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Explore Our Specializations

Shalini Mongia, MS, LMFT

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #49885

specialties: ADHD, Financial Therapy, Trauma, Clinical Supervision

Therapy is a process of healing, growth, and change. Changing patterns that aren't working and creating positive change, while feeling more happiness in your relationships, work, family, life, and self. Therapy provides an opportunity to discuss struggles, decrease stress, increase understanding of self and others, find solutions, and create positive change.

I approach counseling as a collaborative process with clients. Together, we address concerns by exploring habits, insecurities, stressors, personality traits, past experiences, and patterns in your life. I offer my clients constructive insights, guidance, and empathy along with analytical feedback when appropriate.

My background includes serving as adjunct faculty in the Educational Psychology graduate program at CSU East Bay, and as Clinical Director of the grief counseling programs at Contra Costa Crisis Center. At John Muir Behavioral Health, I worked in the adult and adolescent units of the Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient programs, and prior to that was supervising associates at Ruby's Place. I am licensed in California and Utah, with advanced training in EMDR, Imago Relational Therapy (IRT), Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) and Clinical Supervision.

The past 18 years of providing mental health services have been deeply rewarding and it is a privilege to be entrusted with the meaningful life stories and vulnerabilities of my clients. The moments of awareness and transformation that occur in this journey are truly an honor to witness.

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Victoria Del Bino, MFTT

Clinical Care Coordinator

We're Hiring!

We are a small group practice in Pleasant Hill and Alamo, looking for an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT), Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC), or Associate Clinical Social Worker (ACSW). This part-time position has the potential to grow into full-time with benefits if interested.

Requirements:
Experience in couples therapy and child/adolescent therapy
Minimum 1 year and 1000 hours post-graduate experience
Availability for mornings, evenings, Saturdays
Master’s Degree from regionally accredited university
Bilingual a plus!
EMDR, DBT, EFT trained a plus!

In-Network With:

Our Preferred Evidence-Based Treatments

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an empirically supported treatment that helps change distressing thought patterns that contribute to anxiety and depression. Through CBT, you'll learn to identify and challenge negative thoughts, reframe irrational beliefs, and replace them with healthier, more realistic perspectives. CBT also focuses on breaking patterns of self-doubt and worry by learning how to re-evaluate situations and adopt more constructive thinking. These tools empower you to make lasting changes in how you think and respond.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) combines cognitive-behavioral techniques with mindfulness principles to help individuals manage emotions, navigate challenges, and improve relationships. It focuses on four key areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. By building these skills, DBT empowers individuals to replace destructive patterns with practical, lasting strategies that promote resilience, balance, and a greater sense of control in daily life.
TF-CBT helps by combining practical coping skills with gradual exposure to difficult memories. It starts by teaching relaxation techniques, emotional regulation, and ways to challenge unhelpful thoughts. Once a strong foundation is built, individuals slowly and safely process their trauma with the support of a therapist. This approach reduces fear and distress, strengthens personal resilience, and fosters healthier ways of thinking and relating to others.
Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a proven, client-centered approach designed to help individuals overcome ambivalence and create lasting change. It focuses on exploring personal motivations and values, guiding clients to take actionable steps toward their goals. MI is highly effective in treating issues like addiction, unhealthy behaviors, and low motivation by strengthening confidence and commitment, empowering clients to drive their own positive transformations.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a proven approach that that helps couples break negative cycles and strengthen emotional bonds. In therapy, partners identify patterns of conflict and learn techniques like emotional validation and replacing reactive behaviors with empathetic responses. EFT targets underlying emotional triggers, promoting healthier attachment while deepening intimacy. It’s particularly effective for couples facing disconnection, insecurity, and trust issues, leading to genuine understanding and lasting change. This therapy is effective with treating emotional withdrawal, fear of abandonment, and attachment wounds, creating stronger, more secure relationships.
EMDR helps your brain reprocess stuck memories so they no longer feel overwhelming or intense. Unprocessed experiences can trigger or worsen anxiety, shame, distress, and physiological reactions. After EMDR, difficult experiences often feel neutral, distant, or easier to manage. We use techniques like eye movements or handheld tappers to activate both sides of the brain, supporting your brain’s natural ability to heal and make sense of the distressing experiences. Sessions follow a structured 8-phase protocol to help you build resilience and process memories, while fully awake and alert. EMDR is effective for distress related to loss, illness, trauma, childhood wounds, and relationship pain.
ERP is a structured therapy that helps reduce distress from obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. It involves gradual, guided exposure to feared situations or thoughts without doing the habits or rituals you usually do to feel better. This process helps decrease anxiety over time and breaks the cycle of obsessions and rituals. You remain fully present and supported throughout, learning new ways to tolerate discomfort and regain control. ERP is especially effective for OCD, skin picking, hair pulling, and related anxiety challenges. Sessions are available in person and via telehealth throughout California.