My husband and I have been together for more than forty years, and for the last thirty, we have…read morebeen dealing with conflict over sexual intimacy. We tried personal counseling, we tried marriage counseling, and our difficulties only persisted. This year, my husband and I decided once again to seek help. This time, we wanted to find a therapist who could listen to both sides of the sexual conflict that had become a cancer on our marriage, and somehow guide us to a place that would change our sexual relationship to the loving satisfaction we both sought. We found Dr. Anya-a sex and intimacy coach. Our previous attempts at personal and marriage counseling--private sessions with a therapist and couples communication classes through Kaiser--never addressed our fundamental difficulty which seemed to arise from a sex-life that was contentious. This led to a reluctance on the part of my husband to trust therapy to address our conflict. However, at his wits' end, my reluctant husband finally agreed to try seeing Dr. Anya. We warily scheduled a free consultation to discuss our issues and see whether she could help. After describing her methods, Anya reported that with Homeplay--exercises devised to help set new behavior patterns and sensitize partners to their mutual goals--couples were usually able to achieve improvement within six or more sessions. We decided to go for it as we had nothing to lose having tried everything we could think of on our own. Yes, professional guidance is expensive, but in our experience, it was completely worth it. With Anya's guidance, we learned how to open up to each other and address our issues for the first time. We learned how to navigate the differences in our case that are often fundamental to male and female arousal, and that made it easier to understand why we could never seem to get on the same page. Our goal was to break the deadlock we had found ourselves in and to increase our intimacy and have more joy from sex. With Anya's guidance, we feel we have succeeded in re-establishing the connection we had lost. We have rediscovered the ability to address and satisfy our mutual desires. It has not been a particularly simple or easy process to break the destructive cycle that we had found ourselves in after all those years, but Anya has given us tools to use going forward. Finally, it's reassuring knowing that we can always contact Anya for help and further guidance if we find ourselves falling back into old, destructive behaviors.

Anya is amazing! She listens and provides so much support and thoughtful expertise. We worked with…read moreher for a year and she was able to help us deepen our relationship and become better partners for each other. She creates a space where it is easy to talk about things that aren't necessarily easy to talk about. Thank you Anya!

Ananya is eloquent, attentive, smart, and holds space like few others. An outstanding professional…read morethat can contribute to your life in a myriad ways, and also an extraordinary human being. Very recommended.

I reached out to Ananya for help with some orgasm issues I was having. She guided me on a journey…read moreof understanding and awareness about myself that was filled with love, knowledge and beautiful energy. She helped me open my mind and make the connections within myself that have changed my life. I still have much to learn and do but I would encourage anyone who desires to understand their own mind and heart to work with her. David., Oakland

I began working with Darshana to better understand my relationship with intimacy and the experience…read morehas been incredibly meaningful. Darshana is kind, gentle, and creates a space that feels safe and supportive from the very beginning. Darshana's guidance is clear and intentional, helping me not just follow steps, but truly understand what's happening internally. All the while setting boundaries. Through our work together, I've been able to connect more deeply with myself and explore areas of growth that I hadn't fully acknowledged before. Which has also helped me become a better partner. What stood out most is how much Darshana genuinely encourages self-work and personal reflection. This isn't surface-level healing it's deep, thoughtful, and transformative. Darshana holds space in a way that feels both grounding and empowering. If you're looking to heal, reconnect with yourself, and explore your sexual spirit in a safe and guided way, I highly recommend starting with an intake, taking a class, signing up for her emails or engaging in one-on-one sessions with Darshana. It's an investment in yourself that's truly worth it.

Darshana has deeply impacted my life, my heart, and my leadership. The way I show up across all of…read moremy relationships, from the personal to the professional, has fundamentally shifted because of her. Her integrity and commitment to cultural sensitivity challenged me in ways no one else was willing to. Because she said the hard things, my entire company and my heart are better for it. Darshana is a true ally. You can feel the depth of her care and her willingness to show up with honesty and integrity. There is an immediate sense of trust with her, especially for those who have not always felt seen or respected. Because of her, I am learning how to be that kind of ally as well. Her work meets you at the core and expands how you show up in every part of your life. -- Melisa Keenan Intimacy Mentor and Founder of the Heart Open Publishing Enterprise

Working with Nicole was one of the best investments I've made in myself. She helped me create…read moremeaningful change across multiple areas of my life -- both personal and professional -- in a way that felt structured and achievable. She has a gift for listening without judgment and then translating insights into practical next steps. I appreciated how available and responsive she was, and how focused she stayed on helping me make measurable progress toward my goals. I'm incredibly grateful for her guidance and would absolutely recommend her to anyone ready to grow with intention.

I have been working with Nicole for a little over a year now. Though I felt her services to be…read morebeneficial to my daily life from the beginning, I feel that the longer I work with her, the more I can see and feel the benefit grow. The essence of our work together has been focused on discovering more ease for me in my life - focusing mostly on my work life, as I am self-employed and can easily allow my work to overwhelm me. I often reference past conversations I have had with Nicole when facing new moments of friction, and have no doubt that my life feels more easeful due to Nicole's help. I highly recommend her services to those who desire to smooth out the rough edges of their life.

I've been venting to Patricia for almost 6 months. She is very easy to talk to because she is such…read morea good listener. She has been helpful in getting me motivated to take care of myself and identify and get rid of toxic relationships. Having her outside point of view has been very beneficial.

Holy Wow! Trish has the deepest insight and keen intuition. Trish is so wise beyond her years…read morearound relationships and sexual connection. She offers such a safe nurturing way to communicate deeply and receive such a transformational breakthrough. Trish guides you to higher awareness within yourself and within understanding your patterns that are up. I have such gratitude for how Trish facilitates and holds loving presence with such intuitive guidance. Thank you for the breakthroughs you have given me with the sessions we have had.

Lisa is a listener - first, and an incredible sounding board on all topics. Her ability to engage…read morethe gamut of clinical topics is uncanny, which is rare to to find in a therapist. From relationships, spiritual growth, to yoga practices, I believe she truly is invested in her clients and provides points of reference to challenge and educate; helping expand and encourage growth within. I highly recommend her services. She's a gem.

I love Lisa - she's a gifted individual and couples therapist. When I first met her, I was moved…read moremy her warmth, presence and fierce intelligence. She has a real passion for and specializes in helping folks move through their struggles with addiction - and it's so hard to find someone really well trained in this field. She's got the experience and the energy to make a huge impact in the Bay Area!

I found Alison after looking for a relationship / dating coach after being out of the game for 12+…read moreyears and having some pretty bad experiences. Alison has a direct communication style which Im a big fan of, and made a lot of really good points that still stick with me today. I find most therapy sessions to be hit or miss but I felt all of my 1:1s with Alison I left with something to mull over and a new perspective on something I was thinking through. Shes well versed in Bay Area dating dynamics and id highly recommend for other busy professionals looking for feedback

I found Alison and clicked with her instantly. She is extremely knowledgable and knows how to help…read morechallenge me while maintaining a sense of real compassion. I couldnt praise her enough for helping me through a complicated time in my life while also coaching me to work on lifetime goals. I am super grateful to work with her.

No comment, I didn't enjoy the sessions at all, unfortunately very disappointed. I preferred Dr…read more Anya who is much more attentive

Dr. Alison is truly dedicated to the providing care for folks who want to learn more about…read morenavigating the complex world of sexuality and relationship dynamics. She creates a safe space and puts a lot thought into how to improve more vulnerable and intimate aspects of our lives. The workshop I attended lasted for 4 hours and I could tell that there was a lot of thought put into the material and a willingness to go the extra mile. I highly recommend Dr. Alison and encourage you to take the chance and open new doors to help unlock the things you really want in life.

The Wright Institute in Berkeley is a great place to receive affordable mental health services…read more It is a private graduate school of psychology specializing in educating clinicians and giving them real world experience before they become professional therapists. These students have done all the course work and need hours in the field of psychology before they get their licenses. I have a therapist I see once a week for part of their semester and it resolves in July. These students are educated and can help you through phase of life challenges. This is my second time receiving counseling and previously I received therapy 10 years ago. They charge on a sliding scale and offer some stability during challenging times. They also offer group therapy sessions and you may drop in whenever your schedule permits and the cost is $15 per session. Although I have not partaken in the group therapy sessions, I have heard many good things about them and considering joining a few. What I like a lot about the Wright Institue is I feel as though the students really try hard and seem to care very much with what you're going through and are very helpful to help you process what your priorities are and what you hope to gain from the therapy sessions. Finding a therapist in the real world is as challenging as finding your partner in life so it can take a while. That's why I feel that the Wright Institute is a great way to get started in therapy. They're located near UC Berkeley campus and the parking can be challenging. But there is affordable metered parking up and down Durant Street and the duration is for 2-4 hours.

I can't give more than two stars for what is, unfortunately without a doubt, the biggest financial…read moreand temporal mistake of my life. But it is not all the WI fault, it is more the field. I'm writing this for the prospective student considering application. Please deeply consider your options. It's what you think you want until you get it, and let me tell you why. When you get out, which is not your whole journey, (you still have post doc work to do), there is not a plethora of opportunities. Again, it's not just the WI- the value of the education is vastly overpriced. If you don't get a job at Kaiser, you will be swallowed by them. Private practice, and the prices you will need to pay back your loan, CEUs, and live in this area, are virtually (figuratively and literally) a thing of the past. It is not possible to compete with the low rates a therapist from Kaiser charges, and the unethical practices (group therapy for individual presenting problems, HIPPA legally thrown out the window, etc) they get away with. Apps like Better Help will have you making just above what a Door Dasher makes as they saturate the field with the most minimum license above dog catcher to populate their therapist offerings. Because of the ethics of the field, you cannot effectively advertise, and getting clients from senior psychologists comes at the price of a referral fee. You're coming into a field that sees us as pawns. I don't agree with other reviews about it being white- centric. When I went applications to internships on them said "People of color STRONGLY encouraged to apply." Mm hm. If you cannot find whatever solace you need dead-center in the most liberal city in the most liberal field in the nation/world, may I recommend applying instead to a kindergarten program. I had some beautiful kind souls that taught me here, and one or two who were not a good fit. But some glaring gaps- it never taught me the DSM, and it didn't prepare me for licensure. I passed, but that was all on me; perhaps that is the final test to see if you are ready, but I would have preferred a smoother bridge to licensure. Please learn from my mistake: I was once you.