Extremely kind and caring staff, they made the environment super comfortable and a safe space to be…read moreyourself!

I started treatment at A Step Forward this past May. I felt…read morean immediate comfort being there, from the welcoming by Diana in the front office, to my primary therapist Caprice Haverty MD. Since working with Caprice, she has enlightened my struggling life, and treats me with care and concern, but moreso, has been recently helping acquire special services with Kaiser Permanente by speaking to certain doctor's on my behalf about needing a 'medically necessary' medication, all the while, while she has been on vacation! And! with her help I was approved to receive the services needed through Kaiser! This is the quality of services you receive from A Step Forward/Caprice Haverty. They care about your well-being and success in life! I look forward to continue working with Caprice and her staff, indefinitely.

Had the absolute worst experience with this office. Tried to make an appointment over 2 weeks ago…read moreby calling during normal business hours. His assistant didn't answer. Got a call back from her and she told me she had to look into how to get me scheduled in, but that she would call back soon. She didn't call me back. I called to follow up with her and she said that she was going to look into it that day and that I should receive a call from her in the next 1-2 days to get scheduled. Over a week later and NO CALL back. I called them back again and it has been a few days and she has still not returned my calls. I had been waiting to book an appointment with them and they wasted my time for over 2 WEEKS. I wanted to see Dr. Aldava because of the great yelp reviews he received, but the lack of professionalism and poor service by his assistant has completely turned me off from this place. I can't speak to how Dr. Aldava is as a clinician, but his assistant is horribly incompetent. Dr. Aldava, if you care about getting new patients and not WASTING THEIR TIME I suggest you get a new assistant immediately. If you don't care then keep doing what you're doing. I wouldn't recommend this office to anyone.

I started seeing Dr Aldava when I was getting stressed out with all the care-giving I was doing for…read moremy mom, in addition to all the everyday stuff we all have to do. He really had some good insights and ways of coping with my stress that I still use. I relied on him for a lot of support through my mom's death and he's been a huge help dealing with my feelings and thoughts. I recommend him unreservedly.

Working with Caree Brown has already been a truly hopeful and meaningful experience for me and my…read moretwo adult children. We've participated in both family sessions and individual sessions, and one thing we all agree on is that she gives us hope. Her approach and techniques have been very useful so far, and even in this early stage, we can already see a light at the end of the tunnel. After meeting with her, we feel encouraged, supported, and optimistic about the healing work ahead. Caree is an excellent therapist from what I can tell, and I genuinely feel that we are in good hands. I'm grateful for her guidance and truly look forward to the growth, healing, and progress we will continue to make together. Highly recommend.

Caree Brown has been such a grounding, transformative presence in my life and relationship. She has…read morethis rare gift of holding a ton of space while also lovingly calling you out when it's needed-- never harsh, always with so much care and clarity. My partner and I have grown so much through our work with her. She helps us slow down, see our patterns, communicate more honestly, and actually understand each other. Every session feels supportive, straightforward, and deeply insightful. What I appreciate most is how safe she makes the room feel. She stays present, attuned, and genuinely invested. You can feel that she wants you to succeed; not just as a couple, but as individuals trying to show up better for yourselves and each other. Working with her has grounded our relationship in ways we didn't even realize we needed. I'm so grateful we found her. If you're looking for a couples therapist who is wise, compassionate, and isn't afraid to tell the truth with love... go see Caree. She's truly exceptional.

Whitney is all of the things I needed in a therapist but never experienced. I wasn't so sure after…read moreour first session if I'd be returning for a second as she offered something I wasn't ready to accept- someone who accepted me as me and created a loving, safe place for me to just be me. We joke about it all these years later, but coming back for those follow up sessions would be exactly what I needed and truthfully, what I was lacking in my life. Whitney embodies compassion, care, empathy, and love and provides the safety of allowing me to show up as I am on any given day ready to help me unpack whatever I bring her. I came to her at a point in my life when I had shattered as a person. She has been by my side through some incredibly challenging times and there isn't anyone else that I would want in my corner when life happens. Whitney is an incredible therapist. If you are looking for someone who will see you as you are, accept you as you are, and who will walk by your side as you navigate the triumphs and challenges life throws at you, she is the one you need. I think she's pretty amazing and am thankful for her every day.

A few years ago, I found myself at dark point in my life. After a whirlwind of an 8 years in which…read moreI lost some of the most important people in my life, in addition to the pandemic and the ramifications of it, I knew it was time to seek help. I tried one avenue, but it just didn't work. So I went on a search for a different therapist. And that search went on day after day, hour after hour. I spoke to some, but nothing ever felt like it was the right fit. Until one day, when I was feeling defeated, I stumbled upon Whitney. I took a look at her website and read her reviews and felt hopeful for the first time in days. From the moment I first spoke to Whitney, I knew she was the one to help me. Two years later, and I can say with absolute certainty that choosing Whitney to be my therapist was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Whitney is compassionate, thoughtful, and incredibly knowledgeable. She knows how to create a warm, comfortable and supportive environment where you feel safe to tell her all your thoughts and feelings. She's patient and kind, and never gives up on finding ways to help you. She has been such a positive light in my life, and has helped me overcome so much. While I'm still a work in progress, it's all thanks to Whitney that I have made it this far. And that is why I recommend and will always recommend Whitney. If you're looking for someone to help you get back onto the path to happiness, you've found her.

I started my therapy with Matthew in early November last year. In the beginning I started couples…read moretherapy which later evolved into one on one therapy with just me. I'll admit I did not feel or wanted to be in therapy the first 2 sessions. It was after further evaluation and Matthews EMDR therapy, I then realized how significant his help was. Matthew is very welcoming, knowledgeable, and professional. I felt safe and comfortable since day 1. He helped me out with my PTSD in steps and after months of weekly therapy, I can say my traumas that I have experienced don't bother me like they use to. My only regret is not seeing someone way earlier, but Matthew has helped and teach me how to overcome. I highly recommend Matthew services.

Matt was there for me when my life imploded. I am extremely grateful to him for catching me,…read moreguiding me through the process of moving on when my partner of 29 years, spouse of 25 years decided completely out of the blue to break up with me in what was supposed to be a session to figure out why my avoidant husband was withdrawing, why he was unhappy. Thank you, Matt.

Gerri was instrumental in my success with a recent medical procedure. I suffer from extreme anxiety…read moreand fear with most medical situations and I sought out Gerri's help with overcoming these fears prior to my unexpected surgery. While I didn't have time to get as many sessions as I probably needed (the surgery was scheduled the following week), my session with Gerri was so relaxing and comforting. She was warm, welcoming, and completely understanding of my fears, which many other people in the past have given me a hard time about or dismissed, including a medical doctor. With the help of her therapy and the tools she provided, I was able to channel my anxiety and overcome the fear to make it through the procedure with less upset and less distress. Truthfully, I was skeptical at first, but pursued hypnotherapy after being encouraged to try it by my physician and my husband; I am so glad I did!! I truly thank you for all of your help, Gerri!!

I saw Gerry about 9 years ago since I had a series of great experience seeing a famous…read morehypnotherapist in Chicago who resolved my sleep disorder, which I've heard is not easy to resolve. He told me that I was a great patient for hypnotherapy.. having a serious issue resolved in the most part in one session. I continued to see him and needed to listen to his recordings while I fell asleep. I am a total believe in hypnotherapy so I looked for someone in the east bay and Gerry was one of several practitioners I tried. Unfortunately, her session did nothing for any of the issues I came in for. I'm glad that others I belng helped by Gerry.. goes to show that people will be helped by different hypnotherapists. She could have also improved on her techniques : )

If what you need is a therapist who will ghost you after talking on the phone and setting up a…read morevirtual meeting for a few days later, well Terry is for you. If what you're actually looking for is a therapist who will follow-up with what they say and treat you with a little grace and respect, I suggest you look elsewhere.

I would see Terry during periods when I felt most anxious. Terry's calm, centered and thoughtful…read moreresponses, were just what I needed. I highly recommend her. Jerry K.

Terry Linscott, licensed family and marriage counselor, is just the right type of knowledgeable and…read morecaring individual that you can trust to guide you through the most difficult times. She is warm and engaging. Her style of counseling works well with all types of personalities. Appointments are easy to make and she is very responsive to telephone messages. Working out a payment schedule or dealing with your insurance is not a problem. The center is conveniently located off a main boulevard and public transportation. The facility is clean and quiet. It's a very comfortable atmosphere.

I just ended my couples appointments with Terry Linscott after two months. I did this because I…read morerarely felt heard by her and often felt like she was disregarding my feelings. Most of the sessions ended with me feeling really upset and frustrated and my husband feeling unsure of what to do next. I should say he liked it more than I did. I also never felt like she gave us any tools or structure that would help us with our issues. Most sessions just rambled about til the hour was over and then we would do the same next week. There was rarely anything to take away from it all. In addition, to me it felt very lopsided - we spent a lot of time focusing on making sure my husband felt heard and when I finally expressed to her that I wasn't feeling heard she didn't even stop to process or consider it. She did say "Fine I'll listen now" but after a month of feeling that way, just to get such a curt response with no reflection or explanation sealed the deal for me. We both ultimately felt that we gained very little from the experience. We will be looking for a new therapist.

Reached out to Jessica a few months back because I was dealing with some issues in my life and…read morewanted to get some perspective/advice from a professional. She's awesome. Easy to talk to. Great listener. Makes you feel very comfortable from the first minutes in her office. She helped me immensely. It's hard to make that first step when reaching out to a therapist. I am so glad I contacted Jessica. Highly recommend her!

I have seen Jessica for roughly 4 years. I had gone through the process of seeing a few different…read moretherapists prior to finding Jessica looking for someone that was the right fit. It is important to have someone you are comfortable talking to about most anything and Jessica was that person for me. She has helped me through a difficult divorce along with the everyday challenges that life brings raising children. I would say that she is more than a therapist to me as I feel like she has become a type of life coach as well. She helps me process what is going on in my life in a way that leads to me making decisions that I am not going to regret later. I have learned a great deal from Jessica and I believe that my time with her over the years has made me a better person. I would recommend her to anyone.

Gretchen Fluegel at The Amen Clinic is amazing. She is always on top of the clients' needs and…read moreis extremely timely in her responses to my (sometimes) desperate and untimely requests or questions. Whether it is refill for my meds or help with the patient portal; I can always count on her to get back to me quickly. She is upbeat, caring, and personable. I'm not sure what the clinic or I would do without her, but I hope we won't have to ever find out!!! Thank you and God bless you, Gretchen. Lynn M

I agree with the other reviewer from 5 months ago who stated "I had the distinct displeasure of…read moredealing with Bianca at the Walnut Creek Clinic" she treated me the exact same way- cutting me off, shouting over me, not listening to what I was asking of her & the icing on the cake: she transferred me to the Costa Mesa clinic simply because I had questions about what other imaging modes besides qEEG & SPECT are used by the doctors & noctors at Amen Clinics. I cannot believe they charge as much money as they do & they talk to people like they are at a medicaid community clinic.