Dr. Zonya Johnson

• Relationship and intimacy issues
• Effective communication
• Depression, anxiety and self-esteem problems
• Bereavement and loss
• Recovery from eating disorders, sexual abuse, trauma
• Managing life crises and life transitions
• Ethnocultural issues, biracial families, and acculturation
• Health related concerns and the emotional aspects of illness
• Balancing career and family
• Learning to make self a priority
• Stress related to infertility and reproductive technology
• Sexual identity issues
• Getting "unstuck" and finding one's passion
• Blockages to creativity
• Stress Management
• Becoming more effective at work and developing leadership skills
• Parenting Issues

A Note about Insurance: As a licensed clinical psychologist, I can assist you in submitting forms to your insurance company if you are eligible for reimbursement. I ask that each session be paid for at the time of service. I do not directly participate on HMO or PPO provider panels, but insurance companies frequently cover some of the cost for out of network providers.

I have worked as a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist for over 30 years. In addition to my psychotherapy practice, I have taught at several universities and graduate schools in both the San Francisco Bay Area and in the Boston/Cambridge area. I also offer training and consultation to agencies and academic institutions in California.

Locally, I have had faculty appointments at San Francisco State University, CSPP, the Wright Institute, and California State University East Bay. I am currently on the faculty of The Sanville Institue in Berkeley and Saybrook University in Oakland. I have developed and administered clinical training programs for masters and doctoral level psychology graduate students for many years.

I am a member of the American Psychological Association, the California Psychological Association, the Contra Costa Psychological Association, and the Alameda County Psychological Association.

• Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, Boston University
• M.A., Clinical Psychology, Boston University
• B.A., Psychology, University of Michigan

It can be difficult to know how to choose a therapist who is right for you. You should feel free to ask about the therapist's academic and clinical training, degrees earned, style of therapy, licensure status, special interests, and years in the field. You should feel comfortable talking with this person. You want to feel that you "click" with the therapist.

You may also want to know whether a potential therapist has experience with issues of particular concern to you. For example, you may ask if the therapist has worked with gay couples, with African American individuals, with biracial adolescents, with sexual dysfunction, with particular parenting issues, or with immigrants from a particular area.

If you are still unsure, consider talking with another prospective therapist. It is sometimes helpful to meet with another therapist and have a point of comparison before making a final decision.

If you have special referral needs, I would be happy to help with an appropriate referral.

Individual psychotherapy involves a self-paced exploration of feelings, thoughts, and behaviors that may cause pain or difficulty in your life. Talking through problems helps you develop understanding and insight into your concerns, allowing you to identify and remove obstacles to personal growth.

The problems that bring people into therapy come from many sources. They may result from current or past family conflicts, from the social environment, or from inner emotional conflict.The difficulties may be related to cultural, spiritual, or health issues. Ultimately, therapy can help you learn more effective strategies to reach your goals. It can help you to meet life head on, with courage and creativity, and fully experience what life has to offer.

Couples therapy can help couples learn the skills to develop a more meaningful relationship and enhance communication skills. Because of these benefits, couples often request premarital counseling to ensure that their marriage gets off to a healthy start. Other couples need help in restoring trust after trust has been betrayed. Relationships in crises may require therapy to get beyond the pain.

Couples from different backgrounds, racial, ethnic, religious, cultural, or socioeconomic class, can find themselves in conflict without a clear awareness of the origin of these tensions. Tensions can develop around childrearing practices, family celebrations, how to relate to extended family, observances of holidays and developmental milestones, humor, appropriate family roles, handling money, planning for the future, time management, and the list goes on. Understanding these differences in values can go a long way in helping couples avoid conflict, and to enjoy the cultural richness that surrounds us.