Deborah Essex, MFT
Individual, Couples and Family Therapy
510-548-8980
email: therapyde@gmail.com
919 The Alameda, #7
Berkeley, CA 94707
Therapy for Individuals, Couples,
Teens and Families
My therapeutic services are targeted to meet the unique needs of each individual or family. I combine in-depth therapy with practical, solution-oriented counseling. After an initial assessment, we will focus on understanding your difficulties in the context of your current situation.
​
Many adults are finding that living in today's world is increasing stressful. Therapy provides a supportive place to talk about problems. Together we can explore how negative thinking or behavior patterns from childhood, or past trauma is getting in the way of your living fully in the present and getting on with your life.
In therapy sessions, I am will listen to you wholeheartedly and provide a safe place for you to talk and express your feelings. And that will help ease some of the burden of being part of this ever-changing, complex world.
Teens often feel anxious while adjusting to increasing pressures in the academic or social aspects of their lives and often come to therapy because of negative moods, identity confusion, or social anxiety. Therapy is a non-judgmental place to discuss concerns about social image, friends, peer pressure, managing time, juggling schoolwork and meeting societal pressures.
​
Even young children can learn to understand emotions and adopt strategies to express their needs and control their impulses. With children, I like to approach problems in creative ways and enhance regular 'talk' therapy with role-playing, sand-tray and art therapy.
I am dedicated to helping people of all ages. If you have experienced a sudden loss or increasing stress, or you are feeling stuck, overwhelmed and unhappy I can help.
It is surprising the number of people who come to therapy wanting someone else to change. They want to know how to get their boss to talk to them differently, or their partner to appreciate them more, or their friends to be more considerate. However, the only person you can change is yourself. This includes changing your beliefs, behaviors, reactions, and patterns. Change may mean letting go of dysfunctional relationship patterns, irrational beliefs, and self-sabotaging behaviors. You can replace the negative patterns with more positive, conscious and proactive modes of interacting. That will lead to greater happiness, wellness, and success.
Over the past 25 years, I have developed skills with the following therapy techniques which have been proven to promote growth and change:
​
* CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) greatly helps adults and children with mild to severe depression and anxiety.
* Gestalt therapy emphasizes what is happening in the here and now. Gestalt therapy helps adults become more self-aware by integrating their thoughts, feelings and actions.
* Gottman-based communication concepts help couples attune to each other and avoid negative interaction patterns.
* EMDR helps clients recover from past traumas and negative experiences that perpetuate exaggerated emotional responses such as extreme anxiety, fear, isolation, anger, and addictive behaviors.
* Meditation and biofeedback help children with ADHD and adults looking for stress reduction.
* Art, sand-tray and play therapy help children and teens process their fears, anger, and confusion in a fun, creative, intuitive way.
© 2017 by Deborah Essex, MFT
Web Design by www.sunwaterstudio.com