Marriage & Family Therapist
I have been a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice in the East Bay for over 30 years, providing psychotherapy for adults, couples, families, adolescents, and groups. I work from a holistic perspective, creating a safe environment to encourage the therapeutic process.
I specialize in working with: relationship issues, recovery from sexual, physical, and emotional abuse and other childhood traumas; depression; anxiety, low self esteem; codependency issues; parenting concerns; compulsive eating patterns; body image dissatisfaction, chronic illness, and perinatal loss. I integrate in-depth psychotherapy with EMDR, Expressive Arts Therapy, Somatic Experiencing, Jungian Sand Tray, and Dream Work.
In addition I work with graduate students currently in psychology and counseling programs, supporting them through the process of their studies, internships, testing and licensure. I also serve people interested in developing themselves more fully, and I work with people in the LGBTQ community.
Walking Therapy is available for those clients who would enjoy some of their sessions outside while walking, as well as for those people who struggle with exercise, and would like to be supported in developing an active lifestyle as part of their therapeutic goals.
Studies show that exercise can treat mild to moderate depression as effectively as antidepressant medication, by releasing endorphins, natural cannabis-like brain chemicals that enhance one’s sense of well being. Studies show that exercise also can reduce anxiety and stress while improving overall mood. In addition, Ecotherapy is both an ancient and newer form of therapy, that holds that by restarting and invigorating ones connection to the natural world, symptoms of depression, anxiety, grief and more, can be reduced.
Audrey’s office is next to a 10 mile walking trail, and any session can be a “Walk And Talk”, at a pace set by the client.
Audrey Silverman Foote grew up outside of Washington, D.C. and graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.S. in Community Services and Public Affairs. She holds a Master’s Degree from John F. Kennedy University in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology, is a California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and completed the 3 year Somatic Experiencing (SE) Professional Training in 2015.
Audrey has been in private practice in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1985, approaching the therapeutic process from a holistic perspective. In her work with individuals, couples, and families, she integrates in-depth psychotherapy with EMDR, Expressive Arts Therapy, Dream Work, Jungian Sand Tray, and Somatic Experiencing.
She specializes in working with recovery from childhood trauma; depression and anxiety; low self-esteem; personal growth; parenting concerns; compulsive eating patterns; body image dissatisfaction, chronic illness, and perinatal loss.
Audrey also incorporates holistic health and nutrition into her practice by supporting her clients to connect their physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
She has worked with psychotherapy graduate students throughout their training and certification process, taught Couples Communication Classes at Kaiser Permanente for 16 years, and is an experienced facilitator of Expressive Arts Therapy groups, including “Woman Alive” (a psychotherapy group for women exploring the arts as modalities of transformation), “Women Healing Women” (Expressive Arts Therapy groups for survivors of sexual trauma) and psychotherapy/parenting groups for new mothers.
Audrey lives in Pleasant Hill, CA with her husband of 36 years. They have two adult daughters and have rescued many animals over the years. Audrey is an avid environmentalist and outdoorswoman and loves to hike, cross country ski, swim, and travel.