LGBT therapists in Hayward, CA

Anxiety and perfectionism have turned your mind into a battleground. Your inner critic nitpicks every interaction, leaving you exhausted by thoughts of “Damnit, why can’t I just be better!” Painful memories get louder, no matter how hard you try to ignore them. Daily invalidations of your Latina, queer, or immigrant identity sting, and you feel isolated as you keep your suffering to yourself. You’ve tried everything: doom scrolling, drinking, and self-help books, but nothing has worked. You're left feeling hopeless and weighed down.

For the past 20 years, I've worked across private practices, youth development centers, schools, and mental health clinics. My passion is to work with adults navigating major life transitions. Whether you are a college student or approaching retirement, my hope is to walk alongside you during this time of change and uncertainty; to help create the conditions for you to reconnect with your authentic self and remember what lights you up. We can explore ways to recognize and acknowledge your anxiety that moves beyond words. Incorporating expressive arts, guided imagery, and embodied exercises to help you strengthen your awareness with your emotions and rewrite old narratives.

Are you in life transition or coping with anxiety and stress ? Are you searching for deeper meaning to feel more joy and peace? Are you going through life’s uncertainty due to factors of life transition, illness, aging, identity crisis, retirement, loss of loved ones, financial stress, women’s hormonal changes? Do you want more Meaningful positive experiences and becoming your Best Authentic Self?

I am here to provide you with compassionate care, kindness and psychological and emotional support. You deserve to experience peace of mind and wellness. Life invites growth through transitions which require us to change and make tough decisions. am here to support you to THRIVE in times of change.

About Me:

I am guided by my values of Compassion, Wisdom, Healing and Empowerment. My focus is helping people THRIVE in healthy lifestyle and wellbeing.

I practice Ayurveda, a holistic lifestyle system from India that promotes balance of mind, body, and spirit through daily habits, nutrition, and self-care.

I know how heavy life can feel when you’re carrying pain, uncertainty, or self-doubt. But I believe, as a wise old wizard once said, “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of places, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” My role is to help you find that light again. I work with Gen Z and Millennial adults facing anxiety, depression, trauma, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and more. Through integrative, culturally responsive care, I combine evidence-based psychiatry with holistic strategies to help you feel heard, supported, and empowered to create a life that aligns with your true self.

I’m Matthew “Matt” Tapia, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) offering online therapy in Arizona and California. I specialize in neurodivergent-affirming care for autistic people and people with ADHD. I also help clients navigate anxiety, depression, trauma and PTSD, relationship concerns, and caregiver stress.

If daily demands leave you overwhelmed, misunderstood, or unsure where to begin, we can start with what matters most to you. My style is warm, practical, and collaborative, with room to explore your experiences and develop skills you can use in everyday life.

I work with children, teens, adults, and families. I hold a Master of Arts from Santa Clara University and am also a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). My background in family therapy and behavioral science helps me understand how emotions, relationships, daily routines, and your environment influence one another.

Together, we can work on managing strong emotions, communicating your needs, strengthening relationships, and creating routines that fit your life. Therapy respects your communication preferences, sensory needs, strengths, and personal goals.

All sessions take place through secure telehealth. I accept insurance through Headway, where you can check your coverage and view available appointments.

I am Sharon Atwood, a board-certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Adult Nurse Practitioner with over a decade of dedicated clinical experience. I hold active, unrestricted licenses in Florida, New York, California, and Idaho, and I specialize in serving adults aged 18 and older through both telehealth and outpatient settings.

My educational foundation reflects a lifelong commitment to excellence. I earned my Associate in Science and Diploma in Nursing before completing a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology magna cum laude from Kean University. I then pursued my Master of Science in Nursing from Florida Atlantic University and a Post-Master's Certificate in Psychiatric-Mental Health from the University of Miami, both achieved summa cum laude. I maintain dual board certifications through ANCC and AANP, and I am a proud member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, and the California Association of Nurse Practitioners.

My clinical background spans diverse settings, including adult and geriatric primary care, inpatient psychiatry, crisis intervention, hospital consultation, assisted living environments, and outpatient psychiatric medication management. This breadth of experience equips me to confidently address a wide range of conditions, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, OCD, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, sleep disturbances, and complex co-occurring presentations. I welcome individuals with treatment-resistant symptoms.

My approach is collaborative, evidence-based, and rooted in genuine partnership. I combine psychiatric medication management with integrative health practices, examining how sleep, nutrition, exercise, stress, and social connection shape your overall wellbeing. I believe that meaningful progress flourishes when expert care is paired with healthy lifestyle.