Experience the convenience and effectiveness of virtual therapy from the comfort of your own space. Regardless of your location within California, I'm here to provide professional support tailored to your needs, bridging the distance to help you navigate your journey towards well-being.
Welcome, I’m Alisa Vincent.
I operate a private practice that is dedicated to providing support to adolescents and adults. My specialization lies in psychosensory trauma therapy, wherein I facilitate psychological healing through evidence-based techniques involving self-applied physical touch and body movements. Specifically, my expertise encompasses EMDR and Havening®, both of which I use to address various challenges including trauma, complex grief, anxiety, relationships, and life transitions.
I hold an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from The Wright Institute. There I came to appreciate the inter-subjective nature of therapy. In my mind, therapy is not a top-down process, but is a relationship we co-create specifically to suit your unique needs. I help create a physical and emotional environment that fosters safety, active listening, and respect. I have a relational style, meaning I offer constructive feedback, and you will never feel like you’re talking to a blank wall.
My undergraduate education was done at U.C. Berkeley, where I attained a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology. During my time there, I delved into diverse cultures and religions, broadened my worldview and enhanced my ability to perceive beyond my own vantage point. This experience taught me the importance of setting aside assumptions and striving to genuinely comprehend alternative perspectives.
Since beginning clinical work, I’ve been trained in both main schools of EMDR thought, and I pull from each to suit my clients’ needs. I’ve been practicing EMDR for over a decade now, am trained in multiple protocols, am EMDRIA certified, and I have witnessed significant positive outcomes spanning various age groups and circumstances.
My dedication to facilitating healing and personal growth is a calling, not a job.
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (#100343).
Those are the basics of my professional background.
I’m happy to answer any further questions you might have, in person.
From a personal perspective, my interest in psychotherapy and anthropology arose partly because of my own experiences as someone from a multi-ethnic, and multi-cultural background. I’ve been interested in understanding and helping people since I was a young child. My father was a Respite Care Provider for an agency called Parental Stress Services (now Family Paths). When I was about four years old, I remember him telling me that the visiting children were having a difficult time, and I could help by making them feel welcome, sharing my toys, and playing with them. Beginning with these early experiences, I’ve learned to become a good listener, and a good friend.
I chose psychotherapy for many reasons, one of the main ones being that there is nothing so gratifying as being able to connect with people on a basic human level when they are in distress. Sometimes, this connection is in the form of just listening, and sometimes it’s using my expertise to actively help.
In my own life I’ve had some pretty big challenges; therapy, and in particular EMDR and attachment work, have been invaluable to me. I truly believe I can do the most good in this world by paying those gifts forward.
Everyone deserves an opportunity to have a full and unhindered life. Of course that looks different for each of us, but what we share is an intrinsic longing for hope, wholeness, empowerment, meaning, and connection. It’s my privilege and passion to help clients nourish that longing into a drive, and to help them gain a sense of mastery and direction in their own lives.
Merely by reading this, it’s clear you’re taking first steps towards change. I hope that you explore the rest of the website, where I answer frequently asked questions, and provide psychoeducation through my blog. If you’re interested in a free phone consultation, I encourage you to reach out to me, either through email, or by calling (510) 421-0320.