Brainspotting (BSP)

William Devon-Sand

July 3, 2023 by William Devon-Sand

Congratulations! Clearly you are seeking a guide to help you move into your next phase of life. While I don’t (yet) know you, I am thrilled for you. You are probably aware that the only thing constant is change. If you’re anything like me, you have probably encountered heartache and headache during the change process.

After many years of leading students in classrooms, I decided to become a therapist because I knew there had to be better ways to cope with life’s inevitable ups and downs. Thank goodness, there are!! However, maybe no one has taught you how to transition smoothly from one phase of life to another? Or maybe you haven’t had a partner to support you with developing your specific transition success recipe?

As a human and as a therapist, I know that not all things work for all people. So, I make it my work to get to know patients just like you in order to help them live confident, full and unstoppable lives. If you’re interested in a therapist to help you slow down the racing thoughts, sleep better and execute with precision, schedule a consultation session. I’d be glad to support you with improving the overall quality of your life.

Tessa Hernandez

January 13, 2023 by together@soulcentriccollective.com

Tessa is a bi-racial (Mexican-American), first-generation college student, mother. Her love for therapy began when she had a therapist help her through difficult family transitions. Her experience with the power of therapy and how unconditional positive regard can truly help a person grow is what drives her to serve in this way. Being able to witness a patient’s growth, resilience, and strength is truly a privilege for her. She is motivated to serve this way because everybody can benefit from some form of mental health services. She wishes to contribute to the normalization of people of all identities, socioeconomic statuses, and belief systems to be able to access affirming and affordable mental health care.

Tessa’s ideal patient is someone who is open to change, and collaboration, and interested in co-creating the therapy experience. She serves as a guide to help patients use their strengths to decide their goals and to understand what works best toward achieving their goals. Her aim is to provide patients a warm and nurturing environment that is free of judgment. Tessa has extensive experience working with the LGBTQIA+ community with a trauma-informed lens.

She wants patients to feel empowered during and after working with her. She wants them to be able to identify their unique qualities and strengths that were always there, but they may have just needed a little help seeing and experiencing them from within.

Maria Thompson

November 18, 2022 by together@soulcentriccollective.com

Maria is a first-generation Mexican-American woman who has worked in the mental health field and with the geriatric population for over 10 years. She has provided grief counseling, transitional support through life changes with couples, families and groups of unrelated persons. We are all individuals who require different interventions for navigating our personal goals and challenges/changes in life. The process of creating individual plans based on a patient’s strengths and resources is a creative process that helps Maria find joy and excitement in the work that she does. She loves that her work allows patients to build their tool box for managing phases in their lives. In addition to being a psychotherapist, Maria is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS), Substance Use Disorder Rehabilitation Counselor (SUDRC) and Zumba Instructor.

Marissa Whorton

January 13, 2022 by Marissa Whorton

Are you experiencing critical thoughts or feeling that you’re not good enough? Have these thoughts started to cloud your sense of who you are and weigh you down?

I am here to help you put these painful thoughts to rest.

The burdens of tough experiences pile up and cause both an emotional and a physical toll. You may have noticed that not only are you feeling down, but your work and relationships are also suffering. When our feelings have not been sorted out, it is common to feel the weight of them and to feel stuck.

I view myself as a guide to walk side-by-side with you, supporting you with getting to know the parts of yourself that at times lead you to spiral as well as the parts of yourself that help you to thrive. Confidence, courage and connection are a few of the natural results of working mindfully to manage both what is pleasant and unpleasant.

As you learn to experience calm, it helps with resilience and continued self-discovery so that you enter into a sustainable relationship with yourself and those around you.

When you feel good on the inside, you radiate on the outside.

Click on the “web site” button to schedule a consultation so that we can learn more about one another. I’m excited to hear about the goals you have for yourself and explore ways I can help you to accomplish them.

BIPOC Adult Group Therapy

May 28, 2021 by Christhmus Presence

Join AMJ and Christhmus Presence for pay-as-you-may virtual group therapy. Sessions start 8/24. Late enrollment closes 9/7.

Sessions are 90 minutes and will be held once a week over the course of 10 weeks. Group capacity is 8-10 people.

About AMJ (they/them/their):

AMJ, ASW is a queer, disabled, nonbinary Black femme descendant of Africans who were enslaved in the Southeastern United States and ultimately settled in Low Country/Gullah Geechee/Lower Creek/Yamasee lands (Savannah, GA). They are a “coachy therapist”, focused on helping (QT)BIPOC blend ancestral healing traditions with therapeutic approaches such as Brainspotting, healing-centered (aka trauma-informed) therapy, expressive arts, aromatherapy, and problem-solving. AMJ resides in San Pedro and takes care of self via gardening, music, food, and their adorably snarky doggo named Dilla.

About Christhmus (pronoun at your pleasure):

Christhmus Presence (Chris Chu) will be facilitating all groups above, and is a 3.5-generation Muwekma Ohlone (San Francisco) land-settler, and Chinese-American Queer by Ancestors’ way of Guangdong, China. Pillars that guide them are liberation psychology, narrative psychology, somatic psychology, trauma-informed therapy, spirituality, and expressive arts. Tools held in support of self-resourcing, clarity, and ancestral connectivity include meditation, Tapping, and Brainspotting. They enjoy plants, creative expression, the power of community, and being in water.
Registered Associate MFT #125037 through The Center for Mindful Psychotherapy, supervised by Shawana Booker LCSW #29165

Eileen Drapiza-Dornan

December 16, 2020 by Eileen Drapiza-Dornan

I am Asian American — a child of Filipino immigrants, and I am especially interested in supporting the mental health needs of Asian Americans and other people of color.

Prior to becoming a psychotherapist, I worked in publishing, as an editor on several technology magazines in San Francisco and London, and later I trained journalists and other professionals in the use of technology. I know what it is to hold down a corporate position, balancing the pressure of work with a life beyond my job. I also know what it is to be POC in a predominantly white culture.

After 20 some years in publishing, my true calling found me and I retrained to become a psychotherapist. In 2006 I earned my M.A. in Counseling Psychology. I worked as a counselor in East Bay middle schools and community counseling centers, co-facilitated groups for Survivors of Suicide at Crisis Support Services of Alameda County, trained in Multi-Systemic Therapy (MST) to work with youth in the Juvenile Justice System. Eventually I launched my own private practice serving people of color, with particular interest in working with 1.5 and 2nd generation AAPIs around issues related to historical, immigration, or trans racial and trans cultural adoption trauma, in addition to appreciating the complexities of people who identify with betweenness or straddling cultural norms.

Jennie Runde

December 4, 2020 by Jennie Runde

I am a mixed (Black biracial) clinician working with mixed and multi-heritage folks in my private practice. I am trained as an expressive arts therapist, and use expressive arts including art, creative writing, and movement to help folks improve communication, connection, and contentment.

I believe that all of us, including and especially those of us that do not often see ourselves reflected in the world around us, have to use our creativity to create the world as we need it to be, as opposed to how it is.

Perry Clark

November 5, 2020 by Perry Clark

The question is: What is tangling you up? Are you tangled up in anxiety, sadness,& doubt? Are you held by insecurity &uncertainty? Are you slowed by feeling disconnected & getting caught unaware? Have the paths become overgrown and you can’t find or are questioning the sign before you? Growth is about using and building new skills, all of which take time, and nurturing. Growth is about finding solutions that apply to the situation and not just the general world. Both of these are elements of the hope. Hope is something we need to move us through the day, and it does require updating.

We don’t live in isolation, which means it’s very easy to get tangled up and mired in things, situations, people, and feelings that keep us from growing. We need to understand them, so we can cut them away or down, to allow you to move forward with new skills and hope for living.

We don’t learn to tie our shoes or hold a fork instantly. It takes care from those around us to do so, and it isn’t easy. It’s a skill I hope we can find together.

Brianna Brazle

September 9, 2020 by Brianna Brazle

Hello I am Brianna!

This is where I’m supposed to write about myself and assure you through my extensive experience and education that “Brianna is absolutely qualified to help me change my life.” Well, I am sure all of that will be listed somewhere in this profile :). I prefer to be more authentic, not focus so much on the things that make me acceptable to society’s standards but instead focus on one of my greatest assets as a therapist. That asset is something you have as well – humanness and understanding. Because once we peel back the layers, the years of education, the books read, certifications received – once that’s all stripped back, what ultimately connects us is our ability to understand each other on a human level. Through this connection, change is sparked.

“The only permission, the only validation, and the only opinion that matters in our quest for greatness is our own.” –Dr. Steve Maraboli

My Values and Approach

I view therapy as a road trip, wherein you are the driver. My role is, passenger and I help you to reach your destination. Sometimes that’s providing guidance through google maps, others it’s finding the best tunes to listen to on the journey, sometimes it’s making sure you stay awake so we don’t crash, and others just being there so you don’t feel alone. My goal and role is to help you reach your destination. It won’t always be an easy journey but as long as your willing to keep your foot on the petals I’ll be there to support!

I truly believe in meeting you were you are and through this leveled connection we can work together to build on your strengths to reach your desired heights of fulfillment.

Regina Faridnia

August 31, 2020 by regina faridnia

I am a therapist who is certified in Brainspotting & EMDR. I also integrate Somatic Experiencing and IFS into the therapeutic process. Self discovery, personal exploration and trauma resolution are part of the process in which healing is promoted in the therapy room. Neuroscience based methods provide quicker, more thorough and deeper healing of where trauma has been held and may be interfering with your life.

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