Relationships and Intimacy Therapy Group

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When: Thursdays

Time: 6-8PM 

Where: via Google Meet

Suggested donation: $5-10 per weekly session. No one turned away for lack of funds. 

To join contact: groups@liberationinstitute.org

Description: This weekly group offers a collaborative space for couples to drop in and learn effective tools for cultivating resources, building a coherent vision for growth, and managing communication strategies. Facilitators Suzanne Astar and Steve Domain are committed to create a safe-space for different relationship styles and configurations, focused on helping couples live the dream they have for their relationship. Group will include techniques from the Gottman Method, and Emotional Focused Therapy (EFT). 
 
Bios: 
 
Suzanne Astar is a Marriage and Family Therapy Trainee. She brings together body-based processing, Narrative Therapy, and Jungian Depth Psychology to help individuals, couples and families reclaim harmonious dynamics and strengthen insight for greater learning. She is both a movement facilitator and bodyworker helping individuals and groups access transformational states of well-being and wholeness. She uses her wisdom and training in these domains to help couples access their deeper truths and navigate challenging areas surrounding behaviors, habits and values. Her passion is to help communities through multi-faceted and interdisciplinary tools including story-telling, creativity and mindfulness.

 Suzanne is supervised by a Licensed Person, LPCC #7498 

BIPOC-Led Mental Health Support Group

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When: Thursdays

Time: 4:15pm

Where: via Google Meet

Suggested donation: $5-10 per weekly session. No one turned away for lack of funds. 

To join contact: groups@liberationinstitute.org

A weekly support group for navigating cultural expectations, identity, comparison, emotional overwhelm, and the pressures of modern life.
The group is BIPOC-led and especially supportive for individuals whose experiences are shaped by race, culture, immigration, family systems, and being underrepresented in academic or professional spaces, while remaining open to anyone seeking support, reflection, and community.

Some themes we may explore include:

• Anxiety, stress, burnout, and emotional overwhelm
• Comparison, FOMO, and social media pressure
• Relationships, belonging, loneliness, and identity
• Cultural expectations, generational differences, and family pressure
• Internalized shame, perfectionism, and self-criticism
· Effects of Colonial Values and Historical Trauma 


Facilitators:

Facilitators – Ishan Gala & Taylor Vitug

Ishan:  Hello, I am a Marriage and Family Therapist Trainee working with a diverse population through the Liberation Institute. As a second-generation South Asian immigrant, I understand how complex cultural identity and generational experiences can be. I look forward to hearing what each person brings into the group and supporting you through your process.
Some themes I’m interested in exploring include generational differences, cultural expectations, belonging, and developing an identity that feels authentic to the individual while navigating multicultural influences.
It’s important to me that this group welcomes people from all backgrounds, and we aim to create a space where everyone feels seen, respected, and supported wherever they are in their journey.

Taylor: Hi! My name is Taylor Vitug, I am a second generation Filipino American. I’m a Marriage and Family Therapy Intern currently working towards licensure. Growing up between two cultures brings unique challenges throughout the lifespan. Having a supportive community where these experiences are understood can make a meaningful and positive difference. 

I am passionate about making my clients and individuals within this group feel valued, empowered, and seen. My clinical experience includes working with clients with a variety of populations and ages, and I value the opportunity to learn from each person’s unique story and lived experience. I look forward to connecting with clients and offering a space with reflection and support. I hope to see you there!  

 

Animal Loss and Grief Support Group

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When: Tuesday

Time: 6-7 PM

Where: via Zoom/Drop-in

Suggested donation: $5-10 per weekly session. Donations welcome but no one turned away due to lack of funds 

To join contact: groups@liberationinstitute.org

Description: This group is dedicated to honoring the deep bonds we share with our animal friends and the profound impact they have on our lives. The loss of an animal companion can be deeply painful, and yet often misunderstood or minimized by others. People often tell us things like “just get another pet,” leaving many feeling unseen in their grief. This group offers a safe, compassionate space to honor and process animal-specific grief – a very real and often invalidated form of loss. Whether you’ve lost a beloved companion animal, you are experiencing anticipatory grief for a companion animal, or you work in a setting where animal loss or euthanasia is part of the job – such as veterinary care, animal shelters, or rescue organizations – you are welcome here. Guided by two compassionate therapists who have also experienced the pain of animal loss, this group offers a safe, supportive space to process animal-specific grief – a form of loss that deserves to be seen, validated, and supported. Through guided discussions, somatic experiencing and therapeutic exercises participants can share memories, explore emotions, and utilize tools that promote resilience. You’ll have the opportunity to connect with others who truly understand what it means to lose animal friends – and to be reminded that your grief is valid, your bond was real, and you are not alone.


Facilitators: Steve Dumain & Kelly Duane de la Vega

Steve “Dumain” is pursuing his Master’s in Counseling Psychology with a specialization in Depth Psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute. He currently serves as a Marriage and Family Therapist Trainee at the Liberation Institute, providing telehealth therapy for individuals, couples, and groups across California. His clinical orientation draws from various styles, including depth, somatic and family systems psychology; including trauma-informed practices, and mindfulness-based approaches. His work emphasizes the integration of the unconscious, body awareness, and relational healing to foster self-understanding and resilience and a mindset of growth and wisdom. He is particularly interested in working with clients navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, identity development, and relational issues. With a strong commitment to inclusivity and social justice, Steven aims to support individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and identities through an integrative and compassionate therapeutic approach.

Kelly Duane de la Vega is pursuing her Master’s in Counseling Psychology with a focus on depth work, taking a psychodynamic approach to therapy. She currently serves as a Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) Trainee at the Liberation Institute, providing telehealth therapy for individuals, couples, and groups throughout California. She also co-facilitates a grief and loss support group at a senior community center in San Rafael.

Kelly is a lifelong pet owner who considers animals to be vital members of the family and essential parts of one’s support network. She understands the profound bond that can form between a person and their pet, and the unique pain of navigating that loss in a society that often minimizes or misunderstands its significance. She brings both personal experience and clinical sensitivity to her work with clients processing pet loss and bereavement.

Kelly Duane is Supervised by a Licensed Person, LMFT #78183

Care for Caregivers

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When: Thursdays

Time: 6-7:30 PM

Where: via Google Meet

Suggested donation: $5-10 per weekly session. No one turned away for lack of funds. 

To join contact: groups@liberationinstitute.org

Caring for the physical and mental wellbeing of others as a family member or in a professional capacity is uniquely taxing work. There can be devastating effects on those providing long-term care, especially for those helping individuals with higher support needs: financial pressures, legal quandaries, health problems, and emotional turmoil. Joining a support group can be incredibly beneficial for caregivers. Caregiver groups work to help those who care for loved ones or clients with chronic conditions, disabilities or disease, as well as those supporting the living needs of children and older adults. These groups provide a safe space to connect with others who understand the unique challenges of caregiving, share experiences and find emotional support. They also provide a space to share coping strategies and strengthen caregiver self-care. The primary value of caregiver support groups is to provide a place where caregivers can give voice to stressful experiences, strong feelings and personal frustrations in the company of others who can relate and respond without judgment. Care for Caregivers provides a nonjudgmental and compassionate framework for caregivers to find understanding and support from others who are in similar situations. Both family and professionals are encouraged to participate. 

This group provides a nonjudgmental framework for caregivers to find understanding and support from others who are in similar situations. 

Both family and professionals are encouraged to participate.


Facilitators:
Kaitlyn Leilani May Plante is currently pursuing her Masters in Counseling Psychology at California Institute of Integral Studies, and works as a MFT Trainee at the Liberation Institute, providing accessible, neurodivergent-affirming therapy for individuals, couples, families, and groups across California via tele-health. Her practice integrates a multi-modal Expressive Arts Therapy practice with somatics, neurobiology, Narrative therapy, and Liberation psychology. Kaitlyn’s work is collaborative, client-centered, strengths-based, and solution-focused. She is committed to providing trauma-informed care, emphasizing resilience and empowerment. After a life-threatening accident left Kaitlyn physically and emotionally scarred, she decided to pursue a career in mental health, in hopes of helping others who have experienced trauma. Her goal is to open an integrative therapy and retreat space offering Expressive Arts and other holistic therapies. Kaitlyn is supervised by Miles Ruttinger, LMFT #133402

Weekly Support Group – Wednesdays at 6PM

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Every Wednesday at 6:00pm-7:30pm PST

Where: Weekly Via Zoom

Looking for support and connection in a safe space where you can just be—no judgment, no pressure? Our Weekly Support Group is an affirming, inclusive, welcoming therapeutic space for connection, reflection, and real talk. This open-topic, drop-in group invites you to share and connect with others while receiving support and guidance from two compassionate host therapists. This group is accessible to all California residents and meets weekly via Zoom. While there is no cost to join, donations are always welcome and help support Liberation Institute’s mission to provide affordable and accessible therapy to ALL. Come as you are, share as you feel comfortable, and know that support is here for you. 

Facilitators:

Myles Green – “My name is Myles and I feel very lucky to serve here at the Liberation Institute. I’ve been working as a middle school P.E. teacher for the past 7 years; and I recently came to the realization that much of my experience here informs my current passion for mental health. When I first started as an educator, I began noticing that many if not most of my students were unable to access the curriculum until they learned to process some of their more challenging emotions. Hence, I have since made the pivot to focus on addressing this before diving into any academic content. Today, I strive everyday to make sure my students are empowered with the tools they need to be their best selves. And I hope to do the same here at Libi. My work utilizes a collaborative approach to determine what therapeutic interventions work best for clients, as I believe they are the experts on their own stories and respective journeys. I prefer to think of myself as a humble guide helping to keep things on track along the way. One of my favorite things to witness is when clients utilize strengths they never knew they had to tackle challenges they never thought they’d overcome. My hope is to illuminate opportunities for this and other transformative change within all those I am privileged to work with.”

Brianna Breimayer – “Brianna is a bisexual female-identified Marriage and Family Therapist Trainee at Liberation Institute focusing on queer and polyamorous relationship counseling in the Bay Area. She employs various modalities including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Somatic Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Brianna is pursuing her Masters degree in Counseling Psychology at Golden Gate University and plans to graduate December 2025. In her free time she enjoys being active outside via long distance running, rock climbing, skiing, and hiking, as well as pursues her hobbies of dancing, attending music festivals, and fire spinning. Brianna is passionate about her work and brings a holistic approach to working with clients to help them work through their current and past concerns to lead more fulfilling and peaceful lives.”


Both Brianna Breimayer and Myles Green are Supervised by a Licensed Person. 


RVSP/Contact: groups@liberationinstitute.org