Ivan Skolnikoff, LMFT - Expert

About Ivan Skolnikoff

I practice Mindfulness Centered Psychotherapy, now online,  to help people feel more comfortable in their own skin and empowered in their lives. Individual therapy for adults and teens, Relationship Counseling, and Group Counseling in Berkeley. 
Some of my specialities include anxiety, depression, shame, addiction, trauma. 

Symptoms such as Anxiety, Anger, Shame Guilt and Depression are clues indicating that something more vulnerable to our early survival has been triggered. In therapy, clients discover how the conflict between being  themselves and who they truly want to be, and the survival strategies they learned in childhood have hindered them from moving forward. Rather than just focusing on what you want to stop experiencing in your life, I want to know about your intention for seeking therapy. What is your heart is truly desiring for itself from this process?  Many clients aren't sure right away but we can sort this out together. Just being able to share your intention out loud can have an internally organizing affect. Then often what comes up is what gets in the way of getting what you want, which are these survival strategies. The more that you can learn to be with what gets in the way of getting what you want, the more that these old survival strategies will start to soften, making more space to be yourself and the kind of person you want to be.

My therapy style is eclectic. Some of the theories and tools I draw from include Psychodynamic, Mindfulness practices, Hakomi Body-Oriented Psychotherapy, Internal Family Systems, CBT,  EMDR, and Emotional Freedom Technique to name a few. I have found that although theories are useful tools for working with clients, rather than trying to make a person fit into a theory , my priority is understanding what you, as an individual, bring into our sessions.

My approach to problems is strength-based, meaning that I pay as much attention to what makes you feel grounded and resourced as the problems that overwhelm you. In addition to the issues mentioned below I have specialized in areas including trauma, sexual compulsion, chronic illness, grief and loss, addictions, pain management to name a few. I also work with clients interested in relationship issues, depression and anxiety, childhood abuse and neglect, career issues, and self empowerment issues.