Grief counselors and therapists in Bakersfield, CA

I specialize with the symptoms of anxiety, depression, ADHD and high spectrum autism. My approach is to involve the individual persons' needs for developing better communication skills, coping skills, support systems, insights, and physical health. My office is set up for creative play and insightful communication games.

Welcome! I have been providing therapy since 2022. I have extensive experience working with foster youth, youth, and adults who have experienced trauma, and the effects of anxiety and depression. Sometimes life can be impossibly hard or painful, but it can get better- I've seen it happen.

Welcome, congratulations for taking the first step in your journey to a better you. I have experience in working with individuals who are struggling with a wide variety of problems such as depression, negative thoughts patterns, low self-esteem, anxiety, adjustment, grief, LGBTQIA and cultural issues.

I am committed to providing an empathetic safe space to support you in your journey.

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I desire to empower clients to process, challenge, and rethink about their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. The primary focus of treatment is to ignite hope, strength, and resilience. I provide both Christian-based therapy services and secular therapy services.

I can understand first-hand how difficult it can be to reach out for help for the first time. I believe in the importance of "practicing what you preach" and I have been the client in the room who needs extra support. I invite you to give yourself a chance, try something new, and gain a healthy perspective on how to address complicated moments in your life.

Clients should know that I provide a warm, supportive, and nonjudgmental space where they can feel safe to be themselves. I specialize in working with women, adolescents, and children, as well as individuals impacted by the child welfare system, including foster care, adoption, and family separation. I understand how trauma, attachment disruptions, and life transitions can shape emotions, relationships, and self-worth.

My approach is compassionate, collaborative, and practical. I aim to help clients feel heard and understood while also offering tools and strategies they can use in their daily lives. I tailor therapy to each client’s unique needs and developmental stage, meeting them where they are and moving at a pace that feels comfortable.

I value building strong, trusting relationships and believe that healing happens through connection, insight, and consistent support. My goal is to help clients strengthen resilience, gain clarity, and feel more confident navigating life’s challenges.

My name is Jeffrey W. Danese, MS, MA, LMHC, LPCC, and I am a licensed mental health counselor in Washington State and California, currently based in Sacramento. I bring over 15 years of clinical experience across private practice, inpatient and outpatient mental health settings, and college counseling, along with a an academic background teaching psychology, religious studies, and the history of science in higher education from UCSB, FSU, and 10 years at SJSU to various community colleges in the Puget Sound region and in North Florida and cross-cultural experiences such as living in Taiwan, Zambia, Germany and traveling around the world; I studied Spanish, German, and Chinese language, world history and religions, psychology, evolutionary psychology and the cognitive science of religion; was raised Catholic but ordained as a Buddhist monk in Thailand; and continue to meditate, explore and read broadly. One of my favorite quotes is by the Roman writer, Terence: "I am human and there is nothing human foreign to me." (or, Homo sum, humani nihil a me alienum puto. -- Publius Terentius Afer, 165 BCE)