Therapy Groups

The Psychotherapy Institute does not currently offer therapy groups. Below is a listing of therapy groups in the area offered by members of the Institute. Please contact the listed facilitator for up-to-date information.

  • Group Facilitator: 

    Ann Steiner, Ph.D., LMFT, CGP, FAGPA

    Contact Phone: 

    (925) 962-0060

    Contact Email: 

    DrSteiner@DrSteiner.com

    Group Type: 

    Mixed-Gender Group

    Group Type: 

    Mixed-Gender Group

    Location: 

    online

    Meeting Day(s) and Time(s): 

    Wednesday 12:30 pm- 2:00 pm

    Are you wanting more meaningful relationships?

    If so, this co-ed, process group may be what you are looking for.

    Are you interested in understanding what is getting in your way of having more satisfying relationships? If so, this warm long-term, co-ed group of psychologically curious and aware men and women may be a good place to look more deeply at how you relate to others in your life.

    Members are dealing with trust, intimacy and relationship issues and interested in talking about the challenges, including medical issues, along with the joys of aging, and quality of life issues.

    I use a collaborative approach in screening potential members and with member’s individual therapists. You can find more details about my group work and screening process online by following this link: https://www.drsteiner.com/therapygrps_relationship.html

    Group Leader Bio: 

    Ann Steiner, Ph.D., M.F.T., CGP,* FAGPA* has been leading psychotherapy groups, for 30 years, supervises, trains and provides consultation to therapists. She is a Fellow* and recently elected Board Member of the American Group Psychotherapy Society*, was president of Northern California Group Psychotherapy Society, and served as an Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of California Medical School, S.F. for over 14 years. Dr. Steiner has been training and consulting to therapists for 26 years, and is on the faculty of The Psychotherapy Institute's Group Therapy Training Program. She is the author of the newly released “Starting and Sustaining Groups that Thrive: Workbook and Planning Guide.”

  • Group Facilitator: 

    Jamie Moran, LCSW, CGP

    Contact Phone: 

    415-552-9408

    Contact Email: 

    jamiemoran@aol.com

    Group Type: 

    Men's Group

    Group Type: 

    Men's Group

    Location: 

    San Francisco and Virtual

    6 total groups available. Reach out to learn more

    Group Leader Bio: 

    Jamie Moran, LCSW, CGP, is a clinical social worker, psychotherapist, and consultant working in mental health and healthcare since 1984. Jamie specializes in long-term psychodynamic group work, offering six weekly groups in San Francisco for gay men, as well as providing individual consultation for therapists regarding group. He has provided numerous trainings on a variety of group topics and has been an AGPA Committee Volunteer since 2015 and an AGPA Institute Leader since 2019. Jamie led GTTP's Process Learning Group (PLG) 2019 through 2022 and now, in Fall of 2022, has returned to the individual Consultant role. He recently completed 26 weekends of professional group education and training with the Center for Group Studies in New York City. Additionally, Jamie works with individuals and couples across various populations focusing on stress management/burnout, grief, death and dying, and gay men's issues.

  • Group Facilitator: 

    Jessica Brown and Aaron Wilson

    Contact Phone: 

    510-775-1200

    Contact Email: 

    jessica@jessicabrowntherapy.com

    Group Type: 

    Mixed-Gender Group

    Group Type: 

    Mixed-Gender Group

    Location: 

    Zoom

    Meeting Day(s) and Time(s): 

    Thursdays 4pm

    This group is designed to help single people better understand themselves in order to date with confidence and clarity.

    The more you know about yourself, your priorities and your needs as well as what gets in your way, the better you will be at cultivating intimacy and partnership in your life.

    Do you find yourself constantly dating the “wrong” people or not finding anyone who meets your needs? Do you jump in quickly or have trouble committing? Are you in and out of relationships or do you feel stuck sitting on the sidelines? Do you worry about not finding the “right one” and end up over extending yourself with too many dates? Does it feel scary to get close to someone or do you struggle to know how to get closer?

    We designed this group specifically for people who are struggling with these questions and more when it comes to dating and finding love. As a male-female co-therapy team we bring a unique perspective to leading this kind of group.

    This is a co-ed group for single people of all sexual orientations, in their 30’s and 40’s and who are actively dating or thinking about dating and who are currently in individual therapy or who have had significant therapy in the recent past.

    Group Leader Bio: 

    Jessica Brown (she/her/hers), LMFT Groups are powerful. My experience as a participant in groups has inspired my passion for leading groups. I first received training as a group facilitator at the Integral Counseling Center at Pierce Street as well as during my internship at Access Institute where I completed a 2-year psychoanalytic training fellowship. As a member of the American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA) and as a graduate of the Group Psychotherapy Training Program at The Psychotherapy Institute I have received specialized training in leading groups. Prior to my work as a therapist, I led corporate and executive team workshops and many personal growth programs. In addition to leading groups, I work with individual adults and couples in my private practice. To learn more or to reach out with any questions, click here or contact me at jessica@jessicabrowntherapy.com. Aaron Wilson (he/his), LMFT For the past 12 years, I have facilitated groups in a variety of settings-- activism/anti-racism, wilderness therapy, rehab-centers, and massage education. In each setting I have been struck by the awesome power groups hold for change and transformation. I feel incredibly lucky to be part of such a transformational process. In addition to facilitating groups, I offer therapy to individuals, couples, and families in private practice in Oakland and San Francisco. To learn more or to reach out with any questions, contact me at www.aaronwilsontherapy.com

  • Group Facilitator: 

    Laura Grossman, LMFT

    Contact Phone: 

    510-426-6135

    Contact Email: 

    laura@lauragrossmantherapy.com

    Group Type: 

    Mixed-Gender Group

    Group Type: 

    Mixed-Gender Group

    Location: 

    online

    Meeting Day(s) and Time(s): 

    Tuesdays 4:00pm - 5:30pm

    Queerly beloved is a relational and somatic process group for Queer and Trans adults in CA. This group offers a safe and supportive environment for participants to experiment with new ways of connecting with others, without losing track of sensations, emotions, thoughts, and needs.

    This is a closed group that will run an ongoing basis, with a brief break in August. Fee is $70 per weekly session.

    Interested? Got questions? Not sure if it's right for you? Give me a call or click here to set up a consultation call, and we can talk all about it.

    *Please note that 5% of the proceeds will be donated to support the Mental Health Liberation fund.

    Group Leader Bio: 

    Laura is a queer therapist specializing in individual, couples, and group therapy for adults and parents who identify as LGBTQ+ and those who are wanting to build more joy and confidence in their lives and relationships. Through the therapeutic process, I help my clients build a life that is full, vibrant, and connected.

  • Group Facilitator: 

    Daisy Reese

    Contact Phone: 

    510-610-0562

    Contact Email: 

    daisyreese@gmail.com

    Group Type: 

    Women's Group

    Group Type: 

    Women's Group

    Location: 

    Berkeley and Sacramento

    Meeting Day(s) and Time(s): 

    Berkeley 4:30PM-5:45pm Wednesdays (starting in Spring) Sacramento 6pm-7:15pm Tuesdays (starting in Spring)

    “The world is made not of atoms but of stories.” We all carry our own stories. Some are public, some are known only to our intimates, some are known only to ourselves. In this women’s group we will create a safe space to explore and share our own stories and hear those of others. Through interweaving archetypal stories - Demeter and Persephone, The Ugly Duckling) we can come to know ourselves and our interconnectedness at deeper levels.

    Group Leader Bio: 

    Daisy has been a trainer/consultant for over 30 years. She is a Certified Relational Gestalt Therapist with training in Jungian, Object Relations and Family Systems.

  • Group Facilitator: 

    Jessica Brown

    Contact Phone: 

    510-775-1200

    Contact Email: 

    jessica@jessicabrowntherapy.com

    Group Type: 

    Mixed-Gender Group

    Group Type: 

    Mixed-Gender Group

    Location: 

    Zoom

    City: 

    Meeting Day(s) and Time(s): 

    Tuesdays 11:50 am-1:00 pm

    Therapy groups are powerful catalysts for insight and growth, sometimes even more so than the traditional 1:1 therapy dyad. During sessions the group works to put their thoughts and feelings into words, sharing as vulnerably and honestly as possible. Participating in both a supportive and brave space, group members have a unique opportunity to better understand themselves, their relational patterns, better understand others, as well as experiment with new ways of relating. This process allows for deep personal examination and shifting of relational patterns that can be blocking one’s progress in developing healthy and more satisfying relationships. Group therapy also presents a unique experience to get support and feedback from a diverse collective of people.

    THIS GROUP COULD BE A FIT FOR YOU IF:
    You struggle with loneliness
    You feel stuck in unhealthy relationship patterns or have difficulty creating or sustaining relationships
    You want to learn more about yourself and get feedback about how you come across
    You want to practice sharing your emotions and being vulnerable with others
    You have difficulty asserting your needs and boundaries
    You struggle with responding in the face of other’s emotions
    You are currently in individual therapy (or have been in some amount of therapy in the past) and want a different therapeutic space/experience to practice what you are learning
    *Many people simultaneously participate in both individual and group therapy and find the combination very beneficial.

    Group Leader Bio: 

    Jessica Brown (she/her/hers), LMFT Groups are powerful. My experience as a participant in groups has inspired my passion for leading groups. I first received training as a group facilitator at the Integral Counseling Center at Pierce Street as well as during my internship at Access Institute where I completed a 2-year psychoanalytic training fellowship. As a member of the American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA) and as a graduate of the Group Psychotherapy Training Program at The Psychotherapy Institute I have received specialized training in leading groups. Prior to my work as a therapist, I led corporate and executive team workshops and many personal growth programs. In addition to leading groups, I work with individual adults and couples in my private practice. To learn more or to reach out with any questions, click here or contact me at jessica@jessicabrowntherapy.com.

  • Group Facilitator: 

    Deborah Joy, PhD

    Contact Phone: 

    510-506-6252

    Contact Email: 

    drdebjoy@aol.com

    Group Type: 

    Women's Group

    Group Type: 

    Women's Group

    City: 

    Albany

    Meeting Day(s) and Time(s): 

    Wednesday 7 to 8:30 p.m.

    Ongoing since 1982, therapy groups for women who have experienced emotional, verbal and or physical abuse from their partners.

  • Group Facilitator: 

    Berne Fitzpatrick, PhD, CGP

    Contact Phone: 

    415-494-9823

    Contact Email: 

    berne@bernefitzpatrick.com

    Group Type: 

    Men's Group

    Group Type: 

    Men's Group

    Location: 

    Primarily in-person in Berkeley (Shattuck & Ashby) with online option

    City: 

    Berkeley

    Meeting Day(s) and Time(s): 

    Thursdays 5:15pm-7:15pm

    For those men who learn by doing, you will get immense value and satisfaction from an Interpersonal Psychotherapy Process Group. You will learn about your relationship patterns and change the ones that don't work, all while offering both support and challenge, where members hold each other accountable. Most of the men in my groups stay once they join as they continue to get deep connection and value from them.

    Group Leader Bio: 

    Berne Fitzpatrick, Ph.D. has been leading men’s groups for over 20 years. He is a licensed clinical psychologist PSY32551 and a Certified Group Therapist #60467 (AGPA) and is on the steering committee of The Psychotherapy Institute's Group Therapy Training Program (GTTP).

  • Group Facilitator: 

    Berne Fitzpatrick, PhD, CGP

    Contact Phone: 

    415-494-9823

    Contact Email: 

    berne@bernefitzpatrick.com

    Group Type: 

    Men's Group

    Group Type: 

    Men's Group

    Location: 

    Primarily in-person in Berkeley (Shattuck & Ashby) with online option

    City: 

    Berkeley

    Meeting Day(s) and Time(s): 

    Thursdays 7:30 pm-9:00 pm

    For those men who learn by doing, you will get immense value and satisfaction from an Interpersonal Psychotherapy Process Group. You will learn about your relationship patterns and change the ones that don't work, all while offering both support and challenge, where members hold each other accountable. Most of the men in my groups stay once they join as they continue to get deep connection and value from them.

    Group Leader Bio: 

    Berne Fitzpatrick, Ph.D. has been leading men’s groups for over 20 years. He is a licensed clinical psychologist PSY32551 and a Certified Group Therapist #60467 (AGPA) and is on the steering committee of The Psychotherapy Institute's Group Therapy Training Program (GTTP).

  • Group Facilitator: 

    David Heliotis, LPCC

    Contact Phone: 

    (510) 516-4102

    Contact Email: 

    david@davidheliotis.com

    Group Type: 

    Men's Group

    Group Type: 

    Men's Group

    City: 

    Berkeley

    Meeting Day(s) and Time(s): 

    Thursdays, 5:30-7:00pm

    The East Bay Men's Group is an interpersonal psychotherapy process group available to all who identify as men, including trans men. The group provides an in-person space to support men in engaging in real, honest, and open dialogue with one another. By giving and receiving support and feedback, group members can form deep relationships that can create profound change for themselves. More info at: https://www.davidheliotis.com/mens-groups.html

    Group Leader Bio: 

    David Heliotis is a licensed professional clinical counselor practicing in Berkeley. He’s been trained in mindfulness-based and somatic (body-aware) therapies at the Lomi Psychotherapy Clinic in Santa Rosa and through the Hakomi Institute of California. Learn more about David at https://www.davidheliotis.com/

  • Group Facilitator: 

    Fei Hu, LMFT

    Contact Phone: 

    510-394-4801

    Contact Email: 

    fei.mft@gmail.com

    Group Type: 

    Mixed-Gender Group

    Group Type: 

    Mixed-Gender Group

    Location: 

    2232 Carleton St

    City: 

    Berkeley

    Meeting Day(s) and Time(s): 

    Tuesdays 7-8:30 pm

    Do you ever wonder "Am I Asian enough?" Perhaps you're a childhood trauma survivor and have set boundaries with family, and feel distant from Asian community. Maybe you grew up with mostly non-Asians and are curious to explore what being "Asian-American" means to you. Or you've rejected certain aspects of your Asian upbringing but want to cultivate other parts of your Asian identity. Maybe you're 2nd or 3rd generation Asian-American and feel disconnected from your culture of origin. This group offers a safe space to explore what "Asian-American" means to you.

    Group Leader Bio: 

    Fei A. Hu, LMFT has 15 years of experience as a therapist and is passionate about facilitating groups, building community and fostering deep interpersonal relationships.

  • Group Facilitator: 

    Fei Hu, LMFT

    Contact Phone: 

    510-394-4801

    Contact Email: 

    fei.mft@gmail.com

    Group Type: 

    Mixed-Gender Group

    Group Type: 

    Mixed-Gender Group

    Location: 

    2232 Carleton St

    City: 

    Berkeley

    Meeting Day(s) and Time(s): 

    Wednesdays 7:15-8:45pm

    This relationship-focused group will invite you to discover more about yourself in relation to others through expressive arts activities, experiential exercises, and mutual sharing and relating to other group members. We will be exploring group and 1-1 connection through improv games, movement activities, visual arts and collective creativity to help deepen the exploration process. You will be invited to self-reflect, to practice empathic listening skills, and to develop your capacity to share & relate on a deeper level. You do not need to have any experience with the arts in order to participate.

    Group Leader Bio: 

    Fei A. Hu, LMFT has 15 years of experience as a therapist and is passionate about facilitating groups, building community and fostering deep interpersonal relationships.

  • Group Facilitator: 

    Mary Ann Kassier, LCSW, CGP

    Contact Phone: 

    (925) 746-2624

    Contact Email: 

    maryannkassier@gmail.com

    Group Type: 

    Women's Group

    Group Type: 

    Women's Group

    Location: 

    1 group meets 3x/month on telehealth and 1x/month in person at TPI, 2232 Carleton St., Berkeley. Two other groups meet via telehealth.

    City: 

    Berkeley/Telehealth

    Meeting Day(s) and Time(s): 

    Tuesdays 4:30-6 meets once a month at TPI, 2232 Carleton St. Two additional daytime groups meet via telehealth

    Women's groups with a maximum of 6 members in Berkeley and Walnut Creek offer support for women with depression or anxiety. Members can improve their relationships by exploring and understanding the patterns of relating which emerge within the group. Members can also increase their confidence and clarify their goals and direction in life.

    Group Leader Bio: 

    Mary Ann has run groups for 40 years. She is co-chair of the Group Therapy Training Program at TPI and teaches the monthly Group Development Course. Read more about her approach to therapy in her Psychology Today profile.

  • Group Facilitator: 

    Ann Steiner, Ph.D., LMFT, CGP, FAGPA

    Contact Phone: 

    (925) 962-0060

    Contact Email: 

    DrSteiner@DrSteiner.com

    Group Type: 

    Mixed-Gender Group

    Group Type: 

    Mixed-Gender Group

    City: 

    Lafayette

    Meeting Day(s) and Time(s): 

    Thursday 1:30-3:00pm

    If so, this warm, ongoing, co-ed supportive process-focused group addresses relationship issues, trust, intimacy and improving self-care may provide the extra support you deserve. Designed for psychologically aware members who want to look closely at what is getting in the way of more meaningful, satisfying work and personal relationships. This group is a safe place to:

    • Practice and learn how to express your needs in relationships

    • Improve your self-confidence and self-esteem

    • Discover the gift of compassion for yourself

    • Improve your communication skills

    I use a collaborative approach in screening potential members. You can read more about my approach to group work on my website by following this link:
    http://www.drsteiner.com/therapygrps_about.html If you have any questions please feel free to call me at (925) 962-0060

    Group Leader Bio: 

    Ann Steiner, Ph.D., M.F.T., CGP,* FAGPA* has been leading psychotherapy groups, for 30 years, supervises, trains and provides consultation to therapists. She is a Fellow* and recently elected Board Member of the American Group Psychotherapy Society*, was president of Northern California Group Psychotherapy Society, and served as an Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of California Medical School, S.F. for over 14 years. Dr. Steiner has been training and consulting to therapists for 26 years, and is on the faculty of The Psychotherapy Institute's Group Therapy Training Program. She is the author of the newly released “Starting and Sustaining Groups that Thrive: Workbook and Planning Guide.”

  • Group Facilitator: 

    Rose Phelps, LMFT, Certified Group Psychotherapist

    Contact Phone: 

    510-658-4344

    Contact Email: 

    rosepmft@hotmail.com

    Group Type: 

    Women's Group

    Group Type: 

    Women's Group

    City: 

    Oakland

    Meeting Day(s) and Time(s): 

    Group 1- Wednesday 6:30 pm - 8 pm Group 2- Monday 6:15 pm - 7:45 pm

    There are two therapy groups for survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The group members work deeply with each other to gently work through the interpersonal obstacles to transforming their lives and transcending the trauma. This is an ongoing group for women only, that requires a 3-month commitment.

  • Group Facilitator: 

    Ali Kimmell

    Contact Phone: 

    510-394-2492

    Contact Email: 

    Ali@BayAreagroupcenter.com

    Group Type: 

    Mixed-Gender Group

    Group Type: 

    Mixed-Gender Group

    Location: 

    3867 Howe St Oakland, CA. or Online

    City: 

    Oakland

    Meeting Day(s) and Time(s): 

    Tuesdays 5:00 pm-6:20 pm, Wednesdays 8:40 am-10 am, Wednesdays 4:15 pm-5:45 pm, Thursdays 9:00 am-10:20 am

    You can read more about current groups here: https://www.bayareagroupcenter.com/services In these groups members share emotionally significant things happening in their life and their past. However, the larger focus is on the relationships and reactions arising in the present moment in the group. This approach allows members the chance to understand themselves and others at a deeper level by studying how they interact in the group and getting real-time feedback. As ready, the leader and fellow members support each group member in taking risks to try more satisfying methods of reaching for the types of connections they’d like.

    Group Leader Bio: 

    Ali Kimmell is a Certified Group Therapist who facilitates from a modern analytic, anti-racist, queer affirmative, attachment focused lens. She serves as faculty at The Psychotherapy Institute and The Group Therapy Training Program in Berkeley, and has taught Group Therapy at Grateful Heart Counseling Center, Northern California Group Psychotherapy Association, the American Group Psychotherapy Association, and The Center for Group Studies. Her recent publications include: Kimmell, A., & Gockel, A. (2017). Embodied connections: Engaging the body in group work. Qualitative Social Work, 17(2), 268–285 and the book chapter Belonging: Queer Theory’s Contribution to Modern Analytic Groups in Kane, Y. , Masselink, S. & Weiss, A (Eds.), Women, Intersectionality and Power in Group Psychotherapy. Routledge.

  • Group Facilitator: 

    Berne Fitzpatrick, PhD, CGP

    Contact Phone: 

    415-494-9823

    Contact Email: 

    berne@bernefitzpatrick.com

    Group Type: 

    Men's Group

    Group Type: 

    Men's Group

    Location: 

    Primarily in-person in SF (Glen Park) with online option

    City: 

    San Francisco

    Meeting Day(s) and Time(s): 

    Mondays 7:00 pm-8:30pm

    For those men who learn by doing, you will get immense value and satisfaction from an Interpersonal Psychotherapy Process Group. You will learn about your relationship patterns and change the ones that don't work, all while offering both support and challenge, where members hold each other accountable. Most of the men in my groups stay once they join as they continue to get deep connection and value from them.

    Group Leader Bio: 

    Berne Fitzpatrick, Ph.D. has been leading men’s groups for over 20 years. He is a licensed clinical psychologist PSY32551 and a Certified Group Therapist #60467 (AGPA) and is on the steering committee of The Psychotherapy Institute's Group Therapy Training Program (GTTP).

  • Group Facilitator: 

    Berne Fitzpatrick, PhD, CGP

    Contact Phone: 

    415-494-9823

    Contact Email: 

    berne@bernefitzpatrick.com

    Group Type: 

    Men's Group

    Group Type: 

    Men's Group

    Location: 

    Primarily in-person in SF (Glen Park) with online option

    City: 

    San Francisco

    Meeting Day(s) and Time(s): 

    Mondays 5:10 pm-6:40 pm

    For those men who learn by doing, you will get immense value and satisfaction from an Interpersonal Psychotherapy Process Group. You will learn about your relationship patterns and change the ones that don't work, all while offering both support and challenge, where members hold each other accountable. Most of the men in my groups stay once they join as they continue to get deep connection and value from them.

    Group Leader Bio: 

    Berne Fitzpatrick, Ph.D. has been leading men’s groups for over 20 years. He is a licensed clinical psychologist PSY32551 and a Certified Group Therapist #60467 (AGPA) and is on the steering committee of The Psychotherapy Institute's Group Therapy Training Program (GTTP).

  • Group Facilitator: 

    Mary Ann Kassier, LCSW, CGP

    Contact Phone: 

    (925) 746-2624

    Contact Email: 

    maryannkassier@gmail.com

    Group Type: 

    Mixed-Gender Group

    Group Type: 

    Mixed-Gender Group

    Location: 

    Berkeley – in person 2x/month; telehealth on the alternate weeks

    City: 

    Telehealth/Berkeley

    Meeting Day(s) and Time(s): 

    Tuesday 6:30-8 pm

    Mixed gender process group for members in their 20s and early 30s who are experiencing anxiety and/or depression. In this group, members can gain a stronger sense of confidence, increase self-awareness and practice new interpersonal skills while talking with peers in a supportive and reflective group culture.

    Group Leader Bio: 

    Mary Ann has run groups for 40 years. She is co-chair of the Group Therapy Training Program at TPI and teaches the monthly Group Development Course. Read more about her approach to therapy in her Psychology Today profile.