Find a Therapist in Novato, California.

Feeling stuck in a cycle that is causing you pain or a lack of fulfillment leaves you open to increased stress, followed by more pain and lack of fulfillment. This puts a strain on your relationships and your sense of well-being. Maybe you feel stuck in addiction, depression, anxiety, a relationship you want to change, a job that doesn't satisfy you anymore. Maybe you have specific ways of interacting with people that you find doesn't serve you anymore- yelling, arguing, passivity, keeping your guard up. We explore your patterns, your symptoms and the reasons they were useful to you. I will teach you knew ways of managing your emotions and ways to diminish patterns that no longer serve you.

My psychotherapy is a relational, bodily and experiential process that aims to bring more life and renewed energy to places that have been broken, wounded or suppressed. Together, we form a close , collaborative bond in which we co-create pathways toward healing and growth. I use the whole body as a tool for awareness and resourcing- and help you learn how to access the inner wisdom of your body. In addition to sitting, talking and listening, I offer other possibilities for processing in sessions- standing, moving, awareness of gestures, posture and inviting forms of expression and dramatization so that we can directly experience ourselves in new ways.

Therapy is not a one size fits all experience. Though I extensively trained to understand specific theories of practice, I utilize a "prescriptive" approach. This means I will adapt to your needs in treatment. Therapy is co-created, it is relational, and it is in the therapeutic relationship where we seek personal growth to apply outside the therapy room. I work with adult individual clients who are grieving a significant loss, LGBTIQ+ adults, adults with creative blocks, neurodivergent adults, people pleasers, those recovering from trauma, and adults burnt out about their work.

My clients often find me easy to talk to and say they feel comfortable with me, trusting quickly. This can make the psychotherapeutic process easier and more effective for my clients, especially if they are nervous or don’t know what to expect. Therapy with me can range from just talking casually with each other, leading to insights, increased self awareness, and processing through emotional issues, or it could be more intensive deeper therapy like EMDR.

My approach to psychotherapy is mostly relational. I take a family systems approach that addresses relationships in my clients' lives and improves their functioning for better health and happiness. Clients under my care learn how to unilaterally improve the functioning of a relationship through boundaries and self-confrontation. The result is individuals and relationships that thrive.

Healthy relationships make healthy people. Unfortunately, about 50% of our society, while their parents may have loved them dearly, didn't get enough attachment and connection. When this happens, the normal / natural response is depression, anger, excess perfectionism, feeling uncomfortable in your skin, etc. While I may use several modalities, I am always being present and attuning to you in a way that gives you permission to be who you are. My experience is this creates a re-wiring of the "attachment / connecting" neuropathways in your brain. My clients, usually between 6 months and 2 years experience significant emotional shifts that allow them to feel comfortable in their own skin.

Are You Experiencing Any of These? People often come to therapy to move forward in their lives, even if they have no significant symptoms. For many others, therapy is sought because they are experiencing: • Depression • Stress or anxiety • Unresolved conflicts with a spouse, children, bosses, and co-workers. • Grief and loss that has gone on too long. • Difficulty balancing all the responsibilities of their life. • Difficulty adjusting to changes in health, job situation or in the family. •Problems related to trauma in the distant or recent past. • Issues related to drinking or use of other substances. • Parenting difficulties with children.

Are you interested in getting relief and finding solutions? Would you like to feel good about your life and relationships? I use empirical research and science across multiple disciplines to show clients just like you how you can get real-world, tangible, time-tested, and long-lasting, results that lead to optimal mental and relational health. Mental and relational health is not just a reduction in symptoms and problems. Instead, they are increases in self-control and empowerment, as well as acceptance, freedom, kindness, compassion, safety, and understanding - for yourself and others.

Psychotherapy is not anything to be scared of, or intimidated about. Seeking out a therapist or being in therapy isn't an admission of weakness or some kind of character flaw. Therapy is a collaborative process and a partnership with someone who is trained in and experienced with facilitating personal growth. And in this process, you are in the driver's seat. Our minds and emotions and relationships involve complicated machinery just like our bodies do and in the same way a medical doctor helps you stay physically healthy, Psychotherapy is designed to help you be and stay mentally and socially strong, and continually in a position to take on life's many challenges as your best self.

Early wounding in life is the key cause of the issues and problems we have in our present lives. I believe in exploring and experienceing our early painful and angry feelings to associate them with how we deal with our relationships, our jobs and/or the community. I believe that the strong feelings of anger and love we have or had for our parents are reflected in our current relationships. I also believe that the modeling of behavior in our early lives will be reflected in how we act today. If this has a negative bent to it, it can be readily repaired through the empathetic and reflective counseling that I provide..

I help men and teens who are struggling with emotional pain, transform their lives. More than a decade's worth of focus on men's issues has taught me that men can experience and express emotion differently than women. In addition to my role as a psychotherapist, I am also Research Director at the San Francisco Psychotherapy Research Group, where I study the processes that lead to effective psychotherapy. My combined clinical and research background means that I am very aware of the most current and effective methods in psychotherapy, allowing me to utilize a warm, compassionate, and scientifically-informed approach to help my clients achieve the maximum benefits possible.

Many of my clients would like to move more deeply into self discovery after working successfully with practical issues that have brought them into therapy. My approach to inner work is influenced most by C. G. Jung and a contemporary of Jung, Fritz Kunkel, who established the We Psychology. Two of my most important mentors worked directly with Jung and previously with Kunkel. I facilitate a stronger connection to each person's own "Creative Center" and a clear perspective on the influence of egocentricity in our lives through dream work, journal writing, artistic and vocational expression and reflection on meaningful events and relationships.

I'm a seasoned licensed individual therapist with a focus on how relationships shape our personalities and overall mental health. I use a comprehensive blend of therapeutic approaches including Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Internal Family Systems, and Object-Relations Psychotherapy. Tailoring to the unique needs of individuals seeking personal growth, I empower clients to explore underlying patterns and emotional complexities. With an empathetic and goal-oriented perspective, clients find a path towards self-awareness, emotional balance, and confidence. My deep commitment to individual well-being positions me as an ideal guide for those seeking to transform and enhance their lives in therapy.