Nancy Cha

I am a licensed psychologist who provides individual, couples, and group therapy. My primary theoretical approach is psychodynamic/relational/insight oriented psychotherapy for individuals working through relationship issues, anxiety, depression, grief/loss, and adjustment to transition through life's challenges. I believe healthy people seek therapy for a variety reasons throughout life, and psychotherapy can help you find a more genuine and integrated way of living and relating to others. I work collaboratively to recognize patterns and become aware of unconscious habits and choices that impact one's life and functioning.

I have specialized training and expertise with PTSD and trauma (i.e. sexual trauma, childhood abuse, generational trauma, race based trauma, traumatic loss/grief, traumatic accidents, natural disasters). I often begin with a more intensive evidence based approach (i.e. Prolonged Exposure, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Trauma Informed Guilt-Reduction Therapy). Once symptoms and emotions are regulated/stable I shift to a more psychodynamic/relational way of working. Most patients are interested in the "what now" and how their traumatic experiences impact their day to day lives, and in particular their interpersonal relationships. We explore the effect of the traumatic events on their psyche, sense of self, defenses, way of viewing others/the world, and identify repetitive negative patterns they want to better understand and address.

I have been providing couple's therapy for 15 years and use mostly an EFT (Emotionally Focused Couple's Therapy) framework. I integrate family of origin, early attachment and how it informs the negative patterns emotionally that play out for the couple (often as protective layers). Overall I work to address the blocks to connection and closeness, repair emotional injuries and move the couple from distress/detachment towards a more secure connection. I have worked extensively with marital distress including: cultural differences, infidelity, financial stress, shifts after children, loss of identity, loss of intimacy, and challenges of in-laws/integration of blended families.

I have two Interpersonal Process groups for adults looking to add a dimension to their individual treatment. The group may be a good fit for those interested in working on access to one's emotions, attuning to one's needs and the expression of these needs, interpersonal effectiveness in relationships, deepening understanding of past hurts/emotional injuries, developing healthy connections (and internal blocks to these connections) as well as healthy boundaries in their lives. Groups include working professionals with a diversity of: gender, age, race/ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation.

I have a strong interest in issues of cultural diversity (i.e. race, ethnicity, sexual orientation) and I welcome the integration of one's faith or questions of faith, into psychotherapy.