Therapy by Tsveta
Many of the people I work with are thoughtful, self-aware, and deeply caring — yet still find themselves struggling internally or repeating patterns that no longer serve them.
As a therapist, I offer you a supportive, nonjudgmental space to slow down, build self-understanding, and develop healthier ways of relating to yourself and others.
Whether you are seeking relief from emotional distress, clarity during a period of change, or deeper connection and authenticity in your relationships, our work together can help you move toward greater balance, resilience, and self-compassion.
I am deeply committed to addressing and supporting individuals facing various challenges, including:
Anxiety and persistent worry
Bereavement and all forms of loss
Bipolar spectrum and other mood-related conditions
Challenges faced by stay-at-home caregivers
Complex trauma and post-traumatic stress
Codependency and boundaries violation
Depression and low mood
Difficulties with parents or caregivers, past or present
Family estrangement and disconnection
Family tension and interpersonal conflict
Infidelity and trust betrayal
Loss due to suicide
Navigating career changes later in life
Parenting concerns and parent–child dynamics
Pre-marital counseling and marital challenges
Relationship challenges and patterns
Self-worth, confidence, and identity
Separation, divorce, and relationship transitions
Stress and strategies for managing it
Thoughts of suicide and emotional crisis
Unique stressors affecting mental health professionals
Women’s mental health and life transitions
We may be the best fit if you find yourself feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected from yourself, your relationships, or the life you want to be living.
I work with individuals and couples who are navigating a wide range of emotional and relational challenges, including:
Relationship concerns, such as communication difficulties, recurring conflict, trust issues, or feeling unseen or misunderstood
Life transitions and changes, including immigration and cultural adjustment, career shifts, relationship changes, parenthood, or identity exploration
Codependency and people-pleasing, difficulty setting boundaries, or patterns of putting others’ needs before your own
Perfectionism, self-criticism, and high internal pressure that leads to burnout, anxiety, or feeling “never enough”
Anxiety and depression, including chronic worry, emotional heaviness, numbness, or loss of meaning and direction
Specialities
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Relationships can feel deeply connecting—and at times, confusing, painful, or exhausting. Struggles in relationships don’t mean you’re failing; they often reflect unmet needs, stress, or patterns learned over time.
You may notice:
Repeated arguments or feeling misunderstood
Difficulty expressing needs or emotions
Feeling distant, disconnected, or lonely in relationship
Fear of conflict, abandonment, or rejection
In your body, relationship stress can show up as:
Tension, tightness, or anxiety around interactions
Emotional shutdown or feeling overwhelmed
Fatigue or heightened stress before or after conflict
In daily life, it might look like:
Avoiding difficult conversations
People-pleasing or over-functioning
Pulling away, shutting down, or becoming reactive
Repeating the same painful patterns despite wanting change
If any of this feels familiar, you’re not broken—and your relationship isn’t beyond help.
Many relationship challenges are rooted in attachment, past experiences, and unspoken needs.
Therapy offers a supportive space to slow down, improve communication, and create healthier, more connected ways of relating—to others and to yourself.
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Anxiety doesn’t always look like panic.
It can quietly shape how you think, feel, and move through your day.
You may notice:
• Constant worry or overthinking
• Feeling tense, on edge, or overwhelmed
• Difficulty focusing or making decisions
• Irritability or a sense of dread
In your body, anxiety can show up as:
• Tight chest, racing heart, or shortness of breath
• Muscle tension, headaches, or stomach discomfort
• Fatigue, shakiness, or restlessness
In daily life, it might look like:
• Avoiding certain situations or conversations
• Trouble sleeping or relaxing
• Procrastination, over-preparing, or perfectionism
• Difficulty saying no or setting boundaries
If any of this feels familiar, you’re not broken—and you’re not alone.
Anxiety is a common response to stress, life transitions, and past experiences. With support, it can soften.
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Depression doesn’t always look like sadness.
Sometimes it shows up as numbness, exhaustion, or a quiet loss of interest in things that once mattered.
You may notice:
• Feeling down, empty, or emotionally flat
• Loss of motivation or pleasure
• Ongoing self-criticism or feelings of guilt
• Hopelessness or feeling stuck
In your body, depression can show up as:
• Low energy or constant fatigue
• Changes in sleep (too much or too little)
• Changes in appetite or weight
• Feeling slowed down or heavy
In daily life, it might look like:
• Pulling away from others or isolating
• Difficulty keeping up with responsibilities
• Trouble concentrating or making decisions
• Letting go of routines or self-care
If any of this feels familiar, you’re not weak—and you’re not alone.
Depression is a real and human response to loss, stress, and overwhelm. With support, it can ease.
Therapy can help you reconnect, find steadier ground, and begin to feel like yourself again.
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Grief is not something to “get over.”
It’s a natural response to loss—and it can show up in many ways, often when you least expect it.
You may notice:
Waves of sadness, longing, or emptiness
Feeling numb, disconnected, or emotionally overwhelmed
Guilt, anger, or “what if” thoughts
A sense that life feels different or unfamiliar
In your body, grief can show up as:
Fatigue or low energy
Tightness in the chest or throat
Changes in sleep or appetite
Aches, heaviness, or restlessness
In daily life, it might look like:
Difficulty concentrating or remembering things
Withdrawing from others or feeling isolated
Struggling to return to routines or responsibilities
Feeling pressure to “move on” before you’re ready
If any of this feels familiar, you’re not doing grief wrong—and you’re not alone.
There is no timeline for grief, and no single way to mourn.
Therapy offers a supportive space to honor your loss, make sense of your experience, and gently find your way forward—at your own pace.
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Complex trauma often comes from repeated or long-term experiences of feeling unsafe, unseen, or overwhelmed—especially in relationships. It’s not always about one event, and it’s not a sign of weakness.
You may notice:
Strong emotional reactions that feel hard to control
Shame, self-blame, or a harsh inner critic
Difficulty trusting others or feeling close
Feeling stuck, numb, or disconnected from yourself
In your body, complex trauma can show up as:
Chronic tension, pain, or fatigue
Feeling constantly on edge or easily startled
Trouble sleeping or calming your nervous system
Feeling shut down, frozen, or overwhelmed
In daily life, it might look like:
People-pleasing or fear of conflict
Difficulty setting boundaries or asking for help
Repeating painful relationship patterns
Feeling like you’re always “too much” or “not enough”
If any of this resonates, nothing is wrong with you.
These responses often developed to help you survive difficult experiences.
Trauma-informed therapy offers a compassionate space to build safety, understand your patterns, and reconnect with yourself—at a pace that feels right for you.
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Caring deeply about others is not the problem.
When your needs consistently come last, or your sense of self feels tied to others’ moods or approval, it may be a sign that boundaries are hard to hold.
You may notice:
Difficulty saying no or feeling guilty when you do
A strong need to please others or keep the peace
Fear of disappointing others or being rejected
Losing touch with your own needs, wants, or feelings
In your body, boundary stress can show up as:
Chronic tension, fatigue, or burnout
Anxiety before or after interactions
A feeling of heaviness, resentment, or emotional overload
In daily life, it might look like:
Taking responsibility for others’ emotions or problems
Over-giving while feeling unappreciated
Staying in relationships that feel one-sided or draining
Feeling responsible for fixing or rescuing others
If any of this feels familiar, you’re not weak—and you’re not doing relationships wrong.
These patterns often develop as ways to stay connected or safe in important relationships.
Therapy can help you reconnect with yourself, clarify your needs, and build boundaries that support both closeness and self-respect.
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Being motivated and capable doesn’t protect you from stress.
For many students, (especially Cal students), the pressure to succeed can quietly turn into anxiety, burnout, or self-doubt.
You may notice:
Constant pressure to perform or fear of falling behind
Harsh self-criticism or feeling like you’re never doing enough
Difficulty resting without guilt
Comparing yourself to others or feeling like an impostor
In your body, academic stress can show up as:
Exhaustion or burnout
Trouble sleeping or racing thoughts at night
Headaches, stomach issues, or tension
Feeling on edge or overwhelmed
In daily life, it might look like:
Overworking, perfectionism, or procrastination
Difficulty balancing academics with relationships or self-care
Avoiding breaks or feeling disconnected from enjoyment
Losing motivation despite high effort
If any of this feels familiar, you’re not failing—you’re under pressure.
These struggles are common in high-achieving environments and don’t reflect your worth or potential.
Therapy offers a supportive space to manage stress, quiet the inner critic, and build a more sustainable, compassionate relationship with achievement.
Individual Therapy
Like a dandelion carried by the wind, life can sometimes pull us in unexpected directions. You may feel scattered, weighed down, or unsure where you belong. Therapy offers a steady place to pause, gather yourself, and reconnect with what matters most.
I offer individual therapy for young adults and adults using an integrative approach, gently blending different therapeutic methods to support your unique journey. Together, we tend to both what feels present and what lies beneath—helping you understand your patterns, strengthen your roots, and create space for growth.
Our work may include mindfulness and body awareness, emotion-focused and cognitive strategies, attachment-based exploration, and trauma-informed care—always guided by your needs and pace.
Therapy can support you with:
Anxiety, stress, and emotional overload
Depression, burnout, or feeling stuck
Life transitions, identity shifts, and self-discovery
Relationship challenges and boundaries
Healing from past experiences, grief, or loss
My intention is to provide a calm, supportive space where you feel safe, seen, and gently encouraged to grow.
Like the dandelion, resilience often emerges quietly—through care, patience, and trust in your own inner wisdom.
Family Therapy
Families are living systems, shaped by growth, change, and the environments around them. Like dandelions with many seeds connected to a single root, each family member carries their own experiences, emotions, and ways of coping—yet all remain deeply intertwined. When stress, transitions, or conflict arise, those connections can feel strained or scattered.
Family therapy offers a supportive space to slow down, understand one another more fully, and restore balance within the family system. I work with families using an integrative approach that honors each person’s voice while also attending to the patterns that shape the family as a whole.
Together, we explore communication styles, emotional needs, family roles, and the unspoken stories that influence how you relate to one another. Drawing from attachment-based, emotion-focused, and trauma-informed approaches, our work supports greater clarity, compassion, and resilience—helping families strengthen their connections and move forward with greater understanding and care.
Family therapy can support families in:
Improving communication and reducing conflict
Navigating life transitions such as separation, blending families, relocation, or illness
Strengthening parent–child and sibling relationships
Understanding and shifting unhelpful family patterns or roles
Supporting children or teens through emotional or behavioral challenges
Healing from stress, loss, or past relational wounds
Creating a more connected, supportive, and emotionally safe family environment.
Couples Therapy
Relationships, like dandelions in the wind, move through changing seasons. At times you may feel closely connected and grounded; at other moments, distance, tension, or miscommunication can leave you feeling unsure of how to find your way back to one another. Couples therapy offers a supportive space to pause, listen, and reconnect.
I offer couples therapy using an integrative approach, thoughtfully blending therapeutic methods to support your relationship’s unique rhythm. Together, we explore patterns of communication, emotional needs, and the unspoken stories that shape how you relate—while strengthening the roots of trust, understanding, and care.
Our work may include emotion-focused and attachment-based approaches, mindful communication, and trauma-informed support, helping you navigate conflict with greater clarity and compassion.
Couples therapy can support you in:
Improving communication and emotional connection
Navigating conflict, transitions, or stress
Rebuilding trust after rupture or distance
Deepening intimacy and mutual understanding
My role is to provide a calm, grounded presence where both partners feel heard and respected. Like dandelion seeds finding new ground, growth often begins with small, intentional shifts—creating space for renewal, resilience, and lasting connection.
Group Therapy: Cultivating Healthy Boundaries
Like dandelions rooted in open fields, we grow best when we have both space and support. Boundaries help us stay connected to ourselves while remaining in relationship with others. When boundaries feel unclear or difficult to hold, it can lead to exhaustion, resentment, or a sense of losing yourself.
This group therapy experience offers a gentle, supportive space to explore boundaries in connection with others. Through shared reflection, guided discussion, and practical tools, participants learn how to recognize their limits, express needs with clarity, and respond to others with greater confidence and care.
Using an integrative, trauma-informed approach, the group may draw from mindfulness, relational and attachment-based work, emotion-focused practices, and somatic awareness. Together, we tend to the roots beneath boundary struggles—such as people-pleasing, fear of conflict, or past relational experiences—while practicing new ways of being in connection.
This group may be supportive if you:
Feel overwhelmed or depleted in relationships
Struggle to say no or feel guilty setting limits
Experience anxiety around conflict or disappointment
Want to build clearer, more balanced relationships
Group therapy offers the unique opportunity to practice boundaries in real time, within a calm and compassionate community. Like dandelion seeds finding steady ground, growth happens through shared experience, patience, and gentle experimentation.