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James Wagner Sex: Male; MFT # MFC43030 (Since 2006) 2955 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley 94705 (510) 207-2613 jameswilliamswagner@yahoo.com Fee scale: $80-$100 DESCRIPTION OF CLINICAL PRACTICE My practice combines my training as a psychotherapist with my Buddhist/ mindfulness meditation training. In therapy we look at your past in an effort to more fully understand your present and combine that with the here-and-now. Being anchored in the current moment lowers anxiety, calms the central nervous system, increases concentration and helps one feel more grounded and alert. Combining mindfulness and therapy is very helpful in working with anxiety, depression, life transitions, phobias, traumas, and uncertainty about the future. I value being genuine, kind, and patient, and I strive to bring those values into therapy. It has also been my experience that most people already have the wisdom they need but it gets clouded over by not clearly seeing ourselves. My goal with individuals in therapy is to assist in uncovering blind spots and to view them without obstruction. In my therapy practice I have experience working with LGBT, people in substance abuse recovery, students, single men or women, bereavement, older adults, people with major illnesses, and anxiety and depression. VIPASSANA/MEDITATION BACKGROUND I have been practicing Buddhism for 15 years and have attended numerous residential meditation retreats. My first Vipassana retreat was in 1995 in India at a Goenka Vipassana Meditation Center. I have attended numerous day long and residential retreats at Spirit Rock since 1998. I am also a student at Shambhala International and completed Shambhala Training. RELEVANT CLINICAL TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE I have experience not only as a private practice psychotherapist but I have many years of experience in community mental health. I am trained in Motivational Interviewing, which focuses on working with individuals through using their strengths to elicit the change they desire in their lives. I am Level II trained in EMDR. This a technique used to assist people with trauma, anxiety, phobias, and fears. |