Dialectical Behavior (DBT) Therapists in Oakland, CA

As an Integrative Psychotherapist, I base my approach from the relational work of Psychodynamic Therapy and integrate forms of Attachment Therapy, Narrative Therapy, CBT, DBT, Mindfulness Practices, Parts Work, Addiction and Trauma work - all based in Social Justice. I fully believe that every individual has the power and strength they need to actualize the changes they want, and can shift the old and new narratives of established stories and patterns of their daily lives.

You feel like something is off. You’re feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, disconnected, stuck. You want to understand your own reactions, build healthy and sustaining relationships, feel grounded and present in your day to day life. I can help! With over a decade of experience, I provide LGBTQIA-affirming and trauma-responsive therapy for youth, adults, and families. Using evidence-based techniques like expressive arts, somatics, and dialectical behavioral skills, I support people finding meaning and connection after trauma and chronic stress.

One of the universal traits of humanity is the desire to seek connection with others and be understood. I seek to reach a deep understanding both of my clients and to help them understand themselves, their relationships and their lives better. I believe that with this understanding can come richer relationships and a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment. Although we often have loved ones with whom we share our life experiences, having someone to talk to outside this circle can allow a greater depth of understanding of one's past, present and internal world.

I enjoy working with individuals and couples in both short and long term therapy. I have extensive training in IFS, EMDR, CBT, and Relational Psychodynamic Therapy. My objective is to work with you using the appropriate approach that best fits your goals for therapy. I have a wide range of experience working with the effects of addiction on families, substance abuse, trauma, PTSD, anxiety, and depression. I also have considerable training in sleep disorders and enjoy working with clients to adjust their sleep schedules, thereby improving their daily mood and functioning.

Reaching out for support may feel difficult but you are totally worth it. I can provide you with a place where you will be listened to with compassion and understanding. Through our work together I will bring gentle curiosity to the areas of your life you want to explore. This can look like nurturing any tender wounds, fostering belonging for abandoned parts of yourself, embracing acceptance for things you can't change, and building skills needed for constructing the life and relationships you desire.

With 20 years of experience, I work with individual adults, adolescents and couples from a trauma-informed model that integrates DBT, psychodynamic, family systems and Mindful Self-Compassion perspectives. Through therapy I can help you to achieve your goals, develop an increased understanding of yourself and build new ways of coping with life’s challenges. As a Certified Mediator with a background in divorce mediation I can lend informed support to those struggling with divorce-related challenges. Furthermore as a transracially adoptive mom of two I hold a strong interest in helping others navigate the world of parenting.

I am accepting clients for my Dialectical Behavior Therapy program. Dialectical Behavior Therapy is a very effective treatment that helps you build a worthwhile and fulfilling life. You accept that you suffer, but also you learn to accept that you want to get better. I will help you to train your mind and body to peacefulness, and to significantly decrease every day stress. Combining distress tolerance practice, mindfulness skill building, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness skill building, I will guide you to heal the effects of trauma, depression and anxiety and replace that with establishing well-being.

​ Holistic Family Therapy serves families who seek stronger connections, effective communication and reduced chaos. I am primarily a DBT therapist and workwith families, and older adolescents.

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.

Seeking support can feel vulnerable – especially when the culture around us glorifies “self-made” success stories and aspires to a seemingly effortless, perfectly curated social media existence. The reality of course is that life is messy, and that we all benefit from support. We are impacted by world events, our environments, relationships, the histories of our people (our families, ancestors, communities), and our own unique collection of lived experiences. As a therapist I view my role as that of an ally, confidant, collaborator - and very occasionally a guide.

Do you feel as though your anxiety and depression are unmanageable? How about feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or helplessness like you’ve hit rock bottom and are struggling to find hope for tomorrow? Once we start to unravel the details of our past and trauma we give ourselves the ability to process feelings that we have long suppressed. I aim to collaborate with you and provide tools to decrease the challenging feelings you are currently facing and achieve a more integrated and balanced sense of self, leading to emotional healing and personal growth.

Want to feel more connected in your relationship? I focus on creating a safe and non-blaming space for partners to talk about things that feel difficult. Therapy may not be easy, but I’ll offer guidance and support to help you recognize and break patterns that keep couples “stuck” in a negative cycle. Together we'll explore how past experiences, temperament, values, and culture affect relationships. We’ll discuss tools to help calm intense emotions so that couples can communicate with intention and disagreements can be resolved more effectively.

If you are ready to learn more about yourself and develop a positive path toward growth seeking assistance can help you refocus on what's most meaningful to you. People come to therapy for many reasons, including needing help in handling stressful life transitions, to reduce psychological distress, increase one's self worth and to develop a better understanding of themselves. During therapy, we will explore unhealthy patterns by looking at the interplay between your thoughts, behaviors and emotions and how they affect your daily experiences. You will learn to develop fulfilling relationships, ways to cope in healthier ways, and ultimately live a fulfilling life.

Has trauma, anxiety, or depression interfered with the potential to become the best version of yourself? We often feel defined by traumatic or emotionally difficult experiences then often leave us feeling stuck in place rather than moving forward towards our goals. I’m here to provide a safe, affirming space for you to develop an understanding of yourself to overcome past experiences or fears that define you. Our work together will be met with unconditional acceptance, creative approaches, and the utmost compassion.

Are you feeling stuck in life? Maybe you’re struggling with relationship challenges, past traumas or work stress? Is shame, anxiety, anger or numbness affecting your ability to be happy? Maybe you’re wondering how your substance use, or that of a loved one, is related to any of this? I’d like to offer you a non-judgmental space to explore behaviors, beliefs and feelings that keep you from living the life you want to live. You are not broken and I would be honored to help you reconnect to the innate wisdom and power of your authentic self. My style is real, warm and respectful of your choices, whatever they may be.

Life can feel impossible to avoid struggling and we often don't feel we have the skills to cope successfully through. Unfortunately, sometimes we don't have all the resources we need for a given situation. Parts of us take on desperate roles trying to help us to survive. This might look like anxiety, depression, PTSD, addiction, and relationship/family issues. I aim to help you process unresolved issues and feelings and find solutions.

Life is too short and too precious to suffer needlessly, and therapeutic self-discovery should be joyful at least some of the time. Learning to recognize, communicate, accept,and manage our emotions leads to success and satisfaction in love, health, work, play, and all parts of life. There is no greater satisfaction than learning to be the full, authentic, robust version of yourself in the world. To help you get there, I offer thorough assessment, interactive therapeutic approach, empathy, humor, and flexible technique. Your choice-- come individually, or with your spouse or family. I especially enjoy helping couples communicate better.

Sometimes, things happen in life that cause us significant pain, whether this stems from early life experiences, life transitions, mental illness, interpersonal difficulties or unexpected crisis. Navigating through these experiences in a therapeutic setting can make the difference between tolerating the pain (or even resorting to methods of easing the pain that create more problems) and coming through it more resilient with the ability to live a life with meaning.

Is your child struggling with anxiety, depression or a big life change or a recent trauma? Are you an adult navigating grief or a transitional phase in your life and overwhelmed with stress, worry, or fear? As an Art Therapist, using a trauma-informed approach, we will work collaboratively and creatively to meet your goals. I will help you access coping skills, establishing routines, and hold space for emotional expression. I specialize in working with individuals from marginalized communities, ages 4 through adulthood, with anxiety, depression, trauma, and life transitions.