Self-Confidence

Online Mindfulness Group for Teens

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The Online Mindfulness Group for Teens will be an 8-week online skills-based group for high-school-aged teens targeted toward those with an interest in developing mindfulness skills. We’ll cover a number of topics, including:

  • introductory mindfulness skills

  • skills for navigating intense emotions

  • befriending boredom

  • understanding defenses

  • managing social media, substance and alcohol use

  • self-acceptance, self-compassion

  • relationships

This group welcomes clients across gender, sexuality and neurodiversity spectrums. The facilitators are committed to the continual pursuit of culturally responsive care.

 

This group is run by Jeremy Prillwitz LAADC and Darcy Dittrich AMFT.

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Darcy Dittrich

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My Approach​

I endeavor to bring warmth, awareness, and connection to my sessions. I co-create a unique healing experience with clients, often using humor and creativity to encourage mindfulness, self-compassion, and change. I believe firmly that healing is non-linear, and absolutely that it is possible. My colleagues have described me as “compassionate, deep-feeling, inquisitive and intuitive.” My clients have described me as “warm, accepting, and caring.”

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I tend to work from a blend of humanistic, relational, and psychodynamic lenses, which means I work to help clients gain clearer insight into their lives, identities, and relationships while holding that each person is a unique, valuable being. We’ll look at patterns that have shown up again and again in your life by gaining a deeper understanding of your emotions, thoughts, early-life experiences and beliefs. Once we can see these patterns clearly is when we can begin to approach the change you’d like to see. We’ll also focus on your relationships, values, and autonomy. I borrow techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Narrative Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness-Based Self Compassion, and Motivational Interviewing. You may or may not be familiar with these theories and terms, and ultimately you probably don’t need to be! Once we establish your goals, we’ll develop a treatment plan with what’s best for you.

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I pursue antiracism, feminism, Harm Reduction, Health at Every Size (HAES), LGBTQ+ allyship and disability justice. I am trauma-informed. I encourage the discussion of intersectional identity. If you’re not sure what that means, let’s talk about it!

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About Me

I earned my Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from The Wright Institute in Berkeley. I completed my Clinical Internship at SF AIDS Foundation’s Stonewall Project, a counseling program dedicated to providing Harm Reduction-based substance use and mental health treatment to gay, bi and trans men who have sex with men (MSM) who are interested in addressing their drug or alcohol use. I have specific clinical experience working with anxiety, depression, substance and alcohol use, sex and sexuality, career coaching, identity, trauma, and relationships. I have a deep understanding of multicultural relationships, work stress, life transitions, blended families, performing arts, chronic pain, and intuitive eating.

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Prior to beginning a career in counseling, I worked at tech startups and Fortune 500 corporations for a decade. This helped me develop a strong sense of professionalism, and also exposed me to the pressures of our modern working world. I’ve witnessed the impacts of stress, burnout, and discrimination. Supporting my colleagues in their struggles deepened my interest in pursuing a career helping others with healing and growth.

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I grew up in the Northeast, and have also lived in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, plus a brief time in Rome. I love exploring and learning about new cultures, but California has been my home since 2010. My favorite things to do include: walking, hiking, dancing, yoga, listening to music, painting, singing at the top of my lungs, cooking, baking bread, meditating and taking naps.

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High School Girls Group

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Our youth are experiencing stressors including academics, continued social distancing, compromised sense of self and esteem, relationships, perfectionism, depression and increased anxiety. This group aims at providing support, community, coping skills, psychoeducation and more. Very valuable to high achieving persons, it allows a space to process the stressors and increased isolation of self. Group is offered on Friday’s 6-7:20 pm via Telehealth/ Telemedicine.

Skilled in understanding and supporting

  • high achieving students

  • balancing perfectionism

  • academic and life stressors

  • transitions

  • focus and esteem

  • mood regulation

  • family and peer relationships

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Mona Ghosheh

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You were brought up to talk a certain way, live a certain way, look a certain way and love a certain way. But deep down, you don’t believe much of that anymore. So, you hide. You don’t want to be a disappointment to your friends & family. The constant pushing down of your beliefs, thoughts, and feelings is killing you and getting harder and harder to keep from spilling onto every part of your life. I help millennials dig out from under the mess. To accept & celebrate all aspects of their identities and to improve their relationships both in and out.
I specialize in helping 20 to 30 somethings who struggle with identity concerns, cultural issues, self-esteem, relationship problems, as well as depression and anxiety. I have extensive experience working with college & graduate students as well as young professionals. I love helping people live their truth, effortlessly and without fear.
It’s my mission to make the healing process accessible and comfortable. That’s why my sessions are online through a private and easy to use video platform (like Skype). To begin, contact me to schedule a FREE 15-min phone consultation. I can help you take the next step towards a life worth living.

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Elana Morgulis

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As a psychotherapist, I work on the level of the heart. I bring warmth, presence, deep empathy, and unconditional compassion to my clients. My work is grounded in mindfulness which allows us to open up to our experience with presence and compassion which supports change rather than judgment which keeps us stuck. I believe we have a natural capacity for growth, healing, and self-actualization which often gets blocked by our beliefs. I blend mindfulness based therapies such as Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy and Somatic Awareness with other evidence-based modalities such as Internal Family Systems and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy. I also draw from Non-Violent Communication to teach effective communication skills.

What I love most about doing therapy is helping people find self-love and grow their self-worth. I’m passionate about providing an emotionally safe and physically comfortable space for people to connect with themselves and express their deepest truths. I feel a deep honor to be a compassionate witness, support, and guide through times of both darkness and light.

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Relational Growth Group for Bodies of Culture

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For adults who are ready to go from internal turmoil and suffering as the result of old wounds to thriving with internal safety and social confidence!

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to better understand your inner world and how to:

– slow down or completely stop being triggered & high jacked

– quiet the inner critic or inner perfectionist that sabotages your greatest efforts

– release yourself from the grip of stuck, stale and painful relationship patterns

This group uses Internal Family Systems (IFS) as a foundation for teaching about parts of your personality and exploring how they interact with each other. Group members will learn to recognize and identify those emotions, thoughts and reactions that create internal and external challenges throughout life. Sessions will include getting to know those parts of ourselves, and learning how to access the core qualities of a Self that is present within all of us. 

With others, you will have an opportunity to:

– Work through discomfort and anxiety so that you can achieve the level of closeness and intimacy you desire

– Courageously connect with vulnerability and anger rather than engaging in avoidance and repression

– Experiment with expression of Self which will help you to increase assertiveness, self-confidence and calm

– Practice welcoming all of your parts while increasing presence, awareness and mindfulness

IFS is a powerful tool that can help you achieve greater well-being and balance by not only becoming more aware of these internal patterns, but by going toward them with curiosity and compassion to better understand and heal them. 

Get to know your Self better, understand why you act the way you do, and develop a toolkit you can use to empower your sense of courage and creativity.

NEXT Step? Email our office to schedule a brief phone chat with leaders Karla. We would be delighted to answer any questions you have about the group and support you with preparing for the learning and growing experience ahead.

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All Identity Adult Relational Growth Group

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For accomplished adults who are ready to go from internal turmoil and suffering as the result of old wounds to thriving with internal safety and social confidence!

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to better understand your inner world and how to:

– slow down or completely stop being triggered & high jacked

– quiet the inner critic or inner perfectionist that sabotages your greatest efforts

– release yourself from the grip of stuck, stale and painful relationship patterns

This group uses Internal Family Systems (IFS) as a foundation for teaching about parts of your personality and exploring how they interact with each other. Group members will learn to recognize and identify those emotions, thoughts and reactions that create internal and external challenges throughout life. Sessions will include getting to know those parts of ourselves, and learning how to access the core qualities of a Self that is present within all of us. 

With others, you will have an opportunity to:

– Work through discomfort and anxiety so that you can achieve the level of closeness and intimacy you desire

– Courageously connect with vulnerability and anger rather than engaging in avoidance and repression

– Experiment with expression of Self which will help you to increase assertiveness, self-confidence and calm

– Practice welcoming all of your parts while increasing presence, awareness and mindfulness

IFS is a powerful tool that can help you achieve greater well-being and balance by not only becoming more aware of these internal patterns, but by going toward them with curiosity and compassion to better understand and heal them. 

Get to know your Self better, understand why you act the way you do, and develop a toolkit you can use to empower your sense of courage and creativity.

NEXT Step? Email our office to schedule a brief phone chat with Karla. We would be delighted to answer any questions you have about the group and support you with preparing for the learning and growing experience ahead.

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Toni Ratzburg

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We help clients discover their true self, build meaningful relationships, and change unhelpful life patterns.

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Children and teens spend each day in a social and pressured environment.  They can learn, grow, and thrive when they have coping skills, feel empowered, and practice self-care.  We encourage youth to learn more about who they are and how to advocate for their unique and personal needs.

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The stress of raising children can be intense.  Our parent coaching helps remove the barriers keeping you from being the best parent you can be. In addition to individual and family therapy, we support couples as part of helping the family be a more effective unit.

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LGBTQ+ Youth Art Therapy Group

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The Creative Spirit has always thrived fierce and free within the colorful hearts of the LGBTQ+ community!  This inclusive, Person-Centered, Trauma-Informed, 8-week group  empowers participants to connect with self-discovery, and celebrate the healing power of Creativity.  This is a safe space to grow, heal and share your vibrant, inner world with other LGBTQ+ youth from our community.  All mediums welcome including creative writing, slam-poetry, painting, collage, dance, comedy, drag performance, photography, culinary arts, music, etc.

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Ayala Kalisher

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My approach is somatic, holistic and experiential. This means our work together is not just sitting and talking about what has been or how you want things to be. Working holistically means I recognize the connection between mind, body, spirit and environment. Working in any one of these realms means we’re working with all of them. Working somatically means will explore the wisdom of your body as a gateway to your emotions and the wealth of information about yourself that sometimes the mind can obscure.

All my work, whether with individuals or couples, based in Attachment Theory. Attachment Theory is a well-researched approach to understanding our lifelong development and relationships. We all develop strategies of getting our needs met early in life based on how available, absent and attuned our caregivers are. These early strategies create the blueprint for how we are in our adult relationships and the often unconscious strategies we use with those closest to us. Often what were useful strategies no longer serve us in our adult life and it is now time to learn new ways to move through the world.

Many people never get to see models of what a secure, functioning relationship can look like. Learning what it takes to truly be in one another’s care is a process, no matter what your individual attachment style is.

My work is informed by my training in Hakomi; a somatic and mindfulness approach to psychotherapy. In this approach, we get curious about your felt experience of the world and the ways in which your have organized your way of being to adapt to your experiences. We then explore how to create reparative healing experiences in the room together.

My work with couples is influenced by my training in PACT (Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy) and Emotionally Focused Therapy. Both approaches are attachment based and all about supporting you and your partner(s) in creating a secure, functioning relationship.

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