
Languages: Fluent in Spanish
B.A. (1984) University of California, Santa Cruz - Psychology, Graduated with Highest Honors - Magna Cum
Laude
M.A. (1987) University of Colorado, Boulder - Clinical Psychology
Ph.D. (1991) University of Colorado, Boulder - Clinical Psychology
Certificate (1996) Calif. School of Professional Psychology, Alameda - Health Psychology
Bio
Clinical Psychologist (1993 to present) Private Practice, Oakland.
Instructor (1995-present), U.C. Berkeley Extension, Berkeley
Adjunct Faculty (2006-present), Wright Institute, Berkeley
I am a licensed Psychologist, Couples Therapist, Hypnotherapist, and Certified Health Psychologist. I have been practicing psychotherapy for over 20 years. I have a Doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Colorado, Boulder, one of the top Clinical Psychology programs in the U.S. I completed a Doctoral Internship at the University of Washington Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry. I am currently in private practice in the Rockridge district of Oakland, California. I have a general Psychotherapy practice for adults and adolescents, and my approach to therapy is Psychodynamic. One of my primary areas of specialization is in Relationship and Marital Therapy. In addition, I have a Certificate in Health Psychology, and I specialize in treating individuals with a variety of health conditions and chronic illnesses. I have been trained in Hypnosis, and I use this technique to treat a variety of Psychological symptoms and to help reduce distressing habits. Lastly, I have taught Psychology courses on a number of subjects, most recently through U.C. Berkeley Extension.
Memberships
American Psychological Association.
California Psychological Association.
Alameda County Psychological Association.
Psychotherapy Institute, Berkeley, California.
Northern California Society for Psychoanalytic Psychology.
Health Medicine Forum.
California Association for Marriage & Family Therapy
Other Languages
Spanish
Recommendations
Payments Accepted
Cash, check, insurance
Hours
Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m-6:00 p.m.
Practice Areas/Issues Treated
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Therapy
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Anger Management
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Anxiety and Panic
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Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
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Bicultural Difficulties
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Body Image Issues
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Caregiver Issues
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Chronic Illness
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Couples
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Depression
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Divorce
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Eating Disorders
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Gender Identity / Transgenderism
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Gifted / Talented Issues
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Grief and Loss
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Hypnotherapy
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Life Transitions
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Loneliness
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Marriage & Family Therapy
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Marriage Counseling
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Men's Issues
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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
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Online / Teletherapy
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Pre and Postpartum Mental Health
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Relationship Issues
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Self-Esteem Issues
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Seniors and Elder Care Issues
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Sexual Dysfunction
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Stress Management
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Trauma and PTSD
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Women's Issues
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Work and Career Issues
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