Lydia Yinger (she/her/hers)

LMFT
Accepting Clients

Welcome! I am a relational therapist, here to support self-awareness, acceptance, and the vision of your future.

Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in Alameda, CA

Services
  • Individual
  • Couples
  • Family

About My Clients

I work with adults and families as we explore, learn, and practice ways to build healthy relationships. Healthy communication starts with the self, so we begin by understanding the influence of early family patterns of connecting. Anxiety, worry, and fear are symptoms of root causes of trauma and unmet needs. With mindfulness, self-compassion, and exploring personal values, my clients begin to expand and nurture their identity.

My Background and Approach

My working career began as a family law paralegal, supporting families during the emotionally difficult divorce process, often involving heart-breaking child custody trials. I actively listened to struggles of loss and fears of new beginnings, offering empathy and compassion. Discovering my passion in psychology, I went back to graduate school and have been practicing as a licensed marriage and family therapist ever since. I have worked in schools, mental health agencies, and in-patient clinics, collaborating with clients to support strengths-based, humanistic, trauma-informed care, with a sensitivity to the impacts of systemic oppression on well-being.

My Personal Beliefs and Interests

I believe we all have the capacity of self-knowledge and self-compassion. I also believe that the barriers to knowing ourselves, are learned behaviors that can be understood and changed in a calm, safe, and supportive environment. Generational and societal patterns of relating to others, can impact us in negative ways. My experience with anxiety was the result of moving a lot as a child, and growing up with a family member addicted to substances as a way to cope from childhood trauma. Through my own recovery in co-dependency, personal therapy, and building my emotional expression, I learned ways to respond to life events that align with my values. With hope, a curious mind, and a willingness to take small steps out of the familiar, I believe a person can grow in miraculous ways. On a personal note, I am an adoptive mother, have a spiritual practice of yoga and mediation, and I love the beach, crafts, animals, jazz, and spending quality time with friends and family.

I offer online counseling in the following states:

At A Glance

  • Experience: 7 years of practice
  • Rate: $180 - 220/session

Reach out to Lydia