Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

Informed in Cognitive Behavior Therapy, EMDR and Emotionally Focused Therapy

Hello and welcome! My name is Andrea Javorkova-Adams, and I am a licensed marriage and family therapist. I love what I do because it allows me to be part of my clients' journeys to find love, happiness, and meaning in life. I get to see them emerge from depression, conquer their fears, and make changes that bring them joy in their lives. I help couples reconnect on a deeper level, fall in love again, and get unstuck from destructive patterns, or sometimes finally make the hard decision to set each other free. It is a journey full of joy, as well as pain, trauma, and grief, but most importantly, it is about healing and growth.

I don’t just sit back and listen. I truly care about you, my client. I want to get to know you and understand your world. I ask questions, offer perspectives, challenge your assumptions, and nudge you to face your complicated feelings while going through the hard emotions with you.

I can promise you that we will cry, laugh, learn, and grow together. I am known to those around me as enthusiastic warm personality that is easy to talk to, which makes me a good fit to be a therapist.

Aside from being a therapist, I’m also an avid crafter, ultrarunner, cat lover, and mom of two amazing human beings.

I was born and grew up in Slovakia (part of former Czechoslovakia). I moved to California in 2006 and have lived here ever since. I graduated from San Francisco State University in 2009 and have been practicing therapy since then. I worked in Oakland special day treatment classrooms for six years, then assisted families with children on the spectrum in accessing services at MHN Health Net, and finally moved to private practice in 2022, where I enjoy helping individuals and couples heal, grow, and connect with their loved ones on a deeper level.

I can’t wait to meet you and discuss how I can assist you on your personal journey.

Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy

I am trained in Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFCT), a humanistic, evidence-based approach to psychotherapy that draws primarily from attachment theory to facilitate the creation of secure, vibrant connections with oneself and others. This approach posits that we are hardwired for connection and crave it from the moment we are born until we die. This transformative method is designed to help partners reconnect by understanding and expressing their emotions effectively.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy

I am skilled in implementing Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) when working with clients who need relief from symptoms of anxiety, stress, depression, or chronic pain. CBT is an evidence-based treatment grounded in the idea that how people think about situations can affect their feelings and behaviors. The goal of CBT is to help you:

  • Identify, challenge, and shift unhelpful thoughts that cause distress.

  • Learn practical self-help strategies to better manage difficult emotions.

  • Change or modify unhelpful behaviors to accomplish your personal goals.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) Therapy

I also practice EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy, a powerful and evidence-based approach that helps individuals process and heal from trauma, anxiety, and distressing memories. By using bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements, EMDR facilitates the brain’s natural ability to reprocess memories in a healthier way, reducing their emotional charge and allowing for lasting change. This method is particularly effective for those who have experienced difficult or unprocessed life events, offering a path toward greater emotional balance and well-being.