Our Providers

PsyD, Site Leader

Akshay Naresh

Dr. Akshay Naresh (he/him) is a licensed clinical psychologist and has worked with patients across the lifespan in various contexts including community mental health clinics, hospitals, and educational facilities (secondary, community colleges, & universities). He has experience working with a wide range of mental health concerns including stress, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, body image issues, eating disorders, relationship issues, gender and sexual identity, and multi-cultural issues. He uses an integrative approach to create a space for meaningful life changes by helping patients develop self-compassion, self-acceptance, and self-awareness.

Dr. Naresh enjoys working with adults and currently sees patients in Orinda and San Jose, and via telemedicine across the state of California.

Dr. Naresh completed his post-doctoral fellowship at Kaiser Permanente Adult Outpatient Psychiatry and his pre-doctoral internship at Santa Clara University’s Cowell Health Center. He obtained his doctoral degree from The Wright Institute and his bachelor’s degree from UC Irvine. Outside of his clinical work, Dr. Naresh enjoys playing and watching basketball (Go Warriors!) and also plays a variety of different musical instruments.

PsyD

Gaurie Mittal

PsyD, Post Doctoral Fellow

Monica Sanders

Dr. Monica Sanders is a postdoctoral fellow with extensive experience in providing individual and family therapy to adolescents and adults from diverse backgrounds. Her clinical expertise spans a range of issues including adjustment disorders, PTSD, trauma, grief and loss, end-of-life concerns, and various interpersonal challenges. As a bilingual and bicultural Latina clinician, Dr. Sanders brings a nuanced understanding of the intersections of identity and cultural considerations to her practice.

Her therapeutic approach integrates strengths-based cognitive behavioral therapy with systems and attachment theories. Dr. Sanders is passionate about working with adolescents and adults across California through telehealth, with a particular focus on teens and young adults dealing with PTSD or trauma-related adjustment disorders.

Dr. Sanders completed her pre-doctoral internship at the UCLA Semel Institute within the Stress, Trauma and Resiliency Clinic, where she specialized in treating trauma-related disorders as well as co-occurring medical and developmental conditions. She earned both her master’s and doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology from The Wright Institute in Berkeley, California.

PsyD

Stephanie Porras

Dr. Porras is a licensed clinical psychologist with a doctorate degree from Pacific University, Oregon in clinical psychology with an emphasis on health psychology. She enjoys working with adolescent and adult clients on a range of concerns including anxiety, depression, complex trauma, ADHD, interpersonal relationships, and eating disorders. She is passionate about addressing issues such as binge eating, emotional eating, and body image from a body inclusive, Health At Every Size informed approach. Because of her health psychology background, she is highly attentive to the complexities of the mind-body connection, such as the impact of stress on physical health or the impact of ongoing medical conditions on emotional well-being. She primarily practices from an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) framework, bringing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and somatic techniques as needed to provide truly individualized treatment. Dr. Porras’ approach is based on creating an authentic therapeutic relationship in which individuals feel the safety they need to fully show up as themselves and to cultivate the kind of self-awareness, radical acceptance, and self-compassion that leads to true change.

PsyD, Clinical Supervisor

Valesia Ho

Dr. Valesia Ho (she/her/hers) is a licensed clinical psychologist with a clinical focus in behavioral medicine. She enjoys working with individuals and couples coping with concerns related to sleep and sexual health, in addition to a wide rage of other mental health conditions. Her approach values and affirms the inherent uniqueness of each person and couple by taking into account biological, psychological and cultural factors that impact emotional and physical health. Dr. Ho emphasizes an active, collaborative and strengths-based approach while building rapport through curiosity, humor and authenticity.

Dr. Ho has conducted research in the areas of transdiagnostic Cognitive Behavioral treatment of depression, anxiety, stress and personality disorders, and has researched suicide risk in inpatient psychiatric populations.

Dr. Ho works with adults and couples in the San Francisco, the East Bay, and via telemedicine across the state of California. She is also an adjunct faculty member at The Wright Institute teaching courses on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and is a licensed clinical supervisor at Bay Area Trauma Recovery. Dr. Ho completed her pre-doctoral internship at California Department of State Hospitals, Napa. She received her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from The Wright Institute in Berkeley and her Masters degree in Social Work from California State University, East Bay. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Neuroscience from the University of San Francisco.