I am Ivan Skolnikoff, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Berkeley. I practice mindfulness centered psychotherapy to help people feel more comfortable in their own skin and empowered in their lives. My work as a therapist is significantly informed by my training in Hakomi Mindfulness-Based Experiential Psychotherapy and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (somatic therapy approaches).
I work with individuals, teens/adolescents, couples and groups. Therapy for trauma can help people heal and regain their wholeness and strength. Mindfulness centered psychotherapy for anxiety can help you feel more grounded in facing day-to-day challenges. Therapy for addictions can help bring more awareness of your underlying needs and find more effective ways of self-soothing.
I work with individuals, teens/adolescents, couples and groups. Therapy for trauma can help people heal and regain their wholeness and strength. Mindfulness centered psychotherapy for anxiety can help you feel more grounded in facing day-to-day challenges. Therapy for addictions can help bring more awareness of your underlying needs and find more effective ways of self-soothing.
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With an MA in counseling psychology from the University of San Francisco in 1993, and a Marriage and Family Therapist License in 1999, I have been engaged in mindfulness therapy with clients for over 20 years. I work with individual adults, couples, teens and groups. My intention in offering therapy is to reunite you with your own innate power that wants to unfold naturally in the direction of greater wholeness.
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Individual therapy helps people identify their beliefs, attitudes, and models of the world for themselves and other people. These beliefs influence the kinds of experiences they have in their life. For example, let's say that you have a belief that none of your friends care whether or not you show up at their parties.
Relationship counseling helps people identify their personal emotional triggers and the ways they interact with each other that become circular and self- reinforcing. Intimate couple relationships can be the most rewarding and challenging experiences in life. Working through power struggle and disagreements effectively can be a healing experience for both partners and bring them closer together.
Group therapy can be effective when members are able to experience being seen with acceptance and compassion. Being seen in a safe and supportive way can help people express and let go of painful memories and integrate more empowering ways being in the world. Since most members in the group are working on some personal challenge, the power of the healing that can be experienced exceeds what's possible through individual therapy alone.
Reviews (9)
Stella Mehari
Dec 31, 2021
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Ivan is a great person and therapist. I specially like his mindfulness based approach. Working with Ivan thought me to notice my body's sensations whenever I am straggling emotionally. I leaned about emotion to body relationship. Most importantly I learn to question the way I think about different situations which was causing me suffering. Ivan gives you the space to discover and analyze your inner world and cultivate self-awarnees. He is a very good listener and asks amazing questions which helps you to reflect in a deeper way. I like working with Ivan. He has been very instrumental on my self
Jeff Cohen
May 15, 2019
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I've known Ivan professionally for over decade, during which time we've done a number of professional trainings together. In that context, I've seen his work first hand, and find him to be a skilled practitioner with a strong sense of presence and compassionate attention. He has studied some of the more cutting-edge modalities in our field, and is adept at integrating them in a way that the technique becomes background to the client's experience of self-observation and exploration. I am always confident that people will be in good hands when I refer to him.
Matt Foley
Sep 26, 2016
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Ivan's caring, attuned and grounded presence makes him a solid therapist and colleague. I've known Ivan for about five years, and his dedication to learning his craft is very strong. He uniquely works with mindfulness and specializes in working with couples and men in particular. His big heart and years of experience allow me to recommend him without hesitation.
Shawn Goozh
Dec 08, 2015
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I have known Ivan as a professional colleague for over five years. I hold a deep respect for him. I see his dedication to his work in how he consistently continues to learn and grow, and push his own edges. I also think he offers something special to his clients—he is willing to be get vulnerable and be real with them. He is sincere, humble, and warm. I think this makes it easy to open up to him. I never have a fear that I will be judged by him, either. I know he is particularly skilled in working with mindfulness and with men’s issues. If you’re looking for a good therapist, Ivan is a solid
Michael Lindsey
Nov 04, 2015
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David Boone
Oct 24, 2015
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I had an excellent one hour session with Ivan. I really opened up a couple of things that had been a blind spot for me in the past. It always feels good to put a name to something that is in our space in a such a palpable but intangible way.
Thanks, Ivan! With you, it truly feels like a safe space. ;-)
Thanks, Ivan! With you, it truly feels like a safe space. ;-)
S. Keightley
Dec 24, 2013
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I have known Ivan in a variety of personal and professional settings. He is psychotherapist in Berkeley who uses a mindfulness centered psychotherapy, which is an experiential, “in-the-here-and-now” approach to therapy using mindfulness. As a colleague, I appreciate his warmth, compassion, authenticity, gentleness and courage. Therapy can be quite an investment of time and money, and no therapist is right for everyone. If this is a time when you are considering making such an investment, Ivan is solid therapist who is worth your consideration. He provides individual therapy to adults and teens
Adrian Klaphaak
Nov 25, 2013
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Ivan is an experienced therapist with a mindfulness based approach to psychotherapy and counseling. He is warm, kind, and creates a safe welcoming space for people to share their challenges and be guided through them. As a counselor, he has a deep capacity to hold the most sensitive of issues and explore them gently and patiently. I know Ivan as a colleague and I always appreciate his positive attitude, big heart and genuinely caring nature. He is a great choice if you are looking for a therapist in Berkeley. He sees adults and teens for individual therapy and offers couples counseling.
Joel
Sep 08, 2013
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Ivan comes across as a 'regular person', not as a cold, impersonal, 'one size fits all' therapist like some of the others I've tried.
He's a good listener and guide, who I feel is able to understand and respect me as an individual.
His compassion helps to put me at ease and open up so that I can just be myself and talk freely.
He's a good listener and guide, who I feel is able to understand and respect me as an individual.
His compassion helps to put me at ease and open up so that I can just be myself and talk freely.
