Kerri Green, MFT

09/25/2020

Check out this workshop facilitated by White Noise Collective and sponsored by SURJ Bay Area.
https://www.surjbayarea.org/events/difficult-conversations-about-race

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09/10/2020

Life is in the transitions - check out this inspiring, non-linear perspective on life stages and changes:

"If I were to sum up what I learned after five years of working on this book, it is this: Transitions work. When life gets us stuck, a life transition is the means of getting unstuck."

05/23/2020

The cultural pressure that leads us to apologize for the way we look hasn’t changed.

Why are women bemoaning their hair, clothing choices and more, even during a pandemic?

04/09/2020

Sharing this FREE online trauma support and education series : "Trauma can be Healed!" Starts APRIL 12!

Luminous Healing Center offers trauma recovery support that harnesses the power of mind, body, spirit, and community to heal trauma.. Given these current challenging times that can invoke fear and...

04/05/2020

25 excellent ideas for mental health self-care during "stay at home" orders! I've been working on many of these with my clients, and this article really brings it all together.

After having thirty-one sessions this week with patients where the singular focus was COVID-19 and how to cope, I decided to consolidate my advice and make a list that I hope is helpful to all.  I can't control a lot of what is going on right now, but I can contribute this. 

08/04/2019

One of the most common questions I hear from abuse survivors is "How did I let this happen to me?" All kinds of toxic relationships can take a toll on self-esteem, and often lead the abused person to believe that they are the ones at fault. Survivors end up not only feeling hurt, but confused and emotionally traumatized.

One of the most common things I hear from survivors of psychological abuse is their confusion about why they didn't notice the red flags sooner in the relationship. It doesn't matter if the

04/09/2019

09/11/2018

Here's a nice review of the "I Statement" - an important communication skill for avoiding the "attack and defend cycle" that so many partners, families, and friends get stuck in.

"I" messages or "I" statements—an important tool in assertive communication—can help get your needs met while also showing the other party mutual respect.

07/22/2018

I like this article outlining some warning signs of burnout, and a few easy ways you can tend to your well-being. Need a little extra help managing stress and overwhelm? Contact me to see if therapy could be a supportive resource for you.

Unchecked stress can wreak havoc on your well-being. These are the warning signs that you’re heading toward burnout plus six steps to manage your stress.

03/22/2018

Did you know that one confusing feature of “gaslighting” is that the abuser may not have full awareness of their behaviors? This can cause further denials on the part of the abusive person, which then creates additional self-doubt for the abused person.

Being able to evaluate your own reality is critical in this situation. As this author says, you may have to re-build your sense of reality “from the ground up” - because the abusive person may never be willing, or able, to validate it for you.

The term ‘gaslighting’ refers to a form of control and manipulation which is often associated with the narcissists and psychopaths. Experts define the term as “the use of deflection and distraction and blame by one person to hide some truth, or to benefit in some way at the cost of another.”...

02/16/2018

I'm pleased to announce my new practice location at 4001 Howe St., Oakland, CA, 94611, in the Piedmont Avenue area. Welcoming new individual and couple clients!

01/19/2018

A consistent sleep routine is more important than you might think!

The relationship between sleep and mental illness, specifically depression, is complicated. But everyone experiencing depression should work to improve and regulate their sleep because there are only benefits to be had.

07/30/2017

Resilience: Our ability to bounce back from adversity...

How to Build Resilience in MidlifeSHAREShare on FacebookPost on TwitterEmailLog in to SaveRead Laterhttps://nyti.ms/2tIe2y7Share on LinkedInShare on WhatsappShare on Google PlusShare on RedditShareCancelSarah WilliamsonBy TARA PARKER-POPEJuly 25, 2017Much of the scientific research on resilience — o...

07/14/2017

A study shows that having a smartphone next to you causes "brain drain" - even if it is turned off. The most surprising finding to me is that mere presence of the phone on the desk - as opposed to stored in a bag/pocket, or out of the room altogether - caused a reduction in cognitive capacity ~ !

Having a smartphone nearby reduces cognitive capacity, even when the phone is turned off, new research shows.

05/17/2017

How are MFTs different? It's a myth that we mainly work with couples & families. In reality, we work quite often with individuals. As this article points out, MFTs receive unique training in working with individuals from the perspective of relationships and systems. This gives us a great deal of expertise in working with ALL of life's issues and struggles - because we are, in so many ways, shaped by where we come from.

Marriage and Family Therapists, also known as MFTs, have a unique skill-set that differentiates them from other mental health professionals. We are often overlooked or listed under “or similar training” on a job description after "LCSW, LCPC preferred." What is interesting is that MFT training is in...

04/26/2017

I love hearing about studies that show the benefits of meditation and mindfulness.

The article points out that the amygdala, the "fight or flight" (trauma-activated!) part of the brain, which is important for anxiety, fear and stress, got smaller in the group of people who went through a mindfulness-based stress reduction program.

The change in the amygdala was correlated to a reduction in stress levels. Read on...

Meditation's benefits may derive from its impact on the shape of the brain, thickening parts associated with mind-wandering, memory and compassion, and shrinking the fear center

04/08/2017

We must make the most of our sensitivities...

01/05/2017

Ever been told you were "too sensitive?" This is an interesting article pointing out how some culturally-normative phrases about our emotional experiences can cross over into the invalidations of our reality known as "gaslighting."

“Don't cry.” People reject others' feelings or lived experiences all the time – even when they think they're helping. If taken too far, it can cross into abuse. Are any of these phrases familiar to you?

12/05/2016

For those directly impacted by the Ghost Ship fire: I am offering 2 pay-what-you-can spots in my practice (up to 8 sessions). Trauma and grief counseling-focused. Please contact me at 510-480-0255 or via my web site:

A somatic psychotherapist in Berkeley, CA. Specializing in trauma, relationship difficulties, and couples therapy. LGBTQ affirming.

12/05/2016

I wanted to share this community of therapists who are offering pro-bono or low fee sessions to those affected by the Ghostship fire in Oakland:

Here you will find Bay Area therapists who are offering both pro bono and low-fee sessions to surviv

06/17/2016

For Father’s Day and beyond, fathers should explore dangers of toxic masculinity

05/16/2016

A sweet article from 1996 on the Obamas reflecting on their coupledom. So inspiring!

Photograph of Barack and Michelle Obama taken in 1996 as part of a project on couples in America. Accompanying text includes excerpts from an interview the…

01/09/2016

Happy New Year! I highly recommend strategy #10 in this article. I am a strong advocate for self-compassion, which I believe increases resilience and our sense of self-worth. Of course I also recommend strategy #6...

When a new year rolls around, many people make improving their physical health a priority. Focusing on your mental health is every bit as important, however.

12/11/2015

Thank you Wash Post Style Guide for making singular they officially grammatically correct!

What do you do when you run into your friend on their birthday? You wish them a happy birthday, of course! Or wait—you wish … him or her a happy birthday? When you run into your friend on … his or her birthday? That's how you’re supposed to say it if you want to avoid using they to refer to one pers…

11/29/2015

Wow - amazing imagery! Art inspired by the science of the brain...

The brain has been called the most complex structure in the universe, but it may also be the most beautiful. One artist's work captures both the aesthetics and sophistication of this most enigmatic organ.

11/22/2015

Check out this article for the science behind one of the basic somatic practices I teach my clients: diaphramatic breathing. This breathing exercise, number one on the article's list for "increasing vagal nerve tone," is an easy and simple practice you can do anywhere, anytime, to increase your ability to tolerate stressful situations, and to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.

If you suffer from digestive complaints, high blood pressure, depression or any inflammatory condition, please read on. Let me explain the possible implications step by step.

10/01/2015

10/01/2015

A deeply moving story...