Grace Wakim, MA, PsyD

What should your client know about you?

I am honored to do this work and appreciate the important shifts and healing that therapy can provide. I have experience with adults from a wide variety of backgrounds who are struggling with issues such as anxiety, depression, relationship and family conflicts, trauma, loss, and difficult life transitions. I provide specialized support for clients with alcohol and substance addictions from both an abstinence-based and harm-reduction view. I also specialize in working with family members who may be struggling with patterns of codependency and managing the effects of living in households where addiction was or is present.

What is your approach to therapy?

I utilize a variety of perspectives and interventions to best support individual client’s goals, including psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, and mindfulness skills. Integrating self-compassion concepts and research throughout my practice, I encourage clients to recognize their strengths, make space for imperfections, and challenge abusive inner dialogues. My hope is to provide a compassionate and supportive space for reflection and growth, with a therapeutic style that has been described as present, warm, and relaxed. Additionally, I view each client as the expert of their identities and experiences, and check in with clients periodically throughout the treatment process to discuss whether our work together is meeting their therapeutic needs.

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

Depending on what is bringing them into therapy, clients can expect to have a deeper understanding of the symptoms, patterns and situations that may be exacerbating suffering or keeping them “stuck,” a plan to address areas of concern, and a nonjudgmental space in which they feel seen and heard.

What was your path on becoming a psychologist?

I have been interested in human emotions, relationships and behavior for as long as I can recall, and knew at an early age I would likely pursue a career as a psychologist. I earned my Bachelor’s in Psychology from Indiana University, and went on to obtain my MA in Clinical Psychology and then a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Roosevelt University in Chicago. I completed a pre-doctoral internship at the University of San Francisco’s Counseling and Psychological Services and went on to finish my post-doctoral residency training with Kaiser Permanente San Rafael’s Chemical Dependency Services.