Staff

Aneissa Rosas-Sanchez, CTI-Graduate

Aneissa Rosas-Sanchez, CTI-Graduate

Aneissa provides bilingual psychotherapy in English and Spanish and has worked with the Child Therapy Institute for over 5 years. She specializes in working with children and families that have experienced trauma, loss, or transition. She has worked with children and families affected by 9/11 in the September 11 Recovery Program of the American Red Cross of NY. She also has experience in school-based mental health as well as hospital and clinic settings. She has a special interest in utilizing sensory and somatic based approaches in working with adults and children. Aneissa works with people of various cultures and experiences and understands that each person/family is unique.

Español

Aneissa ofrece psicoterapia bilingüe en inglés y en español y ha trabajado con el Instituto de Terapia Infantil (Child Therapy Institute) por más de 5 años. Se especializa en el trabajo con niños y familias que han sufrido traumas, pérdidas o transiciones. Durante su experiencia con la Cruz Roja de Nueva York, Aneissa trabajó con niños y familias afectados por los sucesos del 11 de septiembre. También tiene experiencia en programas escolares de salud mental así como en centros hospitalarios y clínicas. Ella está especialmente interesada en utilizar métodos sensoriales y somáticos en el trabajo con adultos y niños. Aneissa trabaja con gente de diversas culturas y experiencias y comprende que cada persona y familia es única.

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Gary Buck, CTI-Graduate, PhD

Gary Buck, CTI-Graduate, PhD

Gary is a graduate of our training program and the founder of our Petaluma site. He is in private practice and currently sees clients in Petaluma and San Rafael. Gary uses sand play, art, and play therapies as well as mindfulness in his work with children. In addition, he trains other therapists in the use of mindfulness in therapy with children.  Gary also works with parents to improve their parenting skills as an accredited provider of the Positive Parenting Program (Triple P). In his individual work with adults and teens, Gary utilizes mindful inquiry, sand play, and the expressive arts as transformative therapeutic modalities. Gary also has a special passion for working with adults who are interested in the interplay between psychotherapy and spiritual practice. Gary draws on over 12 years practicing psychotherapy and over 40 years of mindfulness practice  in his work with his clients.

Learn more about Gary at his website: Garybuck.net

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Aninha E. Livingstone, CTI-Graduate

Aninha E. Livingstone, CTI-Graduate

Aninha Livingstone, Ph.D. is a proud graduate of the Child Therapy Institute’s Training Program. She incorporates play therapy, expressive arts, and body-centered therapy and sandplay into her healing work, along with practical tools to support children and their families find balance, connection, and joy. She believes that each child has unique gifts, some of which may be hidden in the very challenges they face.

Please visit her website at www.aninhalivingstone.com

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Paul R. Puccinelli, LMFT, Board Treasurer

Paul R. Puccinelli, LMFT, Board Treasurer

Paul Puccinelli, MS, LMFT (#105320)

Clinical Focus

I am a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist. My clinical focus and interests are in the following three areas – Couples Therapy, Child Therapy, and Grief or End of Life Challenges

Couples Therapy:

“Unfortunately, research says couples wait six years before getting help. Don’t wait.”

Being in a relationship can be both wonderful and hard, sometimes within a five-minute timeframe. Seeking support or guidance during challenging times could be very beneficial. If you think your relationship could benefit from couple’s therapy or if you have a question, call me for a free 15-minute consultation.

Since 2012, I have helped couples become friends again, learn how to have more constructive conversations, learn ways to prevent escalating arguments, move from “attacking and defending” to just more “listening and understanding” of each other, and get to a place that they can talk about persistent and problematic issues, rather than avoid them.

I use the evidence-based therapeutic approach called Gottman Method Couples Therapy, developed from over 40 years of research with thousands of couples by John Gottman PhD. In addition, I use The Gottman Relationship Checkup, an online relationship assessment tool, which can automatically score a couple’s relationship strengths and challenges.

“What I like most about The Gottman Method is that it is primarily a strengths-based skills development approach.”

Child Therapy:

“Parents want me to see their children due to a recent loss, a traumatic event, or for a behavioral concern.”

For instance, I have provided support for children, whose parents are going through divorce, or for a child who was exposed to abuse or violence in the home, or for a child who is exhibiting aggressive behavior, sad, or upset. Just as each child is unique and different so is each case or situation.

I take an integrative approach using proven evidence-based interventions, such as child play therapy, sand play therapy or mindfulness activities, to support the child in changing his perceptions of the perceived challenging events and thoughts in his or her life, as well as getting in touch with his or her authentic self.

“Just having a safe place that the child can go to be seen and held therapeutically by an empathic and caring other, can be incredibly helpful and beneficial.”

Grief or End of Life Challenges:

“Grief is about love.”

I provide therapy services for anyone struggling with grief related issues. Experiencing a loss can be a major life stressor, affecting people in many ways — emotionally, physically, socially, spiritually, and more. A persistent and debilitating form of intense grief is called complicated grief and it is treatable.

Please do not hesitate to call me for a free 15-minute consultation or if you have a question. My phone number is (415) 342-2839.

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Dajenya Shoshanna Kafele, LCSW, Board Secretary

Dajenya Shoshanna Kafele, LCSW, Board Secretary

Dajenya Shoshanna Kafele, LCSW, is a multi-ethnic Licensed Clinical Social Worker, providing psychotherapy to children, adults, and families.

Ms. Kafele obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Psychology at San Francisco State University in 1993 and a Masters in Social Welfare (MSW) from the University of California in 1996. In 2009, she retired after 12 years as a Social Casework Specialist (professional social worker) for Children and Family Services of Contra Costa County, and began a 2-year internship at the Child Therapy Institute. Licensed in 2011, Ms. Kafele stayed with the Child Therapy Institute as a child therapist for almost 2 years after her graduation from this excellent training program in summer 2011.

On May 1, 2013, Ms. Kafele fulfilled a long-held dream of hers by opening an office in Richmond, CA, where she serves mostly low-income clients in this very under-served community. She specializes in child therapy with clients of various cultures and life situations. She also see adults of various cultures and life situations, including transgender people and/or others who identify as LGBTQ. Her very diverse life experience informs her practice and contributes to cultural awareness and an intimate knowledge of a variety of circumstances with which many clients  contend.

On October 26, 2013, Ms. Kafele was honored to begin serving as the Secretary of the Board of the Child Therapy Institute.

You may learn more about her and her practice, at her website at www.seedlingpsychotherapy.com

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Gregory Tilden, CTI-Graduate

Gregory Tilden, CTI-Graduate

Gregory Tilden is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist working with the Child Therapy Institute of Marin. He also works in private practice and in collaboration with Healing Realms, providing ketamine-assisted psychotherapy in San Francisco. He specializes in trauma-informed, child-directed therapy with children in Richmond and at a rural school in West Petaluma. Gregory’s private practice focuses on working with young adults, men’s issues and adoptees.

Gregory graduated from the California Institute of Integral Studies in 2018 with a concentration in Integral Counseling Psychology. He has trained with the San Francisco Marriage & Couples Center for Emotionally-Focused Therapy for couples, and worked with Multi Lingual Counseling in Oakland, providing mental health services to populations experiencing homelessness & marginalization.

His therapeutic lens is influenced by the existential-humanistic perspective, integrating trauma-awareness with self-empowerment techniques to help clients work through symptoms of depression & anxiety. Gregory believes in the importance of developing a safe and trusting therapeutic relationship, holding space to help people process and move through life’s inner & outer challenges.

In his work with children & adolescents, Gregory values creative expression, play, and mindfulness, to help them develop a stronger sense of connection to themselves. Through trauma-informed care, Gregory works to help spark curiosity, joy, and a sense of perseverance and resilience in children. He utilizes sand tray therapy & play therapy, specializing in work with male children experiencing the dysregulation and uncertainty of growing up in the world.

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