Wednesdays 5:00pm – 6:15pm

Do you shake, get butterflies, or suffer from dry mouth before performances? Does your heart rate go up and your confidence and great ideas disappear before presentations? One of the worst effects of stage fright is the way it can isolate us and lead us to the notion that our suffering is uniquely extreme.

You are not alone! Stage fright is a common phenomenon experienced by musicians, athletes, executives, therapists, and anyone else who endeavors to engage in something that will be experienced and potentially evaluated by others.

A therapy group is a powerful context in which to learn about performance anxiety, process your experiences, gain a greater understanding of what is underneath your stage fright, begin to heal, and move towards a more adaptive and functional relationship with performance anxiety. Many find that what they saw as their greatest weakness becomes an invaluable asset and that exploring the deep inner conflicts driving stage fright leads to satisfying, confident, and brilliant performances.

We will learn together what performance anxiety is, what drives it, and what we can do about it. Additionally, we will share experiences and take a deep dive into the meanings we have assigned to those experiences. This safe, supportive environment will serve as a locus of healing and growth. The ultimate goals are to shift your perspective and support you in striving towards being the performer you want to be!

Facilitators: Scott Macomber
Bio: Scott Macomber has been an MFT trainee at The Liberation Institute since January of 2022. He attends the California School of Professional Psychology and will graduate later this year with a Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy. Also a full-time orchestral trumpet player, chamber musician, recording artist, and educator, Scott graduated from Northwestern University and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music with degrees in Music. Scott has been helping performers overcome stage fright and give their best performances for over 25 years.

Supervisor Name: Adina Ascher, LCSW 28900
RVSP/Contact: scottm@liberationinstitute.org
Location: California
Who this group is for: Anyone interested. No prerequisites
How many weeks will the group run for: 12 weeks

Every Wednesday from 10-11 AM

Moving to a new place can be very exciting, but it can also be one of the most stressful events in our lives. This group is a space where people new to the Bay Area can share their experiences, discuss challenges, and connect with others in the same situation. Whether you moved here this week, or several years ago, this group welcomes anyone new in town! Please email us at shellyh@liberationinstitute.org and carolinea@liberationinstitute.org.

Facilitators: Caroline Anton, MFT Trainee & Shelly Holland, MFT Trainee
Bio: Shelly is a MFT Trainee with Liberation Institute and a graduate student at Alliant International University. She previously worked for a Planned Parenthood clinic in Denver, at biosecurity and neuromodulation start-ups here in the Bay Area, and with environmental education youth groups near her hometown, Half Moon Bay. Shelly studied communication and human sexuality at UC Santa Barbara, and has several years of experience working in human sexuality education groups. When Shelly isn’t exercising her mind, she’s running, rock climbing, and gardening.

Caroline is a MFT Trainee with Liberation Institute and a Counseling Psychology graduate student with an emphasis in depth psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute. Her previous experience in mental health includes volunteering as a Crisis Counselor at Crisis Text Line, as well as minoring in Psychology at Cal Poly SLO. At Cal Poly SLO, she majored in Agricultural Communication, learning about agricultural practices and applying that to communicating between farmers and consumers. She has worked in numerous settings, such as as a hostess and server in restaurants, an intern at a nonprofit studying nutrition, and a swim instructor. When Caroline is not with clients, she is hiking, doing yoga, cooking, and spending time with friends and family.
Supervisor Name: Crystal Haviland, LPCC7633 Josie Valderrama, PsyD27913
RVSP/Contact: incoming@liberationinstitute.org
Location: California, online
Who this group is for: Must be experiencing challenges associated with moving to a new place somewhere generally in the Bay Area.
How many weeks will the group run for: Drop in group (On-going)

Every Wednesday at 9:30-11:00am PST

Looking to the muse inside of us for inspiration. Art as a way to know ourselves and see beyond the literal. Awake dreaming. Strengthening our creative muscle which resources us in other areas of our life. Art therapy is a lot like Jungian Analysis in that we live inside of the questions, breathing life into what wants to be expressed being careful not to interpret or analyze, but just be with what is present here now.

Facilitators: Laura Miola
Bio: Laura Miola is MFT trainee, trained as a somatic based expressive arts therapist through the Tamalpa institute. Laura is interested in working with dream images and helping individuals become their true authentic self. As an artist she has danced, created theatre performances and has had a painting practice since childhood. She is passionate about creativity in therapy and working with images from a decentered approach.
Supervisor Name: Josie Valderrama, Psy.D. License # Psy27913
RVSP/Contact: incoming@liberationinstitute.org
Location: California
Who this group is for: anyone
How many weeks will the group run for: Drop in group (On-going)