Clinics & Counseling Centers

Archived Q&A and Reviews

A Safe Place to Heal

Re: Couples Counseling (May 2007)
There is a counseling center called A Safe Place to Heal in Oakland. You can check out the therapists there on their website at:Safeplacetoheal.com Mey Saephan one of the licensed therapists there specializes in couples counseling and she does have a sliding scale fee. Or you may call them at 510-628-0740 All the best to you. A Friend who understands

Alameda County Crisis Counselling Center

Re: Grief Counselor for children (Nov 2001)
A good resource is the Alameda Co. Crisis Counselling Center. They offer grief therapy groups for adults at $10/session, and may be able to advise you on getting help with your children. I attended a group for survivors of suicide after my sister committed suicide two years ago. It was excellent therapy, and I found that group therapy was much more effective than indivudual therapy. I don't have their phone number, but the Suicide Prevention Hotline will give it to you and they're in the white pages.

[Editor] as of March 2004:
Crisis Support Services of Alameda County (800) 309-2131 24-hour crisis line (510) 420-2460 business line P.O. Box 3120 Oakland, CA 94609
http://www.crisissupport.org/

Asian American Mental Health Center

Re: Depressed young Asian American woman
Check out the Oakland Asian American Mental Health Center at 310 8th Street, Suite 201, tel:510-869-6020. Director is Alan Shinn. They have counselors and credentialed therapists who are Asian American, bilingual in various Asian languages, and they are culturally sensitive in their approach and understanding of Asian cultures. They have been around for quite a few years and I have heard good things about them. If they can't help then I'm sure they can direct you to a similiar service in San Francisco. Good luck. Victoria (August 1999)

California Counseling Institute

Re: Woman Therapist not too new-agey (Sept. 2001)
Any of the therapists at California Counseling Institute. I personally recommend Jennifer Ewing. She is not cognitive behavioral, nor New Age rather depth psychology/Jungian. 510 704-8046. Meghan

JFK Center for Holistic Counseling

Re: Really bad anxiety, can't afford therapy (June 2004)
Please do not substitute over-the-counter meds, natural or not, for simple one-on-one counseling because you need to start there. It seems that your thoughts and feelings are very scattered and you need to bring them all to a place where you can learn to sort them out with a reliable and trusting person. I have a tendency to over-worry as well and for pretty good reasons like yourself. I started therapy at the JFK Center for Holistic Counseling in Oakland a couple of months ago and am slowly but surely starting to organize my life and take care of myself. The one thing about going there is for that whole week after each session I make tiny actions and changes to make my life better than it was before. It's not always roses mind you but you can bring it to a place for one hour and then for the following week try to make positive changes or just be and let your thoughts/emotions work itself out. Also CHC has a great sliding scale of $10-$40. I know it's easier said than done but take life one day at a time and give yourself more credit than you are. Good luck. Taking things slower.

Oak Creek counseling center

Re: Recommendations for women therapists (July 1999)
Oak Creek counseling center has qualified licensed therapists. They also have licensed interns that have a lower rate than a licensed therapist. They have offices in Albany, Walnut Creek, and Oakland. Their phone number is 942-0812.

Pathmakers

Re: Woman therapist with Pacificare (July 1999)
I think Ann Marshall at Pathmakers (through PacifiCare) is excellent. She also does a woman's group that meets every Monday evening. The telephone for Pathmakers screening is 888 784-7284. Good Luck! Brenda

Psychology Clinic at UC Berkeley

Russell House Berkeley

Re: New mom with old baggage to sort through (July 1999)
[In addition to the Women's Therapy Center] I also recommend Russell House in Berkeley. This too is staffed by licensed therapists and interns (MFCC and Ph.D.'s) and specializes in women's issues.

For both, the intake is by telephone and then you are matched with a therapist who fits your needs. Also, very fair sliding scales; private insurance may work too.

St James Infirmary

Re: ''Sex-Positive'' Therapist? (July 2005)
I'm a nurse and volunteer at St James Infirmary in SF, the only clinic in the USA dedicated to caring for sex workers. I'm also a SF Sex Information trained sex educator. I suggest you contact St James http://stjamesinfirmary.org/ 415-554-8494) and SFSI (www.sfsi.org) for referrals. They can give you referral to sliding scale community services, and possible private practitioners if you have the income/ insurance for that. Being SF, there are many sex positive therapists here who won't blink an eye at your sexual history. Many of them taught the SFSI classes, and they're wonderful. You didn't post your email address; if you need further assistance please email me and I'll do what I can for you.

UC CARE Services

Re: Grief Counselor for children (Nov 2001)
I would like to pass along to the parent who lost her husband that I received good information and referral from CARE Services staff Anna Denoon and also that CARE staff person Laurie Yamamoto is facilitating two grief and loss workshops on November 6&13 from 4-6. I am seeing Susan Bresee, an LCSW with the Redwood Center that is on Dwight Way near campus. I am also participating in a bereavement group facilitated by a counselor from Pathways Hospice in Oakland, which provides individual, family and group counseling. Because it's open enrollment she may want to review health plan coverages for their mental health coverages. I switched to UC Care last year because I thought it had the most extensive mental health coverage/provider options and that has been a real help...my best wishes to this parent.