Becoming your fullest, deepest and truest self is the goal of psychotherapy. If you are like many of the people I work with, your unique “spark” got diminished somewhere along the way, often during childhood. In therapy, you have the opportunity to grow and relax into your real self.

I specialize in tuning into the ways in which this special “spark” is still alive in you. This can show up in many ways: in your sexuality or love life, in your creativity, sense of humor, in your dreams, your work or your social or political activism. In therapy, we work together to re-ignite this spark and have it spread to the rest of your life, in a way that is real, transformative and healing. You will find yourself gradually feeling more energized, hopeful, playful and inspired, and as a result being more present and available for your relationships with others and with your self.

Start building new reserves of trust in yourself and others:

The first goal of our work together will be to establish a sense of safety and trust in your intuition. Through gentle and paced steps, we will explore & establish ways of being together in which you can feel safe and whole. It is my experience that only when our full emotional, intellectual, physical, spiritual and sexual selves are present, that real healing can begin.

I have a warm, grounded, playful and thoughtful style and bring much passion, care and curiosity into each session. I work with adults of all ages in a way that is deeply respectful of their own innate capacity for healing and growth.

Together, we seek ways to use our relationship as a safe space in which deep human connection, intimacy and understanding can be fully experienced. My training has taught me to listen between the lines, and together to hear and understand what has previously been unspeakable or inaccessible inside. Our work will focus on understanding both the parts of you that are conscious and within your awareness, as well as look for deeper, hidden meanings and aspects of yourself that you may have lost touch with.

Get compassionate help for your specific needs:

There are many reasons why people lose touch with their unique “spark”. Some of those have to do with current stressors or problems, while others have to do with their early experiences as children in their families. Frequently, I help people who are:

-Reclaiming the self following sexual abuse. Rape, incest, sexual abuse all happen in the context of relationships. It is therefore crucial that the healing process from them also occurs in the context of a meaningful therapeutic relationship. However, truly trusting another human being after your sexual boundaries have been crossed, is extremely challenging for most survivors. To read more, click here.

-Growing into an adult lesbian, gay, or transgender self. If you, like many others, feel that you have been coming out over and over and over again, know that you are not alone. Coming out is a lifelong process, contrary to what many of us believe. You may find yourself coming out to and educating employers, friends, family and even intimate partners. At best, these can be opportunities for empowerment and self-growth, at worst, those are times when old wounds get re-opened. To read more, click here.

-Women have special and particular struggles around being fully themselves. Many women feel like they can’t relax in their own skin, that they are walking around and living a life that is a “good life” by many standards, yet does not feel completeley their own. To read more, click here.

-Grief and loss are unique and vast territories in the human psyche, often treated in mainstream culture as uncharted or unknown, despite the simple fact that we all have, or will have, experienced meaningful losses. Grief is a normal human response to significant loss, encompassing a myriad of emotional, cognitive, physical and spiritual responses. To read more, click here.

-Parenting presents such an overwhelming and unpredictable set of psychological challenges, that many have called it “the most difficult job in the world”. Many parents I have worked with feel incredible shame around their difficulties, believing that their experiences are abnormal, even unnatural. To read more, click here.

I am Israeli-American and my services are available in English and in Hebrew. I have a very diverse practice, and tend to see indviduals, couples and children of a wide variety of class, race and ethnic backgrounds. I welcome and celebrate the cultural diversity of my Oakland/ east bay community.

Fit therapy into your budget:

I offer affordable fees on a sliding scale so as to make my services accessible to the diverse east bay community. Call me at 510-658-3783 to set a fee that is right for you.

When you first call, I will listen carefully to hear and understand your viewpoint on what is troubling you. You can also ask me any qusetions that are important to you about myself or my practice. When you feel ready, we can schedule an appointment to sit down and start thinking together about what is going on in your life, and how you need and want for things to change. We will talk together for an hour, and then decide if we want to keep working together on a regular, weekly basis.