Gabriella Yates, AMFT

Welcome! I am a registered associate marriage and family therapist (#144967) supervised by Livia Ondi, LMFT. I am dedicated to the persistent pursuit of understanding the ways our bodies, families and communities remember and cultivate wholeness and well being. In support of our wholeness, I bring culturally competent somatic and relational approaches as well as a psychodynamic lens to therapy with toddlers, preschoolers and school aged children, families, individuals, and couples.

My studies and clinical experience includes early childhood development, perinatal psychotherapy, infant and maternal wellness, and somatic psychotherapy. My training in Relational Somatic Healing (RSH) and conflict transformation informs the way I approach attachment, emotional attunement and nervous system regulation to promote embodied healing and trauma resolution. 

In my work with children and families, I draw on my clinical studies and extensive experience in infant and early childhood mental health to deepen the parent–child bond. As a mother, I understand the ongoing mental and emotional dance of balancing our own needs with our children’s needs in order to show up and connect with them and their world.

My approach emphasizes supporting children in learning to recognize and express their feelings, while helping parents attune more fully to their child’s needs to strengthen secure attachment. I provide a safe, supportive environment that integrates relational, somatic and sensory lenses and is infused with play, curiosity and mindful inquiry. Together, we work to develop shared narratives, strengthen co-regulation, and cultivate emotional regulation skills. 

My formal education includes a Master’s degree Counseling Psychology with a specialization in Somatics from the California Institute for Integral Studies as well as a Master’s degree in Conflict Transformation from SIT Graduate Institute with a specialization in intercultural dialogue. I completed my training in somatic psychotherapy at the Center for Somatic Psychotherapy in San Francisco. In addition to my psychotherapy practice, I serve on the advisory board of a birth justice organization, founded a wellness justice nonprofit, and facilitate trauma-informed yoga trainings for birth workers. 

Phone: 415-308-0435 Email: backtothebody@gmail.com