Yvonne Mansell, LMFT
As a licensed Marriage, Family Therapist, I see individual clients and facilitate a number of groups. In practice for over 25 years, I enjoy creating a safe space in which clients can explore what is needing attention, be deeply heard, known and validated, and learn how to make changes to improve their relationships, including the relationship with oneself.
Current groups: Anger & Stress Management Series for Mothers, Group for Separated/Divorced Mothers of Younger Children, and a Parenting Series (meeting in 8 week series, with possible renewal).
Feel free to contact me with questions!
Yvonne Mansell is a therapist in Albany who conducts group therapy sessions for parents regarding anger and stress management. I recommend getting in touch with her http://www.yvonnemansell.com/
The sessions are a mix of didactic information about anger and stress, and personal time for sharing and processing. I found it to be very helpful.
I’ve been there and many other mamas have as well. You are doing the right thing to find support. I highly recommend Yvonne Mansell and her Anger and Stress Management mom’s group. (http://www.yvonnemansell.com/anger-and-stress-management-group/). It is a 10 (or so) session group meeting once a week and exploring such things as what causes anger, what are your triggers, how to reduce stress, effective parenting, and even modeling anger management for your kids. It was a game changer for me. You can do this!!!
I had similar situation when my kids were little. I got a new perspective on my own baggage and really helpful anger management tools from Yvonne Mansell in a supportive and affordable small group workshop. http://www.yvonnemansell.com/anger-and-stress-management-group/. Now my kids are teen/tweens and I still use the things I learned with Yvonne!
Highly recommend Yvonne Mansell in Albany (I found her through BPN recommendations). She has an anger management series for parents, separated into classes for moms and dads. I took one before my child was born because I was raised in a very angry environment and didn't want to channel that to my newborn.
I highly recommend you meet with my therapist Yvonne Mansell. She is all you seek! I first met Yvonne through one of her divorced mom support groups five years ago. I have been seeing her for individual therapy for the last 18 months. I find her to be warm, professional, compassionate, and also happily well matched with my own eclectic spiritual approach to life. Of all the therapists that I've seen, I find her coaching approach to be immensely practical and helpful. Her office is on San Pablo in Albany right on the border of Berkeley. Best wishes! http://yvonnemansell.com (510) 528-9551
I recommend Yvonne Mansell (http://www.yvonnemansell.com), who is a licensed marriage and family therapist that practices in Albany. She is also a student of the Buddhist tradition of mindfulness. I am not sure if she accepts Blue Cross Anthem, but in addition to individual therapy, she offers reasonably priced support groups on mindful parenting and other topics. I attended her Anger and Stress Management group for mothers, and it was very affordable without insurance. I was a little hesitant about being in a group therapy setting, as I tend to be a private person, but I feel like the group format ended up benefitting me more. I liked being in the presence of other mothers like me who were also suffering with anxiety and stress. We cried, laughed and commiserated together as women and mothers. It was therapeutic and transformative. Her sessions taught me how to control and manage my stress with an enlightened approach. I still refer back to my notes from her sessions I attended over a year ago. I can't say enough good things about Yvonne and her mindfulness based group therapy sessions.
I recommend Yvonne Mansell
yvmansell [at] gmail.com
she was helpful to my spouse and I -- both of us have strong personalities.
I understand your feelings very well. I was in the same place about a year ago with my then 1 1/2 year old, but my temper was worse towards my husband. I was at a breaking point and desperately sought help. After looking over some past postings on this site, I discovered an Anger and Stress Management support group for mothers. It is led by therapist, Yvonne Mansell, in her private practice in Albany. I was a little nervous about meeting in a group setting because of how shameful I felt about my bad temper. However, those feelings dissolved at the first meeting when I realized there were other moms just like me. We are not bad people, we are struggling with emotional control. After completing Yvonne's support group series, which I think was about 8 weeks long meeting once a week, I walked away with so many tools to deal with my anger in parenting and relationships in general. I learned what my triggers were, and I learned how to deescalate when I felt my anger being triggered. I found great comfort from the other moms in the group too, we supported each other. The group was small only about 6 or 7 moms, and the price was reasonable - much less than an individual session. Also, I think Yvonne will work with you financially if you need it. Reading your plea for help, I couldn't help but recommend this support group - it greatly helped me. Here is more info from website http://www.yvonnemansell.com/anger_management.html
Archived Q&A and Reviews
June 2014
RE: Attachment parenting couples counselor?
Hi, We are expecting our second baby soon, and looking for a couples counselor we can meet with, hopefully in the next few weeks, who is familiar with and approves of ''attachment parenting''-- ie: co-sleeping, extended/tandem nursing etc. Ideally someone affordable and in the Oakland area! Thanks for any ideas! C
Hi, My partner and I have been seeing Yvonne Mansel in Albany. We have two children that we co- sleep and practice attachment parenting with. Yvonne has been extremely supportive of this parenting style. She is a very skilled therapist and has reasonable rates. She also specializes in anger management which has been very helpful for me . Sarah
Feb 2012
RE: Anger management/parenting class
I need a new skill set for parenting and for controlling my temper. I am looking for a therapist in Berkeley to help me with this. I have been blowing up at my kid lately and I want desperately to change. I need someone to give me concrete ideas for learning new behavior instead of yelling. Also I am interested in RCB (redirecting children's behavior) classes. Any recommendations at all will be helpful. Mom that needs help.
I know how you feel. A couple of years ago I felt like I was just yelling at my kids way too often-- I was stressed and mad all the time, and scared of my anger.
I went looking for a class that would help me control my anger - you know, count to 10, punch a pillow, those kinds of tips. I'm lucky I found Yvonne Mansell and her course on anger and stress management. Yvonne is a licensed marriage and family therapist, and also a student of the Buddhist tradition of mindfulness. She has been helping parents explore the psychological and spiritual dimensions of anger and stress for years. (She also offers support groups on mindful parenting and other topics.) Her class taught me tons about anger management, but with layers of insight and mindfulness that I never expected. She has a calming, compassionate presence, and lots of concrete, useful information; she has really helped me understand what my anger is about and what alternatives I have for dealing with it.
You can find out more about Yvonne and her classes at: http://www.yvonnemansell.com/ With her guidance, you can definitely find your way to being calmer and more present as a parent, and happier overall. Good luck to you. - Calmer Mom Now
Dear Mama, Oh I'm so with you! I'm also so sorry that you're having these troubles. I find parenting my daughters so very challenging and I hate it when I loose my cool.
I do have a very good recommendation for you. Yvonne Mansell. Last year I was part of an 8 week series that she does with moms titled, A Mindful Approach to Anger and Stress Management. Do you love the title? As soon as I read it, I was hooked! Taking this class and getting to learn from Yvonne and the other mom participants changed my life dramatically. I certainly am not a perfect mama, but I am SO much better at dealing with stress and my children than I was before the class. I learned techniques and ways to get myself to chill out or ideally prevent myself from getting into predicaments. And I'm much better at forgiving myself for my mistakes.
I find Yvonne's manner and way of teaching so kind and helpful. She's a mom, she's real and she knows this road. At each session there is a check in and then Yvonne teaches on a particular topic. There is time for the participants to share and ask questions and there are times when we reflected on a topic and wrote about it for ourselves. My learning was deep and so very helpful.
Yvonne's website is www.yvonnemansell.com Yvonne runs other support groups as well as individual and couples counseling. Very best to you mama. I think it's great that you're searching out help. Good luck to all of us! Serena
I would like to highly recommend an anger management parenting group that I just completed which was run by Yvonne Mansell MFT (510) 528-9551. It was an eight week group that met once a week. Yvonne had concrete ideas to help with one's individual anger. She provided us with tools that encouraged insight into our anger and what triggered it. Additionally, she taught us ways to reduce those rageful feelings. She has a balanced approach which is spiritual, non- judgmental and yet does not shy away from talking about those big yucky feelings. She also has a good sense of humor! Yvonne's website www.yvonnemansell.com Feeling more peaceful
Hello, Yvonne Mansell offers an insightful, safe and skills-based class to help parents address anger issues. Please go to http://www.yvonnemansell.com (510) 528- 9551. Yvonne uses a combination of education, experiential exercises and discussion on topics. The class provided me with a non-judgmental and structured way to think about my anger. Yvonne offered very concrete suggestions for managing anger before, during and after an anger episode. She is a gifted facilitator and her own journey is very inspiring. I also loved that we talked about how to help our kids manage their anger.
August 2010
RE: group for divorce support
I'm interested in a group for people that have been divorced for a while, but still want support and relationship help. I'm over the worst of the divorce itself, but would like a place to meet others who are in a similar stage. Any suggestions? anonymous
I am a member in a divorce support group with Yvonne Mansell, MFT. We are all in different stages (I am many years post-divorce but have a particularly difficult ex), some are newly divorced and just working through initial child custody arrangements. It is a terrific thing to have a group of women who truly understand the myriad of issues that surround split-household culture; single parenting, kids living in very different households with different rules/cultures, dating, negotiating with unreasonable ex-spouses, court/mediation, etc. on top of basic parenting challenges, with a skillful, understated facilitator grounded in Buddhist principles of mindfulness. Fabulous. Check out her website: www.yvonnemansell.com or call her at 510-528-9551. Best of luck to you. Happily divorced mom
June 2010
RE: Yvonne Mansell's Anger Management Series
Anyone have experience with this series, or any other anger management class you can recommend? I need to find some tools to help me to calm down, NOW! Wants to Stop Yelling
Although I haven't taken Yvonne's anger management series, she has been a mentor parent to me for over 6 yrs now. Along the way I have learned so much from her about parenting in general and dealing with frustration and anger in particular. As I remember it, one of the very first questions I ever asked her was about navigating my anger around my son. In all things I find her responses to be compassionate, practical and deeply thoughtful. She also has a very gentle style (and gentle sense of humor) that I find refreshing because all too often others give parenting advice with too much zeal and militancy. sabine
I've heard good things about Yvonne Mansell's anger management classes from a trustworthy friend who attended them. I have talked with Yvonne and she seems like a very competent therapist to me (I am also a therapist).
Hi Yelling Mom, I was in the same boat and took Yvonne's class this fall. I was finding myself yelling and angry, particularly with my children, and generally not being the person and the mother I wanted to be. The series was wonderful. It gave me many practical tools and strategies to use and they have made a significant difference in my life. It was also great to have a support group and a place to listen to and learn from other parents. Yvonne is also a parent and brings great insights from her experiences to the group as well. Hope this answers your questions, Susan
Feb 2008
RE: Recommend an insightful therapist?
i'd like to recommend Yvonne Mansell on the Berkeley/ Albany boarder. she is definately insightful and supportive in helping me navigate the effects of being raised mormon. i always feel she is accepting of where i am, yet willing to share her wisdom so i can let go and move forward. i believe her bio is in the BPN files. she also has a website. autumn
Sept 2007
RE: Single Moms Support Group in Berkeley/Albany?
This is in response to the writer looking for a Single Mom's Support Group. There is a MFT in Albany named Yvonne Mansell who runs wonderful parenting groups. I believe she may be setting up a single mom's group currently. Her group's are well run. I have never had the experience of one person dominating, or running over on time.
On the contrary we have each been encouraged to share what is working for us and what is difficult and to ask for help from the group. Yvonne is respectful of different lifechoices but still willing to get in there and deal with the painful nitty gritty details of life. Because there is a ''mindfulness'' undertone, many of the comments encourage compassion for oneself and one's children. Another tact often taken is to broaden one's outlook. But Yvonne, a single parent herself, is not afraid of things just being the way they are -- even if it's messy or ugly. This group is not so high-minded that it's out of touch with reality -- Yvonne is just trying to bring a little mindfulness in to the struggles of daily life.
The other thing I like about her groups is that they meet every other week (good for a busy schedule) and that they are small (3-5 people) enough to reallly come to know each other. In short, I always leave the group feeling much more capable and supported than when I came in, and isn't that the idea? On bonus nights, I've gotten ideas from the group that have permanently changed the way I parent -- bringing more kindness and awareness to our family life. If you're interested check out her web site: www.yvonnemansell.com Suzanne
Oct 2006
I think Yvonne Mansell would be perfect for your mom. She specializes in grief, family relationships and parenting. She has helped me through several deaths including my fathers, and now dealing with my aging mother. She has also helped me dealing with my own disabilities and my own aging. She works from a very compassionate and nonjudgemental heart while firm, professional and always at the right time is able to lighten up our work with humor. Her phone is (510) 528-9551 and web-site is www.yvonnemansell.com Best of luck to your mom autumn
Jan 2006
RE: Mom-like therapist (in a good way)
Reading this post made me think of my therapist who is very understanding and supportive. She creates a space in which I can talk freely and feel validated, yet when I'm ''off'' or somehow limiting myself, she points it out to me in a way I can hear it and consider it as valuable input. She is young enough that I feel she understands my life concerns, yet old enough to have a lot more life experience than I do. I find her caring going beyond the usual ''professional'' standard, and this helps me a great deal. Her name is Yvonne Mansell, her office is located in Albany, and phone number is 528-9551. Anon
March 2004
I have attended Yvonne Mansell's group ''Mindfulness and Mothering'' for the last six months. She does a wonderful job of providing warmth and wisdom in reflecting on mindfulness and parenting. I've also enjoyed reading the Kabat-Zinn's book ''Everyday Blessings'' as part of the group. The group meets monthly and Yvonne asks for a 3 month commitment. The next block starts in about a month, so it's a good time to contact her.
I have been a part of the mindful parenting (moms) group since last fall and it is based on readings from Jon and Myla Kabat-Zinn's book Everyday Blessings. We meet once a month on a Saturday from 10 -12. The woman who facilitates the group is Yvonne Mansell. I have really enjoyed the connection with the other women in the group (there are generally 5 of us there-including Yvonne). We discuss issues that come up for us in our parenting and how mindfulness can and does play a part in our learning about and understanding our children and ourselves. Participating in the group and reading the book have been very positive experiences for me. Yvonne will be able to give you more information when you contact her directly. marion
I participated in the Mindful Parenting group last summer and fall and found it very helpful. Yvonne Mansell (who leads the group) is very compasionate and supportive while keeping a sense of humor about it all. I enjoyed the group and felt very comfortable sharing my concerns and experiences with the other mothers. I highly recommend the group for anyone who is looking for support in parenting in a more conscious way. Stephanie
I participated in the mindful parenting group for several sessions and I highly recommend it. Small groups meet for 2 hours at a time and use the book Everyday Blessings by Jon and Myla Kabat-Zinn as a guide. The meetings start and end with a brief meditation. The leader provides a relaxing and peaceful place to contemplate mindfulness practices in daily family life. Contact Yvonne Mansell at 528-9551 for more information. Lee
Jan 2003
RE: Female Therapist in Berkeley
I want to recommend my therapist Yvonne Mansell, MFT. I was looking for someone who is non-judgemental, and not only did I find that, but I learned how judgemental I am of myself. In therapy I learned to lighten up and then find compassion for myself. I had been in psychotherapy before, but at this point in my life, I needed a spiritual approach to look at what was going on with me, because the other ways weren't working. I needed a new way to work with what was bothering me. I was very involved with and very attracted to the Buddhist approach and Yvonne was able to point out the things I already had read or knew, and remind me of them. Because of my appreciation of the teachings I had to stop and listen... maybe there was something to what she was saying ... and I learned to apply the teachings in new ways. She brings a passion for Buddhism and psychotherapy that was just so useful for me.Yvonne is seemingly non-directive, but with humor, she made me look in new ways at myself. She made a very sweet and delicate impression to me at first, but I learned that she is not like that at all. I really felt that I could express myself exactly as I was, and that made me very comfortable. I need to be able to talk how I think, and I really felt heard.
One other point is that Yvonne is willing as a therapist to reveal some of her emotions or character flaws that make her more real, and brings less of a ''sterile'' or non-personal approach than other therapists might use. Her office is actually not in Berkeley, but just over the border in Albany. You can reach her at 528-9551. Susan
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