Trauma and Relationships The concept of trauma was once limited to traumatic effects that could be directly associated with a stressor or series of stressors. For example, people who had been in an accident or had undergone the trauma of war might suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. But our increased understanding of trauma has brought with it the insight that...
Offerings, Recommendations, Inspirations Where is your office located? Hayes Valley (SF), and Rockridge (Oakland) What is your therapeutic orientation? I am an integrative therapist and will tailor a specific approach for each individual client, utilizing Mindfulness, CBT, Gestalt, Somatic, Hakomi,...
Let’s be real -insurance is confusing, and trying to figure out if your therapy sessions will be covered while you’re in a time of need can be overwhelming! We’ve created this short guide to demystify what each option means for mental health coverage in a clear and digestible way. Whether you have No Benefits, HSA / FSA, PPO / POS,...
Childhood is a time when we are learning about the world and coming to understand our role in it. It’s difficult enough to do this even under the best of circumstances. If alcoholism is part of the family dynamic, the chaos and unreliability that typically follow impact our ability to do so successfully. As I’ve mentioned in other posts, such...
Do you worry that you grew up with a narcissistic parent? Do you consistently feel minimized or devalued when you are with a parent? Do you have a deep worry that you’ll never be good enough in their eyes? This article talks about the effects of narcissism and what it means to be narcissistic. It also talks about how change...
Attachment Theory Are you familiar with attachment theory? With books such as Attached coming out, this theory is being spoken about in popular culture more and more. Since the late 1960s, attachment theory has come to be the bedrock idea of how we view child-rearing in the United States. We are coming to appreciate that the environment in which we...
The “Strange Situation” and Types of Attachment Our understanding of the types of attachment comes in large part from a series of experiments known as the “Strange Situation.” In the Strange Situation, researchers observed an infant in the presence of a caregiver and a stranger in an environment unfamiliar to the infant. The caregiver and the stranger came and went...
We hear more and more about mindfulness as a way of staying present and regulating emotion. But finding an inviting way to connect to your own body can be a great tool to add to your toolbox. Staying connected to our bodies can help us maintain calm, move away from distracting thoughts, and feel good. Self-massage can be a great...
Expressing gratitude has been shown to improve our overall mood and mental health. We are creatures oriented toward survival, which sometimes mean that we orient towards things to be wary of. Practicing gratitude can help you to feel more present and joyful. Sometimes it is easy to be grateful and sometimes it is more difficult. This practice involves using the...
