Leah Oliver, Psy.D.
(she/her/hers)

Licensed Psychologist #PSY33098

Dr. Leah Oliver is a licensed psychologist. She earned her doctorate from the California Institute of Integral Studies in 2017. Dr. Oliver completed her pre-doctoral training working with children, adolescents, adults, and families at Ann Martin Center in Oakland, California. She completed her postdoctoral training at California College of the Arts (CCA), where she currently serves as a psychotherapist and administrator of the Counseling department. At CCA, Dr. Oliver works with students in individual therapy sessions and with staff and faculty to provide consultation, workshops, and psychoeducational training to support them in their roles supporting students

Dr. Oliver has worked with local community groups to develop and provide workshops to assist organizations in thinking critically about self-care practices and offering trainings in social justice, and liberatory methods for providers caring for those most vulnerable in our society. Organizations include Night Ministry; Bridge Live Arts; and East Bay Meditation Center (EBMC), among others. Dr. Oliver co-founded The Multi-racial Deep Refuge Group at EBMC in 2013.

Dr. Oliver is committed to working with mixed-race, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and those from other marginalized communities as they experience the various intersections of their identities. She enjoys working with adults in individual and group settings and has experience working with first-generation and international undergraduate and graduate students and artists, educators, and professionals. She holds particular insights into working with those that have been through chronic relational trauma, as well as those that have grown up in families where parental drug and alcohol addiction was ever-present.

How I work...

• I use a relational-psychodynamic and liberatory approach to therapy and incorporate mindfulness techniques that support you in identifying what is happening in the moment to help build awareness of what is happening between your body and mind.
• My approach is guided by my belief that the profound, meaningful changes that can occur in therapy must begin with building trust in the collaborative process we will build over time.
• We will work together, guided by your lived experience and "inner-knowing,” as you build upon your self-awareness and ground yourself in feeling empowered to live the way that you want to live.
• ​You do not always have to have specific goals in therapy. Figuring things out can be a winding road filled with surprises and insights.
• We all come from different micro-cultures, starting with the very earliest experiences that give us our language. I work to honor the ways you choose to speak to your experiences.
• I believe that the body has its own language too! So I will support you in deepening your understanding of your many communication styles.
• I believe we all have ways of relating and surviving that no longer work for us but need to be honored and grieved before we can make changes. It is important to build this sense of self-compassion as we work through this journey to discover the essential parts of you.
• I provide online Individual Therapy for Adults 18+ and Teens 16+
  • ​$250 per 45-50 minute individual therapy session

Phone Consult

Before the first appointment, we offer a free 5-10 minute phone consultation with administrative staff. We will talk in order to see if the therapist is a good fit for what you are looking for in a counselor.