Hi, I’m Mary (she/her)
Trauma Therapy to Overcome Anxiety & THRIVE in Your Relationships
I help adults and couples just like you: the ones that have it within them to slow down those racing thoughts and be more present and relaxed in their relationships, but just need the support to get there.
I became a therapist because...
I believe in that resilient spark of you-ness that defies
all odds.
I believe that every person is capable of tapping into their own innate resiliency, and ability to live a full, joyous, and meaningful life with beautiful relationships. I’ve noticed that sometimes, people face difficulties in life that hide or dim that spark, but it’s still there, just obscured by the chaos of what life has handed you.
I’ve devoted my life and career to studying that spark. What makes it so that some people can bounce back, while others remain stuck?
How do you become unstuck and push past those obstacles, and add flame to that spark?
You already have that spark within you.
I’m here to help you tap into it.
In learning about the “obstacles” or trauma, I’ve gotten advanced training in all things trauma and specialized in my practice to help you tap into that inner flame.
I am an integrative therapist, and use a multifaceted approach that works with the mind-body connection to help you get the relief you are searching for.
I combine powerful, evidence-based models that allow you to go deeper than just talking about the issues.
As a couples therapist, I specialize in supporting couples to overcome conflicts or obstacles in the relationship caused by unmet emotional needs. My trauma-informed training allows me to work with these unmet emotional needs in a sensitive, and compassionate manner.
I help my clients find more confidence, an ability to calm overwhelming emotions, and greater connection and intimacy in their relationships.
Through our work together, you'll process difficult emotions and past experiences that hold you back from a joyful and fulfilling life. This leads to stronger relationships, both with others and, most importantly, with yourself.
Imagine thriving in your relationships, feeling confident and equipped to navigate even the toughest emotions. Together, we'll equip you with the skills and confidence to make this a reality.
How Does the Process of Therapy Work?
1: Intro Call or Video
After scheduling, we will connect by phone for 15-20 minutes for trauma therapy or couples therapy consultations.
I will ask you questions about your goals and what you're noticing in your day-to-day that you would like support with.
If you are interested in EMDR intensive therapy, we will meet by video to get to know each other. We will talk about your trauma history and current symptoms to see if EMDR intensive therapy would be a good fit for your needs.
You can schedule a consultation through my contact page here.
2: Getting to Know Each Other and Building Skills
We will work together in stages, first focusing on getting to know each other and building a sense of safety and trust that will serve as the foundation for our work together. I will ask you questions about your history and encourage you to open up at a pace that feels respectful to both your mind and body.
We will learn and practice different skills rooted in mindfulness and experiential techniques, preparing you to work on the bigger issues in a way that feels accessible and won’t overwhelm you.
This stage of therapy is an ongoing process that we will continue throughout our work together.
3: Going Deeper Than Just Talking About the Issues
We will identify what's keeping you stuck in your emotions and your relationships and use methods rooted in attachment theory and science to help you get unstuck.
This type of work looks and feels different than just venting. We will be working to clear those stuck points.
4: Checking in on Your Progress
Graduation? Setting new goals? You get to decide!
We will periodically check in to make sure that what we are doing is working, and make changes to our approach and your goals as we go along. This is a collaborative process where we will explore different options for your treatment together. I may provide some menu choices, and you will decide on what makes the most sense for you during each stage of this process.
Therapy Fees
Individual Therapy
$225 per 50-minute session
Intensive EMDR Therapy
$300 per hour
(Payment plan available through Care Credit)Couples Therapy
$240 per 50-minute session
Can I use my insurance?
I am an out-of-network provider and do not work with insurance directly. In some cases, you may be eligible to use out-of-network insurance benefits. You will be responsible for paying for each session in full at the time of appointment.
I will provide you with a superbill to provide to your insurance for reimbusement.
Right to Receive a Good Faith Estimate of Expected Charges Under the No Surprises Act.
You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost. Under the law, healthcare providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.
You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.
Make sure your healthcare provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service.
If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.
For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises
Let’s work together to heal those past wounds to get you fully living in the present moment - as your true, vibrant self.
Let’s get started!
Ready to heal from past trauma & find freedom in your emotions and relationships?
Click here to schedule your free 15-minute phone consultation for Trauma informed therapy in Oakland. My specialties include anxiety and stress, complex trauma and PTSD, harm reduction for addictive behaviors, couples therapy, inner child work, religious trauma, childhood loss, narcissistic abuse, and childhood abuse. Contact me today to get started healing old wounds, to fully live in the present moment.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Cash, check, or all major credit/ debit cards, FSA, and HSA cards are accepted. Payment is due the day of your session. You will have the option to store your card information for automatic payment during onboarding. I use a secure credit card system through Simple Practice. Payment is typically automatically charged on the evening of your session.
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Your out-of-network benefits are usually pretty straightforward to use. Should you decide to submit your superbills to your insurance, most insurance companies have you upload your monthly superbill online (it’ll be sent to you on the 1st of each month) and then they will mail you a check with your reimbursement.
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I am currently not accepting any new sliding scale clients.
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I require 48 hours notice for canceled appointments. Appointments canceled or no-shows within 48 hours are subject to the full fee for service. Please note that no-shows/ canceled appointments are not eligible for reimbursement if you choose to submit claims.
Clients may cancel up to 6 sessions annually without charge. This does not include sessions that fall on holidays or additional time I take off annually (approximately 4 weeks).
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Therapy works best within a trusting, caring relationship between the client(s) and therapist which can be hard to do on an every-other-week basis. In order to support my clients in getting the best results, I only work with clients on a weekly basis.
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I am currently welcoming clients in person for therapy in Oakland, CA as well as offering online therapy in California through a secure online video platform.
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I work with adults (18+) and couples/nontraditional relationship structures and welcome all races, sexual orientations, gender expressions, physical abilities, cultures, and spiritual orientations.
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We will work together in stages, first focusing on getting to know each other and gathering your history. Then, we will focus on your present-day concerns and symptoms and learn and practice skills together to better regulate your body and mind. Once we have those skills down, we will focus on working through past experiences that contribute to present-day symptoms.
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After your initial consult call, we will sit down together during your first session and talk about your goals for therapy. The next sessions are typically individual sessions where I will meet with each partner separately to talk about your goals, any concerns about the therapy process, and your history. After the individual sessions, we will meet all together and discuss how we will reach those goals, in addition to the areas in your relationship and communication pattern that need support.
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It depends! Successful graduation from couples therapy typically ranges from about 4 months to a year plus. Getting support sooner when you first notice a conflict can significantly decrease the amount of time needed in therapy.
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We will establish a set time slot and will meet weekly until your goals are met. Your unique history and goals will determine the length of time needed in therapy. Often, clients start noticing a slight reduction in symptoms within a few months of therapy. Most clients need much more work after this point to really get to the core root of their symptoms. It can be tempting to drop out when you notice starting to feel a little better but sticking with it can really bring profound results and change in your life. Many clients reach this point after a year in therapy with consistent weekly sessions.
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Issues Mary Works With
Complex Trauma and PTSD
Anxiety and Stress
Harm reduction for Addictive Behaviors
Couples therapy/ Relationship therapy
Estrangement and Strained Family Relationships
Religious Trauma
Narcissistic Abuse
Physical & Emotional Abuse
Sexual Abuse
Emotional Neglect
Traumatic Events
Relationship Issues
Perfectionism
People-Pleasing
Self-esteem Issues
Training Highlights
EMDR Certified Therapist
EMDRIA Approved Consultant in Training
Flash Technique trained therapist
EMDR 2.0
Advanced course integrating Internal Family Systems, Structural Dissociation, and Somatic Therapy with EMDR
IFSCA Stepping Stones
Comprehensive 16-week Internal Family Systems course
200 hours yoga teacher training
200 hours kundalini yoga teacher training
Internal Family Systems for Couples, 2-day training
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for Couples, externship, and Core Skills (levels 1 & 2)
Gottman for Couples Level 1 trained therapist
Ongoing consultation in IFS/ EMDR and EFT for couples
Licensure & Education
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, #94264
Master of Arts, Social Work, San Jose State University
Bachelor of Arts, International Development Studies, University of California, Los Angeles