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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 change. Changing what no longer works and moving toward what feels clearer and simpler. I specialize in helping people who feel stuck or overwhelmed, including creatives, nurturers, and innovators. I help executives navigate complex workplace demands. I help you sharpen your edge while leading with integrity and purpose. Together, we address concerns by exploring any stressors, habits, doubts, experiences, and patterns impacting your life. I incorporate constructive insights and practical solutions with humor, warmth, and hope.

My background includes serving as adjunct faculty in Educational Psychology at CSUEB, teaching family systems theory in the Master's program. I was also Clinical Director of the 211 and grief counseling programs at Contra Costa Crisis Center. At John Muir Behavioral Health I worked with adolescents in Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient (PHP/IOP), while supervising associates at Ruby's Place. From there I shifted fully to private practice and formed Alamo Counseling to broaden access to services in our community. 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 19 years in this field have been deeply rewarding, and it's a privilege to be entrusted with the life stories and vulnerabilities of those we help. Each moment of awareness and transformation is a meaningful step forward and witnessing this is such an honor. I look foward to supporting you every step of the way too!

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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.