I specialize in helping people tune in to the inner voice that speaks to who they are and what they truly want from life.  As we uncover this voice together we will begin to understand your wishes and dreams. We will also gather understanding about entrenched patterns or fears that can hold you back from living fully. Having this knowledge about your hopes and your worries is key to bringing your desired self into being. Below are a few areas in which I have special interest and expertise.

Alternative & creative life paths
Does your life look different from the lives you see being lived around you? Are you childless by choice? Have you decided marriage is not the route for you, though long term partnership outside of marriage may be? Do you find yourself drawn to a less consumeristic/capitalistic way of being? Of course, these are all legitimate ways of living, and life on these paths can sometimes feel lonely or like you are living outside of "the norm". I work to help patients feel comfortable and confident because of their life choices, not in spite of them. Knowing that your therapist understands that these are choices, not coincidences, tragedies, or happenstance may help you feel more able to open up about other parts of yourself and your path.

Adult children of dysfunctional family structures
Being the child of a parent struggling with addiction, rage fits, control issues, or personality challenges can be lonely and chaotic. It may feel necessary to deny yourself or your feelings to remain in the family system and not be obliterated. In working with adult children of such families, I create room to know more about your story and to mourn the loss of a childhood you never had. In doing this we will come to understand how patterns that were necessary during more turbulent times may have become engrained in ways that have carried into your adult life. This can create troubles with perfectionism, fear/hatred of authority, love and sex addiction, gambling, substance abuse, codependent relationships, depression, anxiety, and other issues. Untangling yourself from fear, guilt, and responsibility may lead to greater feelings of possibility in your life.

Crossroads of life
We all find ourselves at confusing life intersections. Whether you are wanting to change your work path, considering shaking up a relationship, thinking about a geographic move, or just wanting to make a fresh start, I can help you think through what is working and what could work better. Having a fuller understanding of not just pros and cons, but also wants and desires can help you sort out your ideas and see a more clear direction to the next phases of your life. 

Gender identity & transition
Gender exists on a spectrum. On this spectrum, there are as many ways to express gender as there are people in the world. I can assist you in thinking about your gender identity. If desired, I can also help you move towards a path of transition. In all gender work, my aim is to assist you in finding and expressing the identity that allows you to feel as fully yourself as possible. 

Complex grief & bereavement
Experiencing a loss from death is never easy. Death can feel even more confusing and overwhelming when there  is a complicated relationship to the deceased. I work with grief and bereavement in a manner that allows for acknowledgement of the full range of emotions around a death, not just the "good" or socially acceptable feelings. This approach provides a groundwork to understand what the loss means, what impacts it is having (and may continue to have), and to move through grief without feeling immobilized. 

Character challenges
Have you been described as "prickly" or "hard to get along with"? Do you find yourself experiencing troubles in multiple areas of life, such as work, romance, and friendships? Perhaps you are ready to consider how you may be contributing to these troubles. I work with people who find themselves challenged in the realm of relating to others by attempting to untangle emotional blocks from past and present. Loosening these internal restrictions can leave one feeling more free and able to create bonded connections with others. Therapy is a particularly useful place to undertake this kind of work, as a strong therapeutic bond allows for examination of issues that may arise between therapist and patient in real time, meaning together we can unpack the factors leading break downs in communication and relationship.
Tori Branch, PsyD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist PSY 25573
Graton, CA (in person or remote)
​Other Areas of California (remote only)
phone: 415-375-0763
email: toribranch@gmail.com