Holistic Jungian therapist specializing in trauma and relationships
Hello! I’m a northern California native and have lived much of my adult life adapting to other cultures. Life’s challenges and transitions, including divorce and shyness, have facilitated my growth as a psychotherapist, helping me to accept change as part of life.
I received my B.A. from UC Berkeley and my M.A. in counseling psychology from JFK University in Orinda, CA. I have 25+ years experience as a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), working primarily with individuals and couples. I have facilitated groups on separation and divorce, infidelity, co-parenting education, and social anxiety.
Particular areas of interest are: major life transitions, separation and divorce, infidelity, couples and relationship counseling, broken friendships, self-esteem issues, young adulthood, employment issues, parenting, and aging issues. I am also a professional writer and use writing as a tool for emotional healing..
My work is honest, direct, and from the heart. I use a variety of approaches, including cognitive and solution-focused therapies, family systems, and psychodynamic. Recently I have incorporated Pete Walker, MFT’s roadmap on childhood trauma (Complex PTSD) into my work.
An inability to self-soothe or tolerate one’s own feelings (i.e. hurt, anger, jealousy, guilt, fear) is the underlying main issue for my clients. The other main issue is lack of self-compassion, self-protection, and self-love. I use tools such as goal setting, coping skills, mindfulness exercises, and writing exercises (as desired) along with building a strong therapeutic relationship. Life is delicate and fragile. I work on optimism and gratitude every day. As human beings we can only take one step at a time. Please consider contacting me as a step toward the change you want in your life.
Licensed · Professional · Cancel Anytime
Sharon (Shonnie) Brown is a northern California native whose adult life has included adapting to other cultures, an experience that has informed her work as a psychotherapist. Personal transitions such as divorce and long-standing shyness helped shape her approach and encouraged an orientation toward accepting change as part of life.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Arts in counseling psychology from John F. Kennedy University in Orinda, California. She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California, a credential that reflects state licensure (CA LMFT 30787), and she brings 30 years of clinical experience to her work with individuals and couples.
Sharon has facilitated groups addressing separation and divorce, infidelity, co-parenting education, and social anxiety. Her particular interests include major life transitions, separation and divorce, infidelity, couples and relationship counseling, recovering from broken friendships, self-esteem concerns, issues in young adulthood, employment-related difficulties, parenting, and aging-related matters. She is also a professional writer and frequently uses writing as a tool for emotional processing and healing.
Her therapeutic style is honest, direct, and heartfelt. She draws from a range of approaches – cognitive and solution-focused methods, family systems perspectives, and psychodynamic ideas – and has more recently integrated Pete Walker, MFT’s roadmap on childhood trauma and Complex PTSD into her practice.
Sharon often sees an inability to self-soothe and tolerate difficult emotions – such as hurt, anger, jealousy, guilt, or fear – as a central concern for the people she works with. A related focus is building self-compassion, self-protection, and self-love. To address these areas she uses goal setting, practical coping skills, mindfulness exercises, and writing practices when appropriate, all within the context of a strong therapeutic relationship.
She emphasizes daily practices of optimism and gratitude and guides clients to take change one step at a time. Those considering therapy are invited to reach out to begin the process of the change they want in their lives.
Many people wonder whether therapy delivered online can truly help. For common concerns such as stress, anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, or navigating life transitions, online therapy has been shown to be similarly effective to traditional in-person care.
One major benefit is flexibility – clients can meet with therapists in the format that best suits their lives, whether by video call, phone session, live chat, or in-app messaging. This range of options can make it easier to keep regular appointments and integrate therapy into a busy schedule.
Therapists offering online services are licensed professionals, and clients have the option to change therapists if they prefer a different fit. For many people, remote therapy provides an accessible, practical way to work on mental health and life challenges without sacrificing the quality of care.
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