Services

We understand that you are unique and have your own particular strengths and challenges. We utilize multiple approaches to find what is most helpful for you.

Our psychotherapists work to create a safe space where you can explore thoughts, feelings and behaviors that are distressing or overwhelming. We empower you with tools that allow you to cope with distressing situations and experiences. We are highly engaged with you in the therapy process making sure that we are providing what is most useful to you. We encourage a collaborative approach as we know you are the expert on your own experience. Therapy works best when you feel you can openly communicate with your therapist.

We provide individual therapy for addressing the following concerns:

• Depression
• Post-partum depression
• Anxiety/Panic disorders
• Alcoholism
• Chemical Dependency
• Co-dependency
• Trauma
• Childhood physical, sexual and emotional abuse and neglect
• Grief and loss
• Difficulties with self-esteem and boundaries
• Isolation
• Obsessions and Compulsions
• Eating Disorders
• Self-Harming Behaviors
• Bi-Polar Disorder
• Self-defeating behaviors
• Difficulty with emotional regulation
• Struggles with sexual orientation and/or gender identity
• ADHD
• Spiritual Emergency

We know that being in a long-term relationship takes work and skills that most of us were never taught. We enjoy helping couples learn skills to communicate better, get their needs met more frequently, develop compassion and understanding for their partner and to create a relationship in which they feel honored and loved.

We work with couples to:

• Build communication skills
• Manage conflict more successfully
• Learn to recognize emotional overwhelm in oneself and one's partner
• Understand core wounds that lead couples to "shut down"
• Educate about relational-attachment styles
• Develop resiliency
• Deepen the connection between partners
• Restore trust

Modern families come in many shapes and sizes. We work with many families needing help with parenting or identifying and changing negative patterns of interaction; families going through the transition of divorce and families blending to form a new family.

We work with parents to:

• Learn models of positive parenting for younger children and teens.
• Adjust to the transition when going through divorce.
• Develop co-parenting plans.
• Explore how their own childhoods influence their parenting.
• Have realistic expectations of blended family life.
• Create family rituals of fun and celebration.

We are not currently offering any groups.

We offer DBT-focused individual therapy for teens and adults. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a research-supported approach that combines cognitive behavioral therapy with mindfulness practices, and emphasizes behavioral skills designed to help manage emotions, reduce impulsive behaviors, and promote healthy relationships. The overall goal of DBT treatment is to reduce suffering and build a life worth living.

DBT is an effective treatment for variety of issues including:

• Depression and anxiety
• Impulsivity
• Relationship difficulties
• Self-harming thoughts and behaviors
• Substance abuse
• Anger management

To learn more about individual DBT services please call Alexis Crissey at 707‑782‑1222 ext. 1 or email alexis@petalumacounseling.com.

One of the difficulties that people who have experienced trauma face is that the emotion from the traumatic memories can be triggered at any time. This is because traumatic memories unlike other memories do not tend to fade over time unless the person has worked them through. When people have unprocessed/unintegrated trauma experiences they tend to avoid thinking of the trauma and become avoidant of things that could remind them of the trauma. Eventually this can limit their sense of freedom in life and confidence in themselves.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a technique for processing traumatic memories and other adverse experiences. We use this approach to therapy to help people integrate overwhelming or terrifying experiences and keep them from being re-triggered in current time. Unlike other approaches to traumatic memories that can be overwhelming and lengthy in terms of treatment time we find that most clients are helped quickly by EMDR and do not feel overwhelmed. EMDR can also be used for traumatic grief and loss.

For more information on EMDR treatment:

Jill Silverman at (707) 782‑1222 extension 2 or email jill@petalumacounseling.com

Alexis Crissey at 707‑782‑1222 ext. 1 or email alexis@petalumacounseling.com.

Parenting with an ex-partner after divorce and separation can be very challenging. Many parents experience continued conflict around custody and parenting issues, and are worried about the effect this has on their children. Coparent Counseling provides parents with a safe, neutral environment to discuss parenting concerns, in addition to providing the skills necessary in order to create a business-like parenting relationship.

We work with Coparents to:

• Develop child centered Parenting Plans
• Improve Coparent communication
• Address blended family issues
• Disengage from conflict and negative emotions
• Learn how to keep children out of the middle
• Address custody and parenting concerns
• Create a business-like parenting relationship

To get more information about our Co-Parenting Services please call Dayna Adams at (707) 782-1222 extension 5 or email dayna@petalumacounseling.com.

Triple P is a positive parenting approach that provides parents with the skills and tools to address common parenting concerns, encourage positive behavior in children, and create a closer connection with your child.

Triple P Positive Parenting is available to parents who have children who are dealing with mild, moderate and severe behavioral problems. Triple P offers an effective positive parenting approach that focuses on bringing your family closer and resolving ongoing struggles.

We offer Level 2 (1 session) Level 3 (4 sessions) or Level 4 (10 sessions) of Triple P Parenting to address mild, moderate or severe behavioral challenges in children (birth–12 years of age) and teens (13–18 years of age.)

For more information about Triple P Parenting or to schedule an appointment please call Dayna Adams at (707) 782-1222 extension 5 or email dayna@petalumacounseling.com.

Hypnosis is often seen as a magic cure or as something scary in horror movies where people lose all control once someone has hypnotized them. Hypnosis is not either of these things. Hypnosis is a tool that is used for experiential learning. Talking about problems can be augmented through hypnosis by allowing a person to create new images and experiences in their mind that direct new behaviors and understanding. When a person is ready to make change, hypnosis can be an effective way to allow them to imagine new possibilities and to let go of outdated ways of perceiving the problem or themself. Hypnosis can provide a relaxed state in which one is more open to new ideas and positive suggestions.

To learn more about whether hypnosis could be helpful for you please call Jill Silverman at (707) 782‑1222 extension 2 or email jill@petalumacounseling.com.