Do you struggle with emotional eating, sometimes go on eating binges, restrict your food intake, or spend too much time thinking about your body, weight, and food? Would you like to have a healthy relationship with food, your body, and your weight?
Are you in recovery from an eating disorder, alcohol, drugs, or another addiction behavior but still struggle with dealing with life? Do you sense that you lack emotional sobriety?Are you prone to anxiety or depression and can’t seem to manage your emotions in a way that allows you to lead a happy life?
Are you easily distracted or dominated by paralyzing fears?
Do you find yourself mentally rehearsing or overthinking things or compulsively checking the doors, locks, or your work numerous times?
Are you extremely self-critical?
Are you extremely sensitive physically, with a condition such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, frequent colds and flus, or allergies?
Do you have a sense that your medical issues might be alleviated somewhat by learning to manage your emotions and stress more effectively?
Do you feel sometimes as if you're at war with yourself or with other people, even though you really want to be more self-compassionate and have fulfilling, loving relationships?
Would you like to learn how to communicate more effectively and compassionately with others and with yourself?
Do you wish that you had a better sense of your personal purpose here on earth?
Do you yearn for a closer relationship with your Higher Power, True Self, or God, but sometimes have questions or doubts about your faith or how to live in line with your values?
You deserve happiness, balance, peace, and fulfillment in your life, and I'm here to help. I am a licensed psychotherapist treating people who struggle with binge eating, chronic dieting, relationships, anxiety, and low self-esteem.
I can help you can break free from self-sabotaging behaviors and beliefs, which can benefit you both emotionally and physically. The mind/body connection has been well-established, and with every year research shows in more and more detail what we can do in terms of our responses to stress and in our relationships, to build resilience to illness and optimize well-being. Knowing that your attitudes and actions affect your physical health can be very empowering. I use a proactive, solution-focused approach, focusing on your unique strengths and passions, and incorporate evidence-based techniques such as mindfulness and cognitive behavioral techniques, to help you develop more effective ways of thinking and handling feelings.
Moving beyond destructive habits is vital, but it’s only the first step. My purpose is to help you develop and maintain a healthy relationship with your body, weight, and food, excellent emotional and physical health, and experience fulfilling relationships with your family, friends, business associates, and people in general. In addition, I am passionate about helping you discover and pursue your specific goals, be they personal or professional. We all have specific talents and goals, but sometimes it can be difficult to recognize these and figure out a game plan to bring them to fruition, setting goals and breaking these down into manageable action steps. If you wish, our work can also explore how you would like to grow spiritually.
Have you ever made New Year’s resolutions, only to wonder in February what happened to your plans? This isn’t unusual, in a world where so many obligations compete for our time and attention. Together we can help you to clarify what factors in your life are and aren’t working for you. Furthermore, you can learn how to make and maintain those shifts in action and attitude that will bring you greater happiness and effectiveness. Ultimately you can become your own best advocate, having developed the tools necessary to support yourself in coping successfully with life’s inevitable challenges.
Learn More About Me
Rachel Fintzy Woods, MFT
I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT #45452) in California. I have been a psychotherapist for over 25 years, in private practice, social service agencies, and clinical research settings. My experience in research has allowed me to see first-hand which therapy techniques produce effective results.