"Who am I? "
"Am I who I say I am? "
"Am I all that I ought to be?" - Frantz Fanon
What is Therapy?
People seek counseling for many reasons. You may be dealing with a major life change, such as a break up, looking for a new job, or dealing with loss. Or you might be managing mental health conditions, like anxiety or depression. You may think that therapy is for "crazy" people, but what does that even mean? The reality is that folk that see psychologists are just regular people struggling with common, everyday issues. Therapy can be like going to the emergency room when a crisis occurs in your life, or it can be like going to the gym in order to get stronger and stay healthy. Either way, when it comes down to it, you are doing what you need to do, in order to live the life that you want to live.
Common Concerns
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Anxieties
Stress| Fear | Panic | Worry Nervousness | Panic Mood Sadness | Low Energy | Unmotivated Irritability | Mood Swings | Insomnia Interpersonal Relationships Forming Relationships | Setting Boundaries| Conflicts | Assertiveness Dating & Relationships |
Multicultural & Social Justice
Microagressions | Discrimination Impostor Feelings | Identity Acculturative Stress Sexuality Sexual Identity | Intimate Relationships Grief & Loss Concerns or Loss of Loved One Breakup Divorce | Loss of Job |
Developmental Concerns
Adjusting to College | Life Transitions Career Planning | Choosing a Major Wellness Stress Reduction | Mindfulness Sleep Hygiene | Time Management Anger Management | Healthy Living Problem Solving |
How I work...
- I provide culturally specific therapy, which focuses on the strengths that you already have.
- I tend to use a cognitive behavioral (CBT) theoretical approach, while also paying attention to your environment and access to social support.
- I work with you to build a safe space where you can share your experiences without the fear of being judged, and where you can focus on becoming clear about what you want, and how you want to go about making that happen.
- I believe that it is important to build a strong therapeutic relationship, as well as paying close attention to what is happening for you in-the-moment.
- I find it helpful to work to understand the different beliefs that we bring into the room, and how these worldviews might affect our interactions.
- I believe that understanding how you think and understanding how those thoughts are related to your behaviors can be empowering, and help you to actively account for your reality, and to make the changes that you find necessary in order to live life in a more healthy way.
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Who am I?
Dr. Bedford Palmer is a licensed clinical psychologist (PSY #28058). Dr. Palmer received his B.A. in Anthropology, with a minor in African American Studies from the University of California at Irvine. He received his M.A. in Psychology, with an emphasis in Research at California State University Long Beach and his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. Dr. Palmer completed a pre-doctoral internship at the University of California, Berkeley, Counseling & Psychological Services. After completing his internship, Dr. Palmer was hired as senior staff member at the University of California, Davis, Student Health and Counseling Services, where he completed his post-doctoral hours and where he worked as the Coordinator of Services to Students of African Descent and of the Multicultural Immersion Program. Dr. Palmer has done work as a student leader and activist as Chair of the Afrikan Student Union at UC Irvine and as Vice President of the Black Psychology Student Association at Cal State Long Beach. Beyond this Dr. Palmer has worked as a teacher in the inner city; an outreach officer and adviser for first generation, low income, minority and disabled students; as head residential adviser for the Cal State Long Beach Upward Bound Program; and has served on the board of directors for the Association of Black Psychologists. Currently Dr. Palmer is an assistant professor in the counseling department at Saint Mary's College of California.
Therapy...
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Phone Consult
Before the first appointment, I offer a free 15 minute phone consultation. We will talk in order to see if I am a good fit for what you are looking for in a counselor.
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Initial Appointment This initial 50-minute session will be a time for me to really find out what's going on for you, to set goals, and to identify your expectations of therapy.
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Follow-Up SessionsFollow-up sessions are typically 50 minutes long, though 75 minute sessions are available. Sessions are usually weekly, but can be more or less frequent.
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Career Counseling & AssessmentIdentify and explore your interests.
Find out what you value. Figure out the next steps toward building a career path and moving forward in your life. |
Academic & Career SuccessTime Management Skills
Efficient Note Taking Utilizing Mentors Public Speaking & Test Anxiety |
Consultation & Training Services
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Leadership Development
Multicultural Competence Conflict Resolution Team Building Office Wellness More... |
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Building a PlanWe begin with a conversation, focused on identifying organizational needs. We then build a plan for addressing those needs. This might include training, facilitated discussions, group and/or individual consultations.
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Training WorkshopsTraining workshops consist of interactive discussions that encourage participants to integrate the target skills with their personal experiences and the practical realities of your organizational culture.
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ConsultationsGroup and Individual consultations tend to be facilitated conversations, with a focus on identifying both strengths and areas of potential growth. We work toward building insight, which will help in the development of practical solutions.
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