Empowering you to lead a life of
healing, growth, and joy

Psychotherapy for adults across the lifespan
Poorni Otilingam Lindenfeld, PhD, MPH (she/her)

 
therapy in California
 

Compassionate Psychotherapy
in California

Whether you’re new to therapy or familiar with the process, I’m glad you’re here! Looking into therapy for yourself takes immeasurable courage. 

Your strength is an essential component of our work together because my practice is built on respect and collaboration. I use evidence-based approaches and I ensure that creativity, joy, and hope are woven into our sessions. 

I provide evidence-based psychotherapy to adults across the lifespan located in California. Sessions are conducted via secure, HIPAA-compliant video calls.

If you are an adult or older adult seeking therapy in California, please reach out today to schedule a free consultation.

 
 

What Concerns Can Therapy Help You With?

Evidence-based therapy can address various challenges you’re facing, such as…

  • You’re faced with various transitions as adults. Whether they are desired and/or expected adjustments (or not), challenges may be present in holding the ambiguity, unpredictability, and unknowns of what is next. Many adults benefit from additional support during life transitions. Therapy can help you navigate this time so that you’re thriving instead of simply surviving.

  • If anxiety is impacting your daily life, therapy offers a safe space to address those fears and find coping skills that work for you. Whether the anxiety you’re experiencing is generalized or related to social situations, performance, health conditions, phobias, or trauma, evidence-based psychotherapy can provide the help you’re searching for.

  • Caregivers often need specialized support as they face burnout, compassion fatigue, relational distress, loss/grief, or isolation. Support is also available for caregivers experiencing latent or delayed grief. Whether you care for a loved one or the general public as a front-line worker or Veteran, evidence-based therapy offers help as you face the daily stressors of your role.

  • Navigating acculturation, mental health stigma, and intergenerational differences with your loved ones presents unique challenges. Culturally competent therapy provides an inclusive and welcoming space for you to address these concerns and find support.

  • Experiences of grief and loss are unique to each individual. You may have encountered grief through the loss of a loved one, relationship, identity, role, well-being, or independence. Alternatively, grief may stem from an ambiguous loss, where grief is present without a clearly defined moment of loss and/or without closure. Therapy offers a compassionate environment for you to process grief however it presents itself in your life.

  • If you’re struggling with depression, a loss of interest in normal activities, feeling hopeless, low self-esteem, changes in your appetite and energy, sleep changes, poor concentration, and/or mood concerns related to a medical condition, therapy provides the opportunity to find support, coping skills, symptom management, and healing.

  • Experiencing trauma is much more common than we think, whether it be abuse, neglect, assault, community violence, housing/food insecurities, or war. Women may also experience an onset or recurrence of trauma concerns during reproductive challenges. Trauma-informed therapy provides expert care to help you navigate healing, develop coping skills, and adjust to life after surviving trauma.

  • Women face unique challenges throughout their lives. If you’re dealing with reproductive concerns and mood or anxiety issues related to menstruation, sexual health, menopause, or the perinatal or postpartum periods, therapy can help. Within our sessions, you’ll find a safe and informed environment where you can address these concerns, build upon your strengths, and receive support.

  • As you age, you’re confronted with concerns that deserve specialized care. For example, there may be worries about getting older, recent or longstanding mental health changes including cognitive changes, grief and loss, or changes that may be challenging within your relationships, physical health, career, and roles including but not limited to caregiving and child or grandchild rearing. You might also be interested in healthy aging, aging in place, or improving relationships. Many older adults benefit from additional support as they navigate the aging process. Therapy can help you feel abundantly supported as you grow older.

How To Get Started

  • Reach Out

    Complete the brief contact form or call (650) 246-9902 to leave a confidential voicemail. I will respond within 2 business days to schedule a consultation.

  • Attend a Phone Consultation

    During this free 20-minute phone consultation, we can determine if my therapeutic services are a good fit for you. We'll then schedule your first session.

  • Begin Therapy

    Your first appointment and the following 1-2 sessions will include a comprehensive intake. We'll work together to identify your goals and create an individualized treatment plan with an estimated timeline of services.

 
 

Treatment Approaches

I use an integrated approach that pulls from evidence-based psychotherapies. In a nutshell, this means I utilize forms of talk therapy that research has shown to be effective in reducing symptoms and improving quality of life. Your unique needs and goals will guide how we tailor treatment.

Throughout therapy, we may identify the need to complete skills practice, symptom monitoring, exercises, and suggested readings. These help extend and deepen your therapeutic gains between sessions. As you reach your goals, I'll collaborate with you to determine next steps.

Psychotherapies Used

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

  • Motivational Interviewing

  • Exposure and Response Prevention

  • Cognitive Processing Therapy

  • Compassion-Focused Therapy

  • Mindfulness-Based Interventions 

    – Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy

    – Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

  • Internal Family Systems

  • Interpersonal Therapy

  • Reminiscence Therapy

  • Life Review Therapy 

Your courage is seen.

To get started, please leave a voicemail at (650) 246-9902 or complete the form below.

I will respond within 2 business days to schedule a complimentary 20-minute phone consultation.