Catherine Ferreira, Psy.D.
I include this information so that you can be assured that I bring a great deal of skill to my work. I have been trained in some of the most prestigious institutions in the Bay Area and hold myself to maintaining those standards in my private practice.
Background/Education
I have been practicing psychotherapy since 1997 and am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in California (License #PSY21695). I graduated from The Wright Institute in Berkeley with a doctoral degree in psychology. I completed my pre-doctoral internship and post-doctoral fellowship in the UCSF Department of Psychiatry at San Francisco General Hospital doing outpatient psychotherapy with a specialization in trauma, violence, and abuse. In that setting I have supervised graduate students in the practice of psychotherapy and have taught numerous doctoral-level seminars. Upon graduation I was subsequently hired as a Staff Psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry.
Most recently I held the position of Clinical Director at STAND! For Families Free of Violence (formerly STAND! Against Domestic Violence) in Contra Costa County, managing the clinical department as the agency went through a large merger.
I have been in private practice since 2008.
Additionally I have provided consultation to the staff of West Coast Children’s Center in Oakland.
I also have extensive experience in psychoanalytic (depth) psychotherapy and continue to pursue training in that area.
I completed my undergraduate education at UC Berkeley in 1987.
Hope and Healing; that’s my offer to you.
Professional Memberships
- American Psychological Association
- California Psychological Association
- International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
- Northern California Society of Psychoanalytic Psychology
APPROACH TO PSYCHOTHERAPY
My experience and training is broad and allows me to respond to your needs flexibly. I draw from my vast experience to tailor an approach that works for you and makes sense to you. I continue to receive training on a variety of topics to keep my knowledge-base current and offer you treatment and information based on the latest research in my field. I enjoy working from a variety of theoretical backgrounds and listen deeply to you to determine which approach will help you the most. Sometimes people need the time and space to connect to deeper issues that are causing distress in their lives, and sometimes people need to learn skills and to be educated about mental health and with this knowledge they can learn to manage their own issues quickly.
CULTURE AND DIVERSITY
I have traveled extensively throughout the world, including a year abroad in Africa, India and Southeast Asia. I enjoy diversity and cultural issues. As well I recognize that global and societal issues have an impact on individual lives, especially in a community as diverse and progressive as the San Francisco Bay Area. These issues are present in my thinking as I help my patients.
