Boutique, Depth-Oriented, East Bay Therapy
In-Person in Orinda, CA / Online Across California
When going through the motions isn't working anymore. Start feeling connectedto yourself again.
Individual therapy
for adults & college students.
Deep support for when you're ready to stop overthinking, overgiving, overfunctioning, and overriding your own needs.
Life Doesn't Feel
the Way You Expected.
…and you’re not sure why.
You wake up, go through the motions, and somewhere in the back of your mind, a persistent voice whispers, "Is this it?"
There's nothing obviously wrong. You make it to work on time, answer the texts, keep the calendar running. But you don't feel as fulfilled as you thought you would.
You're the friend everyone calls first, the parent who has it handled, the student running on achievement, the perfectionist chasing the next goal, or the one who never seems to need help and says "I'm fine" when you're really not. But something feels off, though you couldn't say exactly what.
Maybe it's a transition, a relationship issue, a career change, an empty nest, or nothing you can put your finger on.
Maybe you know exactly what's changed, and you still can't explain why nothing feels different.
Maybe you say yes when you mean no, and by the end of the day, there's not much left of you.
Maybe when something goes right, you call it luck, and when something goes wrong, you call it you.
Maybe you can be in the room with people you love and still feel like you're somewhere else entirely.
Over time, this can leave you feeling disconnected from yourself. No one else may see it. But somewhere inside, there's a gnawing feeling that something is missing, that you're moving through a life that doesn't feel authentic to you. You may not know what would make it different. Sometimes it becomes more obvious when someone asks what you want, and you realize you're not sure. Or maybe you do know, but saying it out loud feels too risky.
You might also recognize that…
Good enough is never an option; only perfect is.
You can sense a problem forming before anyone else does, and you're already three steps into solving it.
You can list what everyone else needs before you've thought once about what you need.
You can't remember the last time something felt like it mattered, even on the good days.
You show people the parts of you that are easy to like, and keep the rest carefully hidden.
If this sounds like your experience, welcome. You are in the right place.
You don't need to know exactly what's missing or how to change it.
Therapy can be a place to slow down, understand yourself more deeply, and find a different way forward.
MEET ANITA
Hi, I’m Anita.
If reaching out doesn’t come easily to you, I don't take it lightly that you're here. I've seen how much courage that first step can take.
My own path to this work wasn't a straight line, and it was my own therapy that first showed me what's possible when someone truly listens, not just to what you say, but to what's underneath it. That's the kind of listening I try to offer every person who sits across from me.
I call my style compassionate curiosity: attuned attention, real questions, and enough space for what needs to surface on its own.
Specialties & Areas of Interest
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Anxiety & Depression Therapy
For a mind stuck three steps ahead, or motivation that won't show up.
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Life Transitions Therapy
For a role or routine that stopped fitting.
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Self-Esteem & Identity Therapy
For questioning yourself after someone reacts.
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Relationships & Boundaries Therapy
For saying yes when you meant no, and wondering if this relationship is worth the cost.
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Therapy for Young Adults & College Students
For pressure that follows you out of school and into adulting.
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Therapy for Midlife Transitions
For asking if this is all there is and being aware of how much time is left.
APPROACH
A Way Through,
Not Around
Maybe you learned to stay a step ahead, smooth things over, or keep difficult feelings to yourself. Those habits helped you get through, but over time, they can make it harder to know what you actually feel, need, or want.
Together, we get curious about where those patterns came from, and slow down enough to feel what's underneath, not just explain it. Because change doesn’t happen only when you understand yourself differently. It happens when you begin to experience yourself differently, too.
What’s Possible
Over time, you may begin to notice:
✓ Your mind can slow down without having to solve every possible outcome first.
✓ You can hear the inner critic without automatically believing it.
✓ You recognize what you want before resentment or exhaustion takes over.
✓ You can set a boundary and remain connected to yourself through the guilt.
✓ Uncertainty feels more manageable, and your decisions begin to feel more like your own.
Life doesn't suddenly become perfect. But it can feel less like something you're managing and more like something you're actually living.
PROCESS
A Simple Way to Begin Therapy
01.
Complete the
Consultation Request Form
Tell me a little about what brings you here and what you are looking for. You do not need to know exactly what to say. I’ll respond within two business days to arrange a free 20-minute consultation.
02.
Connect for a Free Consultation
We’ll talk about what's been going on, what you hope will feel different, and any questions you have. I’ll explain how I work, and we’ll both have a chance to see whether it feels like a good fit. There is no obligation to continue.
03.
Start Weekly Therapy
If we decide to move forward, we’ll schedule your first 50-minute session and begin meeting weekly. That consistency gives us time to build trust, notice the patterns that keep coming back, and find new ways of responding that start to feel natural.
LOCATION
Therapy in Orinda, CA, and Online Across California
My office is located at 23 Altarinda Road in Orinda, CA, a central, quiet location accessible from across the East Bay. In-person therapy is available for clients in Orinda, Lafayette, Moraga, Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, Berkeley, Oakland, and surrounding communities.
Online therapy is available to adults and college students throughout California, offering the same relational, depth-oriented work with greater flexibility.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
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You don’t need to be in crisis. If something has been present long enough that it’s started to feel like the background of your life, an anxiety that won’t quiet, a pattern you can’t move, a sense of going through the motions, that’s enough. If something here resonates, that’s worth paying attention to.
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Many people have had therapy experiences that felt surface-level, too structured, or like good conversation that didn’t change anything underneath. My approach is relational and depth-oriented, I work with what’s underneath the patterns, not just the patterns themselves. If you’ve done the talking and the understanding and something still hasn’t moved, that gap between knowing and feeling is exactly where this work begins.
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Sessions are 50 minutes, weekly. I follow what’s alive for you in each session rather than a rigid structure or agenda. The work is exploratory and relational — real conversation, not a program. Some sessions go somewhere unexpected. Most feel different from what people expect therapy to feel like.
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Sessions are $180 for a 50-minute session.
I am also in-network with the following insurance providers:
Aetna
Cigna
Optum
UnitedHealthcare
If you're covered by one of these plans, your sessions may be partially or fully reimbursed depending on your benefits.
If I’m not in-network with your insurance provider, you may still be eligible for partial reimbursement through out-of-network benefits.
Many PPO plans cover a portion of therapy fees, often reimbursing 50–80% after your deductible is met.
I’m happy to provide a monthly detailed statement (superbill) that you can submit to your insurance provider for potential reimbursement.
For additional fee information and what to expect, visit the Fees & Insurance page.
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Yes to both. In-person sessions are available at my office at 23 Altarinda Road in Orinda, CA, serving clients across the East Bay. Online therapy is available to anyone in California — the same relational, depth-oriented approach from wherever you are. Online sessions offer the same relational, depth-oriented approach with greater flexibility.
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Reach out to schedule a free 20-minute consultation. It’s a real conversation, not a sales call. It gives us both a chance to get a sense of how I work, what you’re looking for, and whether this feels like the right fit. No commitment is required. I typically respond within two business days.
GET IN TOUCH
Start Feeling Connected to Yourself Again
…You don’t need to know exactly what’s missing before you begin.
Complete the Consultation Request Form to get started. From there, we'll set up a time to talk.
