925-854-2221
Thoughtful Therapy Services
Find Your Balance
In life we try to balance the responsibilities of work, school and day-to day life so we can enjoy our time with our family and friends. However when we struggle with issues related to trauma, grief, addiction, anxiety, or major life changes it becomes harder to find the enjoyment in life. There comes a time when we need some help. I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker providing therapy in San Ramon, and I’d love to help you on your journey towards finding a balance that works for you and your family.
I've been working with youth, young adults and their families for 10 years. Life can be overwhelming and sometimes even exhausting, but I’m here to guide you through the obstacles you may face. My goal is to help you figure out how to meet the demands of day-to-day life while also seeking the opportunities to enjoy life as well.
"Balance is not something you find, it is something you create."
Jana Kingsford
What To Expect At Your Visit
Guiding You as you find what works for you and your family.
Perhaps you're down or anxious - maybe you're unsure about the future of a relationship, or just feel that you aren't living the life you were meant to lead. Whatever your needs may be, I am here to offer support. Therapy is a process of growth and self-discovery, and in my sessions I promote creating life changes by encouraging a positive outlook and the adoption of new attitudes and reactions. Therapy can be a little like cleaning out the closet. You need to be prepared to pull things out and reorganize so that it works best for you and your life.
Services I Offer
Couples Therapy
Pre-marital therapy assists couples with identifying the strengths and potential weaknesses in compatibility prior to getting married.
Marriage therapy helps couples who are together (married or not) identify their strengths and work together on the struggles within the marriage to try to find a compatible solution that works for the relationship. Life changing events that will drastically effect our day-to-day life (having a baby, major employment change, illness, one spouse with a job that takes them away from the home a lot, infidelity, children growing up and finding their own lives, empty nest, or the loss of a family member).
Co-parenting therapy will work with parents (together or not together), step-parents, and other adults that play a major care giving role to create a compatible plan that will keep the best interest of the child(ren) at the center of the plan.
Individual Therapy
Individual therapy is an opportunity for you to work on yourself whether that is exploring your feelings, coming to terms with decisions that you have made or need to make, learning new coping strategies, finding a way to juggle all of your responsibilities as well as making time and space for yourself to pursue your hopes and dreams.
Learning to understand your anger, how to express it and when.
Helping to better understand and manage behaviors that cause problems in your life.
Learning to believe in yourself .
Understanding and managing self-harming behaviors.
Learning to plan and manage your time in a way that makes life easier for you in the long run
Loving and letting go when necessary and finding closure
Learning strategies for problem solving for the future.
Understanding and managing your feelings of anxiety.
Dealing with challenges from day-to-day life (school, work, home life, personal relationships).
Family Therapy
Family therapy will work with the family to help create positive changes in order to make life better for everyone. By working together and improving communication and understanding of each persons thoughts and feelings the family can create a stronger bond and work more cohesively together.
Better communication
Building empathy for other family members.
Dealing with loss as a family
Accepting life events that effect everyone in the family
Adjusting to family changes such as a new birth, divorce, grandparents entering the home, or another addition such as fostering or adopting a new child.
Coming together to help a child struggling in school or at home.
Therapeutic Options
Offering services via telehealth. Some insurances and Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) may restrict telehealth options. Check with your insurance/EAP. During this time of Covid-19 quarantine, all insurances and EAP's I accept are allowing telehealth services. I see clients 12 and older. In my opinion I have found that the video format is not as effective for children younger than 16. Please contact me to find out more.
Find what works for you
Therapy involves building a trusting relationship with your therapist. So you need to find a therapist that you feel comfortable with. This can be a little more challenging if you are limited by the choices your insurance company provides, but don't be afraid to shop around and find the right fit for you. What is important to you when finding a therapist?
Check with your insurance carrier to get a list of providers that are covered, so therapy is more affordable for you.
Ask friends and family members about their experience and seek their referral. Everyone is different so that may be a great place to start looking, but its not guaranteed to be the right fit for you.
Is gender important to you? There are therapists available that will match the gender you are seeking.
Do you feel comfortable with them? This is important because therapy works best when you can be open and honest with what is going on and what you want.
What is the therapists theoretical style? There are many styles of therapy and multiple styles that may work for you. There are some styles that may appeal more to what you are looking for and others that just don't sound right for you. That's okay, find a style that works for you!
Shop around until you find the best match for you to help ensure the best success for your therapeutic experience.
Your Therapist
Who Am I
HI! My name is Elena Gorrow. I am excited that you are here and hope that we will be able to work together. I enjoy working with young people and their families; adults experiencing day-to-day life with changing families, changing careers, and making life plans; and parents who are striving to do what is best for their children despite the challenges they face in their relationship with other key adults in the child's life.
I graduated with my Bachelors in Social Work from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. I then moved to California and pursued my Masters of Social Work at the University of California, Sacramento. I spent many years working for a non-profit agency working with children and adolescents in the foster care system and their families. During this time I have experienced working with children and their families strengthen their relationship so they can return home, assisted youth in dealing with anger, anxiety, depression, loss, rejection, mental health diagnosis, substance use, sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. I worked for several years focusing on youth who were victims of sexual exploitation. Many of these youth struggled in school, peer relationships, relationships of authority, family relationships, and their relationship with themselves. My passion is to work with children and families to strengthen their relationship so their childhood can be an experience that they look back on through their life with joy.
I have also worked with adults transitioning into new life stages such as establishing careers, finding love, creating a family, and all the challenges that come along with these types of life changes. It is important to keep dreaming and working towards your goals in life.
They say, "It takes a village" to raise a child. That can become more challenging when the relationship that helped create your family is strained. The adults *which may now include significant others of the other parent) need to develop a plan to communicate effective, appropriately, and ensure that the child or children involved are able to love and accept love from the adults that are safe for them. This may be some of the most important work I do to help create environments and new adult relationships that help the parents and the child learn to adjust to their new family dynamics.
When I am not at work, I enjoy spending time with my family. I also enjoy exploring family genealogy, playing games with the family,watching movies or television, and traveling to explore new places.
Sign up for an appointment or contact this office
Please note this is not a space to leave emergency messages. If you are having a mental health crisis, please call 9-1-1 for immediate help.
I love helping my patients develop the tools they need to cope with all of life’s challenges. Contact me today to learn more and book a session.
Click on Link to Client Portal to sign up for an appointment and complete intake documents.
Therapist Hours: 10-7 Monday - Thursday. I offer the option of in-person sessions on Tuesdays and Wednesdays only by appointment only. I offer telehealth services Monday through Thursday by appointment.
5820 Stoneridge Mall Rd. #219, Pleasanton, CA 94588
925-854-2221
925-854-2766
