Your Path to Healing & Transformation
Dr. Sveta Alshvang, Anxiety and Trauma Therapist IN CALIFORNIA
You're likely here because life is getting more and more challenging, and you're tired of feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and miserable.
You're looking for someone who understands you and the struggles you're dealing with, and who can help you make a change to a place where your mind is clear, your heart is open, and your body is relaxed.
Let’s do it together.
how i work
I specialize in supporting people who struggle with anxiety, anger, trauma, and relationship challenges.
An important part of this journey involves reconnecting with those parts of yourself that may have been lost or neglected: your needs, feelings, desires, and values.
By rediscovering and honoring these aspects of who you are, you'll find the strength and empowerment to trust yourself and create a life that feels authentic and fulfilling.
Clients describe me as empathetic, intuitive, and knowledgeable. After our work together, they often report boosted self-esteem and openness, relief from negative emotions, improved ability to stay calm and connect with their feelings, healthier boundaries, increased motivation, and excitement about their present life and future. Some even said “This therapy changed my life.”
MY story
I’ve always enjoyed helping people and wanted to become a psychologist, although it took years to realize my dream. Along the way, I've gained many valuable personal and professional experiences, including moving to a new country as a refugee and having diverse careers in education, science, and corporate management. These experiences have been incredibly helpful in understanding my clients and becoming a better therapist.
As someone who personally faced the demands and pressures of the corporate world, I know firsthand how it feels to balance career-related stress, a drive to excel, and family responsibilities.
I also know too well how it feels to be an immigrant finding your place in a foreign country, navigating multiple cultures and cross-cultural relationships. I practice culturally-affirming therapy and wholeheartedly welcome people from all backgrounds.
-
If you’re interested in working together, we’ll start by establishing a sincere and collaborative relationship where you feel safe and understood. I’ll help you explore what might be holding you back and how we can work together to achieve your goals. We’ll then create a personalized treatment plan based on your needs, goals, and strengths.
Throughout our sessions, we’ll regularly check in on how comfortable you feel with me and whether we’re making meaningful progress. If progress seems slower than expected, we’ll openly discuss what adjustments can be made and explore additional resources. My goal is for each session to be productive and meaningful for you, providing you with deeper understanding of yourself and effective tools to manage your emotions, relationships, and life challenges with greater calm and confidence.
In the course of therapy, I may gently challenge you, but always in a way that provides opportunity for growth and progress. I ask many thought-provoking questions that help you gain insights and move forward. Depending on what is most helpful for you at the moment, I can be your consultant, coach, confidant, or motivator. I’ll empower you to advocate for yourself and the life you desire. I’ll offer guidance, valuable perspectives, validation, support, and celebrate your gains with you as we move forward.
My approach
Through years of experience and extensive training, I’ve learned that deep, lasting change requires a holistic and comprehensive approach to healing. That's why I integrate a variety of evidence-based methods like EMDR, IFS, DBT, CBT, mindfulness, somatic, and psychodynamic interventions to address your unique needs and goals.
I do my best to provide therapy grounded in the latest scientific findings in the areas of trauma, neurobiology, and psychology, as well as an understanding systemic and cultural factors to promote deep healing.
I am continuing my own personal and professional growth, learning, practicing and integrating new approaches to make our therapy sessions as enriching and effective as possible.
If you‘d like to work with me or learn more about how I can help, please feel free to reach out. We can schedule a session or a complimentary 15-minute call to explore further. I’m excited to start this journey with you toward greater well-being, vitality, and peace of mind.
other methods
IFS
-
These parts, each with its own thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, often develop as protective mechanisms in response to past experiences and traumas.
When these parts are in disagreement, we feel inner turmoil, leading to feelings of anxiety, depression, and frustration.
Through IFS therapy, you work to reconcile these conflicts, developing a deeper and more intuitive understanding of who you are, ultimately leading to emotional healing and growth.
Mindfulness
-
depression, anxiety, anger, and trauma. It empowers you to tolerate and navigate your emotions, transforming your self-perception and giving you better control over expressing your feelings.
Together, we explore the art of slowing down and embracing mindfulness in the present moment, helping you discover what works best for you. I incorporate Somatic Therapy, which recognizes the role of the body in expressing emotions and holding onto memories. This approach, supported by trauma research, helps unearth unspoken or hidden experiences that might not be fully addressed by traditional talk therapy alone.
DBT
-
improving interpersonal relationships, and cope with stressful situations.
DBT can be very helpful to people suffering a wide range of emotional disturbances, including depression, anxiety, anger management problems, eating disorders, and difficulties with interpersonal relationships. In DBT therapy, you’ll learn how to understand and manage your feelings. You’ll learn mindfulness and other skills for emotional dysregulation to help support healthy responses and gain the confidence to make positive changes in your life.
My Professional Background
-
Doctor of Psychology, The Wright Institute, Berkeley, CA
California Licensure: PSY 26385
-
EMDR (EMDRIA-approved training, 2016)
Specialized postgraduate trainings in Complex Trauma, IFS-informed Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), DBT, ACT, Mindfulness
-
EMDR International Association (EMDRIA)
American Psychological Association
San Francisco Psychological Association
Contra Costa County Psychological Association
-
Prior to earning my Doctorate of Psychology, I completed a highly regarded APA-approved predoctoral clinical internship at the VA hospital, specializing in trauma, substance abuse treatment, and therapy for individuals, couples, and groups.
Following that, I pursued postdoctoral training in neuropsychology at San Francisco General Hospital and San Francisco Neuropsychology, where I conducted comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations. I’ve been fortunate to work with people in various settings, from a state prison to VA clinics, inpatient hospitals, and private practice.