BEVERLY ELLISON, PSYCHOTHERAPIST
CHANGE IS THE ONLY CONSTANT

Are you struggling with issues related to trauma, anxiety, sexuality, and gender? Are you doing ok, but want to be happier, healthier, more whole?

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Healing happens in collaboration, when your changes are witnessed and encouraged with compassion. I offer affirmation, exploration, and guidance towards your unique, authentic, and most sacred life path. I would like to help you co-create a life in which you thrive.

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Book a 15-20 minute consultation to ask any questions you might have and to discuss how I can help you.

LEARN ABOUT MY METHODS

Person-Centered Practice

You are the expert of your life and what is best for you. And if what you have tried is not helping as much as it used to, or not at all, it may be time to brainstorm new coping skills.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing)

This is one of the best evidence-based practice to reduce or even eliminate the symptoms associated with trauma and PTSD. Trauma-related symptoms may include flashbacks and nightmares, avoidance, drug use, shame, guilt and self-blame, anger, fear, exaggerated startle response, difficulty sleeping and depression and anxiety. I feel honored to be trusted with your painful experiences. I find joy in helping you heal. For more information about EMDR please go to the National EMDR website: www.emdria.org.

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Relational Therapy

Humor, playfulness, and an understanding that the way you present yourself to me may be the way you are in the world outside of therapy. All these inform how I relate to you and how I can guide you towards healing.

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Mindfulness

The past is gone and only a memory. The future does not (yet) exist. Here and now is where you are and where you are able to rediscover your power. Being present in the present enables us to be conscious and make choices in our lives.

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Compassion

Self-criticism, self-doubt, self-sabotage, harsh self-talk and anxiety are often soothed with a simple practice of self-compassion. I enjoy guiding you to deeper levels of self-compassion, or introducing you to how to be compassionate towards yourself.

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EFT (Emotionally-Focused Therapy)

Emotion-Focused Therapy understands that the most important people in our life, our family, friends, and intimate partners are more than just temporary relationships. EFT is based on Attachment Theory, which states that are attachment relationships are vital to our self-esteem, our happiness, and even our survival. Interdependent relationships, not codependent or hyperindividualistic dynamics, create happy healthy humans. Our emotions lead us to knowledge and wisdom about how to get our wants and needs met, or what to do when we cannot get what we want and need. EFT can heal relationships and give us greater compassion.

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Non-Dual Psychotherapy 

Eastern religions, such as Taoism and Buddhism, have offered the wisdom of Oneness. Non-dual psychotherapy is not just about discussing Oneness, it is a felt experience of unity and connection within the therapeutic relationship. When two humans focus the intent on healing reciprocal shared energy can create transformation. This is an ineffable spiritual experience.

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Transpersonal Therapy

Transpersonal therapy includes spiritual practices and experiences of your and sometimes my framework. Healing is a spiritual experience that does not need to be infused with spirituality. I encourage you to bring your spiritual practices to heal and I can invite you explore other paths to healing and Divinity.

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Spirituality

When we submerge ourselves in the silence of earth, the comfort of water, the peace of air and the passion of fire, we can transform ourselves in tandem and within the power of Mother Earth. For those of us who feel relaxed at the ocean, in the woods, climbing a mountain, or digging in the soil as we garden, we already know the healing power of Nature. Earth-based religions, meditation, social-justice, cross-cultural wisdom and mythology from around the world all inform my spiritual practices. I also have formal education in comparative religions, both World Religions and other Religions such as African-Diasporic traditions. We each have a spiritual path as unique to each one of us as our fingerprints. I deeply cherish the experience of incorporating your spirituality into your therapeutic healing process, or helping you develop a healing spiritual path.

EDUCATION & CLINICAL TRAINING

DEGREES:

Bachelor of Arts degree in Comparative Religions and Gender Studies from Bard College

Master's degree in Social Work from the University of Southern Maine

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TRAININGS:

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Trauma to Dharma (Hakomi training) with Manuela Mischke-Reeds, LMFT

Basic Principles of Somatic Experiencing with Sage Hayes, SEP, LMT

The Body Keeps the Score: A Workshop with Bessel van der Kolk, MD

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Hakomi Essential Skills with Gal Szekely, LMFT of the Hakomi Institute of California

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Disorganized Attachment: A Brilliant Trauma Strategy with Karen Rachels, LMFT

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Mental Health at the Intersections: Race, Class, and Gender in the LGBTQ Community with The Pacific Center for Human Growth

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EFT (Emotionally-Focused Therapy), with Dr. Sue Johnson (founder of EFT), Dr. Michelle Gannon, and Dr. Sam Jinich, of the San Francisco Center for Emotionally-Focused Therapy

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EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing) with Dr. Andrew M. Leeds of Sonoma Psychotherapy Training Institute

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Two Gender Affirming Surgery Assessment Trainings with Gender Health San Francisco

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Seeking Safety Training with Community Counseling Services

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Three HIV/STD Prevention Certificates, City College of San Francisco

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SFSI (San Francisco Sex Information) Sexuality Educator Training

PRESENTATIONS

Beyond the Binary: Exploring and Deepening Understanding of Gender in the Therapeutic Setting

for Bay Area Open Minds

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LGBTQ+ Community & Paganism

at Maine Pagan Unity Day

Schizophrenia Spectrum & Other Psychotic Disorders: Information and interventions for patients with psychosis

for Lyon-Martin Health Center

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PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS​

BAY AREA OPEN MINDS

(Sexual and gender diversity affirming Psychotherapists)

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NASW (National Association of Social Workers)