The Bay Area Oppositional & Conduct Disorder Clinic is a multidisciplinary group of clinicians who provide treatment for oppositional children and adolescents in San Francisco, Marin, the East Bay, the Peninsula, the South Bay and Anywhere in California via Zoom. They are successful at building connections with parents and children/teens, help them to get along better, and repair their relationships.
For more information about the therapists in the clinic, read below:
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James Keim, LCSW - Director
James Keim, LCSW is the founder of Mimosa Therapeutics, Inc., which uses bioreactors to grow research grade, natural psilocybin, rather than the synthetic psilocybin which is most widespread. He was the clinical director for Jay Haley and Cloe Madanes, the developers of Strategic Family Therapy, has published his work on Oppositional Defiant Disorder, and heads the Institute for the Advancement of Psychotherapy's Oppositional and Conduct Disorder Clinic. James Keim in addition to teaching at the IAP, also teaches family therapy in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand. email: [email protected] |
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W. Keith Sutton, Psy.D. - Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Sutton has worked with difficult children and teens for over twelve years in family therapy, individual therapy, school counseling, a residential treatment program, a wilderness program, and shelters for teenagers. He trained with Jim Keim and utilizes his approach to treating difficult children. Dr. Sutton connects well with teens and supports parents in helping them reconnect with their child and restore harmony in their family. email: [email protected] |
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Davida Cohen, MFT
Davida Cohen works with families, couples, children and adults and has been teaching, training and supervising for 20 years. She has worked at the Family Institute of Pinole in the positions of Director of Training, and Clinical Director. She also holds an MA in Art and works with adults and children to bring out their potential in mindfulness, creativity and relationships. Her specialties include ADHD, spirited, acting out children as well as overly constricted, anxious or depressed children. Additionally she works with trauma and stress, adoption issues, and children and teen's behavioral difficulties. email: [email protected] |
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Laura Petracek, Ph.D.
Dr. Laura Petracek is the best-selling author of The Anger Management Workbook for Women (New Harbinger Publications, 2004). She earned her Doctorate in Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) in San Francisco and her Master’s in Social Work (MSW) from Yeshiva University in New York City. With over thirty years of experience in psychology and social work, Dr. Petracek has served as a Psychologist, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Clinical Director, and Executive Director. Her areas of expertise include anger dyscontrol, recovery from alcohol and substance use disorders, and trauma- particularly complex trauma. Dr. Petracek is deeply committed to issues of social justice, including addressing racism and inequities within the criminal justice system. Her interests also include feminist and gender issues, LGBTQ+ mental health (especially substance abuse and suicidality among LGBTQ+ youth), meditation, and yoga. She has extensive experience working with children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety, depression, and oppositional defiant disorder in Bay Area schools. email: [email protected] |
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Fabrizio Dellabernarda, LMFT - Marriage and Family Therapist
Fabrizio Dellabernarda is a marriage and family therapist who obtained his M.A. in Counseling Psychology at the University of San Francisco. He provides psychotherapy in San Francisco and online, in English and Italian. He strongly believes in the importance of looking at each person in his or her own context. He collaborates with his clients in identifying what is most important to them. He draws from his clients' strengths and offers guidance and skills to expand their repertoire of responses to align with their chosen values in the face of stressful emotions and situations. His approach and style in the therapy session comes from his life experience and the integration of multiple therapeutic orientations. He has trained in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Family Systems, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). He has worked at the Bay Area Community Counseling with Dr. Keith Sutton and at the Mental Research Institute in Palo Alto for the past 3+ years on issues such as depression, anxiety disorders (including OCD), complex trauma and PTSD, ADHD, behavioral issues with adolescents and their families, relationships problems, and problems with life transitions. He is active in the LGBTQ+ community and co-facilitates a group of aging gay men with HIV. email: [email protected] |
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Liliana Casas Hernandez, LMFT - Marriage and Family Therapist
Liliana Casas Hernandez, Licensed Marriage family therapist considers it a great honor to be able to serve kids, children, teens and parents. For the past 17 years, she has been providing comprehensive counseling services to children and teens, parents and groups from diverse cultural backgrounds in different settings. This has included all levels of education from preschool to high school, hospital settings, non-profits, outpatient programs and victims of crime. She uses an integrative approach that includes EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Emotionally Focused Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. With children, she has used Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) for preschoolers and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). Liliana understands that the gift of parenting brings both tremendous joy and challenges. She strives to support parents in exploring and identifying opportunities that invite their children in experiencing the best of who they are. Liliana works collaboratively with parents in understanding their child's strengths and temperament in order to address barriers that are impacting their child's ability to maximize their potential. Liliana believes that learning is continuous throughout life; there is always the possibility of growing and overcoming challenges. Being in a family means collaborating as a team, learning from each other and discovering what each member brings to the family. Email: LilianaCasasHernandez@difficultchildbayarea.com |
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Lianne Warren, MFT -
Lianne Warren is a Marriage and Family Therapist who received her Master’s in Counseling Psychology from University of San Francisco and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from University of Oregon. Her experiences as a school based therapist have provided her opportunities to work with children, families, couples, and adults. During her clinical experiences, she has addressed a wide variety of concerns, including troubled relationships, parenting, behavioral modification, anxiety, depression, loss and life transitions. Lianne’s own life experiences have provided her with an understanding that life at times can be challenging, and that having support during difficult times can be helpful. As a result, she strives to develop therapeutic relationships that are based on trust and empathy in order to assist clients to identify solutions and to make positive change in a collaborative manner. In recognition that clients enter therapy with their own unique set of experiences, strengths and goals for therapy, she utilizes an integrative approach that includes evidence based practices such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Structural-Strategic Family Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, Gottman’s Couple Therapy, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), and Mindfulness based psychotherapies. Email: LianneWarren@difficultchildbayarea.com |
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Yi Zhao Martins, LMFT - Marriage and Family Therapist
Yi Zhao Martins, LMFT is committed to helping clients get in touch with their own reality, to accept their unique personality and that of others, and to successfully integrate the client(s) into their family, social circle and society at large. Yi has extensive experience working with children in school settings, during transitions, and between households. She is highly intuitive in seeing the inner child in her clients with compassion, warmth, and clarity, and supporting them to integrate all parts of the self. Yi is a lifetime learner, who holds a Bachelor of Arts in Law, a Master of Arts in Law, and a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology. She graduated from Dr. Alicia Lieberman’s one-year training program of Parent-Child Therapy by UCSF Child Trauma Research Program. She is actively learning and practicing Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and System-Centered Therapy (SCT). Yi loves getting to know her clients and developing individualized therapeutic plans towards clients’ goals. Her areas of specialty include ADHD, PTSD, and anxiety. She uses an integrative approach that includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Therapy, Somatic Psychotherapy, System-Centered Therapy (SCT), Parent-Child Therapy (PCT), Play Therapy, Developmental Transformation, Expressive Arts Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). As a long-term meditation and yoga practitioner, Yi uses mindfulness practices to nurture her own physical and emotional wellbeing. Her invaluable intuition and calm demeanor will surely be of benefit to her clients. Email: YiZhaoMartins@difficultchildbayarea.com |
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Karrie Stafford, Ph.D, LMFT
Karrie Stafford is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and holds a doctorate in Art Therapy Psychology. She has practiced psychotherapy for nearly 20 years, providing evidence based treatment for couples, families and youth. In addition to Structural and Strategic Family Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Karrie has extensive training and experience with Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). DBT focuses on the development of mindfulness skills, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Her work supports individuals, couples and families through difficult transitions, managing challenging behaviors and coping with mental health symptoms. Karrie has taught Marriage and Family Therapy and Art Therapy students at the Masters and Doctoral levels at Notre Dame de Namur University, and has provided continuing education and licensing preparation trainings for MFT Interns and Associate Social Workers. She has worked as an administrator and clinical supervisor for a Short Term Residential Treatment Facility serving adolescents with serious mental health issues and complex trauma. Karrie's approach is curious, non judgmental and skills based. Email: [email protected] |
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Cristina Carter, LMFT - Marriage and Family Therapist
Cristina, or Tina, is a bi-racial native to San Francisco who completed her graduate degree in Portland, OR. She works with adolescents to provide individual and family therapy in a variety of situations. Tina has experience working in high schools and in mental health services at the YMCA of SF for youth and families. Tina values authenticity in her approach to supporting a range of issues including transition and change, trauma (specific, complex, intergenerational), anxiety, identity, family conflict, depressed mood, and motivation. She draws from a combination of therapeutic models to increase a sense of control and find peace through adversity, and works from the foundation that people exist in their relationships to others. Email: [email protected] |
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Kellie Brown, LMFT - Marriage and Family Therapist
Kellie Brown, LMFT, gained her degree from the CAMFT accredited program at Touro University. With a strong commitment to support clients who struggle with anxiety, depression, major-life transition, trauma, parenting questions, and relationship instability, she has been focusing on developing her skills in treating those with the unique challenges of ADHD. Enjoying a blended family of her own, Kellie understands that our relationships end up shaping our view of ourselves and others in both beautiful and broken ways. She endorses any therapist who can help you align your values and your choices, to live more resiliently and more compassionately, so that you are able to pursue the relationships you want with the integrity you desire. Kellie’s ambition is to collaborate with clients toward the outcomes that best resonate with their journey of healing and wholeness, leading individuals and families to a life of vitality and fulfillment, and producing enduring relationships. Choosing to engage in therapy can be the first step toward claiming the life you deserve Email: [email protected] |
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Ruby Wara-Goss, LCSW -
Ruby (she/her/hers) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who brings a decade of experience supporting youth, young adults, caregivers, families, and individuals navigate loss and attachment ruptures, anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma, family conflict, life stressors, and the life cycle. Ruby approaches her sessions with warmth, humility, and a strengths-based lens, valuing collaboration, authenticity, and creativity. Ruby draws upon multiple therapeutic approaches including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), psychodynamic therapy, attachment-based science, family systems, eye movement desensitization reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems (IFS), mindfulness practices, harm reduction principles, non-violent communication, Gottman methodology, emotionally focussed therapy (EFT), the nurtured heart approach, and play therapy. Recently, she has also been SPACE trained. SPACE is a caregiver-based treatment for childhood and adolescent anxiety and OCD. Ruby received her Master of Social Work from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College-CUNY in NYC. Ruby has primarily worked in community mental health and forensic social work, with a strong focus in family therapy, individual therapy, caregiver support, and crisis intervention. Ruby has blended family, mental health, and social/economic justice roots in the Bay Area, which have contributed to her guiding belief that through the process of healing ourselves and each other, the healthier and more equitable our communities and world can become. When not relishing in her steadfast love of the Bay, Ruby can be found gardening, crafting, attending live music performances, playing non-competitive soccer, watching documentaries, petting dogs, and trying to leave the world a little better than she found it. Email: [email protected] |
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Brittany Woodward, LMFT - Marriage and Family Therapist
Brittany Woodward, LMFT, specializes in working with adolescents, young adults, and adults, providing individual and family therapy. With a client-centered approach, Brittany values and respects each individual's autonomy, empowering them to create positive changes in their lives. She integrates evidence-based techniques and theories, including cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, and is currently undergoing training in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). These approaches allow her to effectively support individuals in healing and growing from past traumatic experiences, managing and overcoming anxiety and depression, breaking long-standing family patterns, and gaining a deeper sense of self and meaning in their lives. Through these modalities, she has been successful at working in high acuity settings for the treatment of depression, anxiety, substance use, trauma, relationships, and self-esteem. Brittany firmly believes in the power of science and human connection to bring about transformation and change. In her practice, she brings warmth, a genuine desire to fully understand her clients, and the occasional crack at humor. Recognizing that therapy is not a one-size-fits-all approach, Brittany is dedicated to fostering a therapeutic environment that allows individuals to see and recognize their potential and bring about a sense of empowerment within their lives. Email: [email protected] |
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Asher Kaufman, LCSW- Licensed Social Worker
Bringing together a mix of therapeutic methods, Asher Kaufman, LCSW, helps individuals and families on their journey to healing and self-growth, specializing in providing tailored strategies and support to help individuals navigate through life's challenges, fostering resilience and empowering clients to regain control over their lives. With a master's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Asher is dedicated to offering the highest quality tele-therapy, ensuring accessibility for clients all across California. Known for his warm and straightforward style, he focuses on tapping into clients' strengths to tackle challenges head-on, including providing specialized interventions to help individuals and families understand and manage Oppositional Defiance Disorder, fostering healthy communication and cooperation within the family dynamic. Email: [email protected] |
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Matthew Rensi, Ph. D., LPCC - Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
Matthew is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor who also holds a Ph. D. in counselor education and supervision. He has extensive experience providing therapy to people struggling with ADHD, anxiety, trauma and ODD. In addition to this, he provides trainings throughout US on various aspects of mental health treatment including assessment, individual therapy, and safety/crisis situations. He is an adjunct professor at Western Seminary. Matt also actively researches the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders using linguistic analysis, as well as how AI can be used in the counseling field. Email: [email protected] |
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Jessica Decker, LMFT - Bilingual Licensed Marriage Family Therapist
Jessica is deeply committed to helping clients of all ages feel heard, understood, and empowered. She specializes in intercultural and health psychology and has a real gift for creating a warm, non-judgmental space where her clients can work through their challenges. Whether she’s supporting individuals or families, she makes it a priority to truly connect, listen deeply, and tailor her approach to meet each person's unique needs. Jessica earned her degree from the University René Descartes in Paris, France, and is fluent in French, Spanish, and Portuguese. She works from a strength-based and attachment perspective, always considering the role of family and community in a person’s life. She has a special passion for working with families, especially mothers and children, and is dedicated to helping them advocate for their rights and navigate life’s obstacles with confidence and resilience. Jessica also integrates her belief in the mind-body connection into her practice, often incorporating somatic techniques to help clients feel more grounded and connected to themselves. Her approach draws from a variety of therapeutic models, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and somatic practices, allowing her to personalize her work to each client's journey. She works closely with both children and their families to address oppositional behaviors. She uses a combination of behavioral strategies and parent coaching to reduce conflict, improve communication, and create a more peaceful home environment. Email: [email protected] |
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Terri Moser, LMFT
Terri Moser is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist dedicated to supporting individuals on their healing journeys with compassion and expertise. Certified in EMDR, IFS, and Accelerated Resolution Therapy (A.R.T.) to help clients navigate anxiety, depression, and relationship challenges. Terri’s personal experience with trauma fuels her passion for this work, and she strives to offer support and understanding to all her clients, knowing firsthand that healing can sometimes feel overwhelming. In addition to her trauma-focused practice, she has experience in children’s play therapy, Sandtray therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and ADHD testing, as well as specialized training in EMDR for children. Terri's goal is to provide a safe space where clients can explore their emotions, build resilience, and move toward greater peace and fulfillment. Email: [email protected] |
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Jeffrey Bettencourt, LEP, LMFT, LPCC - Marriage and Family Therapist
Jeff’s 30+ years as a therapist, evaluator and consultant provides his clients a pragmatic, compassionate, and integrated approach to life’s challenges. Jeff utilizes standardized assessments, therapeutic educational structure, proven clinical interventions and techniques, providing a nurturing, yet challenging sessions. Jeff’s supportive, yet direct approach ensures clients will experience a safe, structured, purposeful driven sessions, integrated with care, wisdom, and clinical expertise. Email: [email protected] |
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Anna Craig, Ph.D - Psychologist
Anna Craig, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist licensed in California who specializes in assessing and treating individuals with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). She has experience training and supervising doctoral psychology interns in adult ADHD assessments in a university counseling center setting. She provides remote assessments for ADHD at the Institute for Advancement of Psychotherapy (IAP). In addition to administering a comprehensive set of diagnostic tests, Dr. Craig puts great care into tailoring each assessment report to the individual. She recognizes the importance of treatment recommendations or the “now what?" question that comes out an ADHD diagnosis (or lack thereof), with the goal that each client leaves the assessment experience feeling more self-aware and empowered for their next step in personal growth. Email: [email protected] |
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Juliane Brown, LMFT
Julie is a Marriage and Family Therapist who has served in the mental health field for 13 years. She received her MA in Counseling Psychology from The Wright Institute in Berkeley. Julie seeks to create a warm and collaborative environment with clients. She has worked with clients that demonstrate a variety of challenges such as depression, trauma, anxiety and ADHD. She seeks to highlight clients' strengths and capacities to overcome adversity while sorting through the issues. Specifically with ADHD, she strives to help clients thrive in their particular contexts, especially in areas of organization, emotion regulation, and interpersonal skills. Working from several modalities, she taps into Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and systems theory as she assists her clients in gaining more self-awareness and feeling more connected in their relationships. Email: [email protected] |
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Anne Robert, LMFT
Anne, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, works with individuals and adolescents navigate a variety of issues, including ADHD, anxiety, depression, loss and grief, as well as life transitions. Anne comes from a background in Science and Research, and began the clinical path as a Mediator. She now has a BA in Psychology and two Masters degrees, one in Counseling Psychology and one in Research Psychology. Anne believes that entering therapy is a brave act of self love, and by working with a trained therapist, you can make the changes needed to live a happier and more fulfilling life. Email: [email protected] |
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Brook Cardenas, Psy.D
Dr. Brook Cardenas is a licensed clinical psychologist devoted to helping children and adolescents navigate life's challenging transitions. Brook is passionate about facilitating children's secure attachments to their caregivers and grow into well-adjusted adults. Brook specializes in family therapy (including what is sometimes called "reunification therapy"), co-parent counseling, and child-centered play therapy. Drawing on training in EMDR, DBT, Child-Parent Relationship Therapy, and other evidence based treatments, Brook offers compassion, structure, and clarity to all families, including those experiencing separation and divorce, even high-conflict, court-mandated cases. Guided by the belief that all people strive toward healing and growth, she is committed to helping families in any configuration strengthen relationships and find stable ground. Email: [email protected] |
BAY AREA CENTER FOR
OPPOSITIONAL & CONDUCT DISORDER
Providing Trusted, Compassionate, Effective Therapy
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San Francisco • Marin • East Bay • Peninsula • South Bay • Anywhere in California via Zoom
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email
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[email protected] |
phone
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(415) 448-6170
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