Career Counseling Therapists in Oakland, CA

Everything you need to become the best version of you is already within you. As humans, we get stuck in patterns, narratives, and behaviors that once proved useful only to find that they've now become sources of pain and obstacles to living happy authentic lives. Lucky for us, humans are intrinsic healers, and with the right environment, our individual and collective healing knows no bounds.

I'm here to support teenage youth, parents/families, and adults in meeting their emotional, psychological and practical challenges. If you're a teen struggling with school problems, family difficulties or hoping to improve your mood, confidence and relationships, I can assist you in breaking down obstacles and achieving your goals. If you're a parent trying to manage and communicate with your "coming of age" depressed or rebellious adolescent, I provide counsel and safe opportunities to explore the conflicts and confusion that block resolutions.

We all have work to do. We don't have to do it alone. In a safe, non-judgmental environment, I explore with my clients their dreams, artwork, relationships, and daily life experiences, to bring light and insight to blockages and barriers to their full experience and enjoyment of life. Such blockages can be past trauma, incorrect embedded beliefs, injured parts, and/or ingrained thought patterns and habits. Once these things are processed and/or healed, new ways forward can be nurtured.

I work primarily with adults who are wanting to manage symptoms associated with depression, anxiety, and trauma. I will be with you on your path to discovery, recovery, and finding the person you would like to become. I approach therapy with a client-centered approach in order to create a safe, comfortable space for you to share and express yourself, and your vulnerabilities. We will explore healthy ways to process your trauma, regulate difficult emotions, and restore broken relationships. I believe the trust built between Client and Therapist is powerful, and necessary in order to help you through your healing journey.

Do you find yourself shut down or suppress your feelings? Do you struggle in relationships due to your trauma? Are you unsure of where you belong? I work with people of all identities to process unresolved feelings due to trauma. I strive to provide you a safe and non-judgmental space, in order for you to develop coping mechanisms for trauma symptoms (anxiety, depression, addiction, etc.) and to explore aspects of yourself. I can help you LET GO of past HURTS and develop tools to find RELIEF.

You may feel lost, but you are not alone. We all experience suffering as a part of the human condition, yet sometimes our symptoms of stress, despair, worry, or self-criticism stand in the way of living the life that we want. If you find yourself troubled by a particular life problem or psychological condition, or generally lacking a sense of vitality and purpose, working with a clinician can help you reconnect with yourself and your strengths. Therapy often helps us to make useful connections between our actions, our thinking, our emotional reality, and patterns in relationships that we have developed over years.

My approach to counseling begins with careful listening to understand your unique situation and personal goals. I will listen without judging you or rushing to a quick fix that might not be applicable for your specific situation. Many of my clients enter counseling feeling alone or overwhelmed by feelings of sadness, anxiety, anger, or stress. They may feel stuck in painful relationships that aren't working, or stuck with intense feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, dread, or inner pain. My treatment approach is gentle, educational, and experiential.

What's happening in your life today? How can I help you feel better about yourself and your future? Sometimes painful life experiences get in the way of taking charge of our lives. For some, depression, anxiety or trauma can make you feel stuck. Others want to figure out why their interpersonal relationships are conflicted and stressful or that they still haven't met the person they want to be with. Therapy is such a useful experience to get things out of your head and into the room, where we work together to figure out what's in the way of happiness, while creating a plan for going forward.

Hi! My name is Natalia Clifford LMFT 97534. I like to approach each person as an individual and do not believe there is one cookie cutter approach to all. That being said, in my practice I have implemented Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Family Systems Theory . I have worked with clients who span from adolescents to seniors with presenting concerns ranging from anxiety and depression to phase of life changes and work/family stress to trauma, historical and recent.

Regular therapy hasn’t helped. You’ve tried talking about what happened to you. Maybe it helped, but only a little. You’re still struggling to keep your head above water when it comes to dealing with your trauma. Triggers and mood swings make your days an ordeal. You’re running out of hope that what you’ve been through won’t always dominate your life. Is there anything else out there that can help? EMDR helps you finally move through what's happened to you & come out the other side.

Our society often moves fast, and it is easy to get caught up and not allow the time to address the thoughts and emotional reactions that may emerge with challenges and changing life circumstances. With over 10 years of experience serving individuals across the lifespan, I provide an affirmative space for individuals to explore areas in their life where they would like to see growth and change. I also value the opportunities to notice areas of life that feel fulfilling, to explore strengths and reflect on positives. My style is warm and thoughtful. and interactive.

Make therapy a gift to yourself and the journey of a lifetime. Experience the therapeutic process as an exploration into a landscape full of your own creative capacities, strengths, and dreams that already exist. Replace out-dated belief systems with new ones that better reflect your current, authentic self. Continue the process of growing into the person you believe yourself to be. Move from the victim to the empowered. I work in collaborative ways with you, helping to identifying assumptions, thoughts, and beliefs that are keeping you from the experiences, relationships, and life that you want.

You may have decided that you need a focused time and a safe place to sort through important issues in your life. How do you know when a therapist is right for you? I believe in trusting your instincts. I invite you to bring your full range of feelings about starting therapy to an exploratory first session to see if we would be a good match. I work with individuals and couples of all orientations and backgrounds.

Therapy is an opportunity to come home to yourself and expand your capacity for connection and vitality. My role is to be by your side as you examine parts of yourself that are difficult to face alone. I shine a warm light on experiences, emotions, and beliefs that have yet to be processed, and seek to expand upon sources of strength, expression, connection, and beauty. Whatever the areas of growth you bring to the therapeutic space, my priority is to hold an empathic, non-judgmental, inclusive space in which you feel safe and deeply seen.

Psychotherapy can be a truly life changing process. It works to gradually loosen stuck patterns in one's life, leaving more room for vitality and creativity. You may be trying to heal from past wounds, experiencing anxiety, loneliness, depression, or relationship difficulties. Or perhaps you feel relatively stable but have a sense that something deeper is missing.

Are you worried about self-defeating tendencies? Why do you get in your own way in relationships, at work, in school, or in expressing your inspiration and creativity? We look together at the barriers to success that interfere with productivity and peace of mind. Because I co-authored the book, "Procrastination: Why You Do It; What To Do About It NOW," (and because it took me six years to complete my dissertation!) I like to help people overcome procrastination and achieve their goals. My other specialities include: grief, trauma, relationship difficulties, sexual and gender confusion, low self-esteem.

Life moves so quickly these days, it's hard to take the time to really think about who we are and how we are living. Often, it takes years of patterns that are hurtful or self-destructive to wonder why we aren't feeling happy or fulfilled. Psychotherapy can provide the time and space to really understand and experience ourselves in a new way. I will listen with curiosity and warmth and will collaborate with you to help effect positive change in your life and relationships.

With great courage and a sense of curiosity, you’ve already taken the hardest step towards feeling better—reaching out for help. Maybe you’ve been feeling "stuck" or overwhelmed? Perhaps you and your significant other find it difficult to communicate each other's feelings and needs. Or maybe you're trying to make sense of a life experience and don’t know where to start. I would like to reassure you, you don’t have to endure the pain or confusion alone. We, as humans, have all experienced moment(s) in life where we feel disconnected from our true selves and even our loved ones. Sometimes we just need some support along the way.

Are you hindered by anxiety, depression, or trauma, preventing you from expressing your authentic self? Do you find yourself trapped in navigating challenging family and relationship situations? Every minor issue now feels incredibly overwhelming, reopening past wounds and creating new ones. Despite attempting to bury the pain, it persists, leaving you feeling isolated and tormented. The constant exhaustion, stress, and anger make you question your resilience. Unsure of where to seek assistance, you don't have to endure this painful journey by yourself. I aim to assist you in achieving a more integrated and balanced sense of self.