Mia Semelman, Psy.D.
At the heart of good therapy is a strong therapeutic relationship. Because of this, Dr. Semelman spends time assessing therapy fit and encourages folks to reflect on and advocate for what they are looking for from therapy.
Dr. Semelman brings mindful presence, warmth, directness and flexibility to the room. Dr. Semelman is an active therapist. She values being didactic and teaching her clients new concepts and skills that might help them. She also values providing space for her clients to explore. She works to collaborate on what therapy approach might work best for someone.
She has helped people with depression, anxiety and related challenges (social anxiety, OCD, phobias), identity-related stressors such as racism or transphobia, communication and relationship skills, intimacy, infidelity, trauma, executive functioning, and adjustment to medical issues. She often works with people who identify as LGBTQ+, polyamorous, neurodiverse, an immigrant, multiracial and bicultural.
If appropriate, Dr. Semelman may provide a highly structured approach to therapy to target a particular issue such as social anxiety, phobia or OCD. At the same time, she is highly attuned to the healing benefit of a safe relationship as informed by neuroscience and attachment theory.
She enjoys working with teens and adults of all ages. She also provides couples therapy and works with dyads wanting to improve communication such as those separating or parent-child relationships.
In addition to her work as a therapist, she enjoys teaching and training student therapists. She also volunteers her time with national psychological organizations to contribute to and stay current in the field.
More about Dr. Semelman's training:
She earned her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from The Wright Institute and her B.A. in Philosophy from UC Berkeley. She received specialized training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Multicultural Psychology. In her work with couples, she uses Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Gottman Method and Nonviolent Communication to help people deepen their connection and communicate in authentic and compassionate ways. Dr. Semelman has provided clinical care in a variety of settings including inpatient hospitals and emergency rooms, outpatient settings, community mental health clinics, and colleges. Additionally, she completed her doctoral internship at Kaiser Oakland in Acute Care Psychology and emergency department evaluations.
Her dissertation was titled, “Experiences of Jealousy in Consensual Non-Monogamous Relationships: Debunking Myths and Harnessing Strengths.” Her other recent research and academic writing has explored mental health stigma in Asian American youth and affirming bisexuality.