Therapy in CA for Anxiety, Relationships, and Patterns That Keep Repeating
You may already understand a lot about yourself. But introspection alone doesn’t create change.
Clinical psychologist Dr. David Gatta offers depth-oriented therapy for adults who feel stuck in familiar cycles, whether that’s anxiety, relationship struggles, self-doubt, burnout, or the sense that something important keeps pulling them back to the same place.
Oakland Office | California Telehealth | $250/session | Private Pay | PPO Support
Maybe You’ve Already Tried To Figure It Out
You’ve read the books. You’ve thought deeply about your life. Maybe you’ve been in therapy before a time or three.
You may already know what keeps happening:
• the same kinds of relationships
• anxiety showing up in different forms
• self-criticism and second-guessing
• feeling stuck despite trying hard to change
Knowing the pattern and being free of the pattern aren’t always the same thing. Sometimes there are deeper emotional forces at work—ways of relating, protecting yourself, and making sense of the world that developed long before you consciously chose them.
Therapy can become a place to understand those patterns differently and create room for something new.
MEET DAVID
David Gatta, PsyD
Licensed Clinical Psychologist • In Practice Since 2013
David believes people are always becoming who they are.
Sometimes that process gets interrupted. You find yourself living according to old expectations, old ways of protecting yourself, or stories about who you are that no longer fit.
His approach combines psychodynamic and psychoanalytic therapy with warmth, curiosity, and genuine conversation.
David trained in psychoanalytic psychotherapy at the Access Institute in San Francisco, but what matters most in the room isn’t theory.
It’s the relationship.
Clients often describe him as thoughtful and easy to talk with—someone who takes their inner life seriously without making therapy feel intimidating or overly clinical.
“Please call me David.”
Depth Therapy = Deeper Change That Lasts
Why Work at a Deeper Level?
Many approaches to therapy focus on helping you manage symptoms: reducing anxiety, changing behaviors, improving coping skills. Those tools can be useful, but depth-oriented therapy asks a different question:
Why does this keep happening in the first place?
Rather than treating recurring struggles as flaws to fix, David approaches them as meaningful patterns worth understanding. The goal isn’t only feeling better in the moment.
It’s understanding yourself deeply enough that change begins to feel less like effort and more like something genuine.
1. Free Consultation
A 15-minute phone conversation.
No forms beforehand. No obligation afterward.
David will want to hear what brings you in, and you’ll get a real sense of who he is and how he works. Think of it as a conversation rather than an evaluation.
What to Expect
2. Initial Sessions
Early sessions are exploratory.
David listens carefully—not only to what you say, but to recurring themes and patterns that emerge over time.
Together, you’ll begin developing a clearer picture of what you’re dealing with and what may actually be keeping it in place.
3. Ongoing Therapy
Most clients meet weekly or twice per week. As the work deepens, patterns that once felt fixed often begin to loosen. Over time, many people find themselves relating differently—to themselves, to other people, and to the challenges in their lives.
PRACTICE DETAILS
Fee: $250 per 50-minute session
Location: In-person Oakland office (Rockridge Market Hall) and Telehealth throughout California
Payment: Credit/Debit card, HSA, and FSA accepted
A Note About Insurance
David is a private-pay provider.
If you have out-of-network PPO benefits, Dynamic Change Psychotherapy partners with Deputy Care to make reimbursement easier.
Deputy Care can help with:
✓ Verifying benefits before you begin
✓ Submitting claims
✓ Tracking reimbursements
✓ Reducing paperwork
✓ Decreasing upfront out of pocket costs
The short version:
You focus on therapy. They help with the insurance logistics. Learn more about insurance support here.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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This is generally longer-term work.
The majority of David’s clients stay for a year at minimum, though there isn’t a predetermined timeline. Therapy moves at a pace that makes sense for you and your goals. Organic growth takes time.
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Most clients meet weekly. Others benefit from the additional support of twice a week sessions. Consistency matters because it creates the space and momentum for meaningful work to develop.
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CBT often focuses on changing thoughts and behaviors in the present. Psychodynamic therapy looks more closely at the emotional and relational patterns underneath those experiences.
The question becomes less: “How do I stop this feeling?”
and more: “Why does this keep happening?”
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Absolutely. Many people come to depth-oriented work after previous therapy experiences that were useful but felt like they left something unresolved. Prior therapy often helps clarify what you’re looking for. And the majority of clinicians don’t offer multi-year treatment that continue to deepen and enrich oneself over time.
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David does not bill insurance directly. He is private pay at $250/session. Superbills are available, and Dynamic Change works with Deputy Care to support out-of-network reimbursement.
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Yes. David sees clients in person in Oakland and via secure telehealth throughout California.
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Great question! If you want to see his credentials, check out his CV here. If you want to read real patient reviews, see his ZocDoc profile. But really? The better question is ‘is David a good therapist for me?’ And the way to find out starts with a free consultation to get to know him and share your story. Reach out.
You've been trying alone long enough.
Reach out for help that is effective, collaborative, and makes lasting change that matters.