Life By Design Therapy

Online Counseling or Psychotherapy, talk or talking therapy, counseling, or simply therapy—no matter the name it’s known by, mental health counseling can benefit people struggling with emotional difficulties, life challenges, and mental health concerns. www.lifebydesigntherapy.com

Research has shown that therapy is most effective when attended on a once a week basis at minimum.  Regular and consistent sessions are proven to be the most beneficial to assist with managing stress and challenges during the week and there’s something important about knowing you have a regular space to reflect, get support, and work towards your goals.  When sessions get spread out, there is less room for deep healing work that is often needed to see real change and growth.  It is for these reasons, among others that we recommend all clients, including couples and families, start with weekly sessions.   Welcome To Life By Design Therapy www.lifebydesigntherapy.com

It’s important to remember that these are your therapy sessions and you have the freedom to talk about anything you choose.  Sometimes you may come in knowing exactly what you want to talk about or a specific challenge or block you want to work on during that session.  Other times you may continue a conversation or theme from a previous session or share new events in your life.  Often, some of the most impactful sessions are the ones in which you have no idea what you want to talk about, which allows for self-reflection and following your own intuition and inner guidance. Holistic and Somatic Therapy in Berkeley and Richmond Contact us today! https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/faq

Therapy has the potential to change the rest of your life, as well as those around you, and generations to come.  People come to therapy to better themselves, whether that means understanding the impacts of your family and cultural history, overcoming specific systems of anxiety, depression, or trauma, or just wanting self-discovery, better understanding, and self-love.  Therapy provides you with the opportunity to move forward from the places in your life in which you feel stuck, blocked, or under-supported.  https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/faq

WHY UNDERSTANDING YOUR WINDOW OF TOLERANCE IS ESSENTIAL TO MANAGING STRESS AND OVERWHELM Do you ever notice yourself feeling stressed out, out of control or on edge? Or, the opposite: do you find yourself feeling zoned out, numb or shut down? These states of hyper- and hypo-arousal suggest that you're operating outside of your window of tolerance , a term used in therapy to describe the state when you're at your best and most able to cope with any challenges thrown your way. Sometimes, traumatic experiences shrink our window of tolerance, meaning it takes less stress to throw us off-balance. The narrower your window of tolerance, the more intense and difficult it may be to manage your emotions and moments of stress. Here's how to understand what your window of tolerance is, what types of events may narrow your window of tolerance and how it impacts your overall mental health. WHAT SHAPES YOUR WINDOW OF TOLERANCE When you feel safe and supported, you are most likely to be

THE MODERN RULES OF COUPLES THERAPY Relationships are important and require care, quality time, and secure attachment to be healthy ones. The choices we make and the responses we give one another set the tone in our relationships. Sometimes the increasing demands of daily living tax couples, leaving little emotional overhead for the most important ones in our lives. Often when there is conflict, this contributes to adverse reactions, thoughts, and feelings. WHO IS THE MODERN COUPLE? Times have changed in terms of the shift in traditional relationships. Today, more women are in the workforce, and more men have shifted to stay at home roles for the children. In addition, we have more same-sex, gender non-conforming, and poly-amorous couples who are navigating relationships and the various roles of parenting, managing household chores and juggling financial responsibilities. With these shifts in our society brings less exclusivity in roles between partners and those who are or decid

Meet Melody Founder, Somatic Therapist, EFT Couples Therapist Immediate Openings for Virtual Sessions As a somatic psychotherapist, I offer my humanness, my empathy, and a commitment to helping you heal and thrive in today's world.   I am dedicated to helping you on your journey towards a life of purpose, a life filled with meaningful connections and inner peace. https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/melody-wright-mft

THERAPY THAT SUPPORTS THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION Life by Design Therapy was founded out of the need to bring holistic and somatic therapy that represents the diversity of our Bay Area communities. Our therapists are dedicated to creating a safe and healing space to help individuals, couples, and families connect, grow, and heal. We believe every person deserves to feel a sense of safety, trust, and connection in their lives without shame or guilt. We have had the honor of working with young professionals, blended families, people of color, parents, survivors of abuse, LGBTQ+, and interracial and multicultural couples and families. Our primary focus is helping our clients increase their physical and emotional awareness, heal from painful experiences, connect with their deepest desires and truths, and enhance their relationships. We support the human in us that's longing for fulfillment, acceptance, connection, and deeper understanding. Our therapists take pride in giving back to our

“ Stress ” is defined as a state of mental, emotional strain and/or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances. Though, it’s important to note that stress can develop from  within  as well. Everyone deals with stressful situations at some point in their lives, how we are affected by these stressors, all depends on how we learn to deal with them and manage our way through the tough times. www.lifebydesigntherapy.com

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Panic Disorder If you've decided to go to psychotherapy for  panic disorder , you may be wondering what your therapeutic treatment options are. Numerous types of therapy are available, depending on your therapist’s approach and training background. Life by Design Therapy offers a range of holistic and somatic psychotherapy services to support your growth, healing, and empowerment. Click Here to learn more about our therapists! https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/holistic-somatic-therapists

Life by Design Therapy provides Somatic and Holistic therapy in Berkeley and Richmond. We provide individual therapy, teen therapy, couples counseling, family therapy, and  more . Call  510-646-0046  to Schedule your Free Phone Consultation. www.lifebydesigntherapy.com

TAKING IT PERSONAL: WHITE SUPREMACY CULTURE As a queer-identified, able-bodied and cisgendered woman with class and race privilege, I strive to prioritize naming how social locations shape the ways we move and show up in our lives. I believe those of us with privilege(s) are presented with opportunities to examine our values and actions with honesty, humility and openness. My hope with this imperfect piece is to enliven anti-racist study and exploration. Focusing on racial formation and white supremacy culture in this writing is intentional, however, is not meant to downplay or discount the role of intersecting categories of gender, sexual orientation, ability, nationality/immigration status, age, class or religion. In upcoming pieces, I will discuss interlocking systems of privilege and oppression, the origins of identity politics and delve deeper into white supremacy culture.  DEFINING TERMS White supremacy culture is the idea (ideology) that white people and the ideas, thoughts, be

Life by Design Therapy is committed to helping you build a new future, one that is founded on happiness and peace of mind. If you’re ready to work on your depression with one of our holistic therapists, contact us today . https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/depression-therapy

Somatic therapy can help people who suffer from stress, anxiety, depression, grief, addiction, problems with relationships, and sexual function, as well as issues related to trauma and abuse. Those for whom traditional remedies have not been helpful for chronic physical pain, digestive disorders and other medical issues may also benefit from somatic therapy. Somatic therapy techniques can be used in both individual and group therapy.  Currently offering telehealth (video or phone) options for CA residents. https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/online-therapy

Pandemics can be stressful The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic may be stressful for people. Fear and anxiety about a new disease and what could happen can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children. Public health actions, such as social distancing, can make people feel isolated and lonely and can increase stress and anxiety. However, these actions are necessary to reduce the spread of COVID-19.  Coping with stress in a healthy way will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger. Take care of your mental health. https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/free-resources

Life by Design Therapy offers a variety of holistic and somatic therapy services to support individuals, couples, and families in all stages and phases of life. www.lifebydesigntherapy.com

Queer people face more overt and implicit discrimination than their straight counterparts. The queer community has come a long way since the Stonewall Riots of 1968. But that doesn’t mean that homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia aren’t still pervasive aspects of our culture. In an overwhelmingly cis- and heteronormative society, LGBTQ people face exhausting microaggressions and discrimination on a regular basis — which can result in mood disorders, anxiety, and depression. We feel the struggle and all-too-relatable reasons why queer people need specific LGBT therapy to meet their needs. 1. Because you’re gender nonconforming and people keep asking about your junk. 2. Because you came out as bisexual five years ago and your mom keeps calling it a phase. 3. Because your parents still introduce your partner as your ‘friend’ at the family holiday party. 4. Because people keep asking “Who’s the man in your relationship?” 5. Because you’ve been set up on too many dates with straight frien

You are very susceptible when you are young. During your childhood or teen years you may have experienced things that radically altered your thinking and feelings. There is help to find reason for why these events occurred, and what you can do about them moving forward. For more information, log on to  Life by Design Therapy https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/trauma-therapy

Anxiety can occur when a person fears that something bad is going to happen. It is a non-medical term that refers to a feeling of fear or worry that often relates to a particular issue or concern. Anxiety   has been linked to   stress . As well as feelings of fear and worry, it often involves physical symptoms, such as muscle tension. It is different from a  panic attack , which is a symptom of panic disorder. Anxiety often relates to a specific event or situation, although this is not always the case. A panic attack, meanwhile, can happen without any specifiable trigger, and the symptoms are far more severe than the symptoms of anxiety. However, if levels of stress and anxiety continue for a long time, further problems may develop. https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/anxiety-therapy