About Onward Leading
EMDR/IFS/ACT/DBT Bay Area Therapist
We call our therapy practice Onward Leading because it is about helping you move forward. Our inspiration comes from our journey where we discovered that there are many different ways get unstuck and to develop inner peace. The work we do integrates techniques from many different traditions. Through these, you will encounter unconscious drives, motivations, emotions, and narratives that shape your behavior and decision making. By opening to these parts of yourself and healing from past traumas and difficulties, there can be a deep release that creates a new foundation for living.
Trauma-Informed Care
Overcome past trauma with our various therapeutic techniques.
Relationship/Couples
Overcome challenges as a couple and foster healing.
Mental Health Issues
Overcome PTSD, Anxiety, Depression, and OCD.
Multiple Modalities
DBT, IFS, ACT, DBT, CBT, Mindful Self-Compassion, and More.
Our Team
Jeffrey Gianelli, LCSW, MSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Hi, I’m Jeffrey, LCSW and my approach is all about going straight to the core of the struggles and dilemmas you are facing in an experiential way, so that you can learn to overcome the patterns that keep you feeling stuck. This goes beyond talk therapy to truly witnessing your inner most self. This process fosters lasting change.
I have developed skill as a therapist over many years learning specialized approaches such as EMDR, IFS, and Mindful Self Compassion and then developing a system to combine them in a way that has helped my clients to see the results they are seeking.
I also offer alternative approaches for those who are interested such as Buddhist Therapy, Ketamine Therapy and energy healing work.
I am an EMDRIA approved EMDR Consultant and have co-developed a Parts Informed EMDR protocol that is being offered as a workshop and in consultation groups for other therapists.
I serve clients in and around the Bay Area, California and throughout the state via Telehealth as well as North Carolina.
Education & Credentials:
- License # 88604
- License State: California
- License #: C013939
- License State: North Carolina
- Practicing Since: 2016
- Education: MSW in Social Work
My background includes the following:
- Trauma therapist fully certified as an EMDR Consultant, with comprehensive training in trauma-informed approaches.
- Extensive training in
- Internal Family Systems (IFS)
- Buddhist Psychology
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)
- Trained teacher of the Mindful Self Compassion Program through Center for Mindful Self Compassion.
I offer additional wellness services as a life coach through Menla Healing East Bay.
Andrea Samayoa-Sosa, ASW
Associate Clinical Social Worker
Supervised by Jeffrey Gianelli through Rose Therapy
Hi there! I’m Andrea and I am an Associate Clinical Social Worker. What would it look like if you could finally feel at ease in your own skin and in your relationships? Over time, you’ve developed different strategies to protect yourself; maybe you give until there’s nothing left, or maybe you create distance before anyone gets too close.
You’re running on empty, and the traditional therapy you’ve tried hasn’t broken through those familiar patterns. If you recognize what you’re doing but feel powerless to change it, I’m here to walk alongside you.
Perhaps your childhood was unpredictable, emotionally cold, or filled with judgment, and now small conflicts send you into fight-or-flight mode. You’ve masked parts of yourself for so long that you wonder if
anyone could accept the real you. Your thoughts loop endlessly, your inner voice is unforgiving, and you swing between feeling everything and feeling nothing. Beneath it all is a longing to simply be yourself. As a therapist, I help you slow things down and work with your nervous system, not against it. Together, we build safety and new
ways of relating so you can break survival patterns and experience more ease, connection, and authenticity.
I support adults repeating the same relational dynamics while managing neurodivergence, anxiety, depression, or trauma. We’ll examine how your earliest connections taught your body what to expect from closeness and self-worth, then build new pathways that honor who you
are. My work weaves together Internal Family Systems, EMDR, and Ketamine-Assisted Therapy to shift what feels unmovable, then integrate those insights into everyday change. I bring trauma-informed and neurodivergent-affirming practices to help you create a life that
fits your unique wiring and values.
My work is rooted in social justice. What you’re experiencing isn’t solely personal, it’s been influenced by oppressive systems like white supremacy, ableism, capitalism, and others that target marginalized
communities. If past therapy left you feeling invisible, pathologized, or not taken seriously, my goal is for you to feel truly witnessed and
believed.
If you’re ready to shift from self-protection to authentic living, I’d be honored to work together. Let’s explore your experiences and design an approach tailored specifically to you.
Cassidy Cavanah, AMFT
Associate Marriage and Family Therapist
Supervised by Jeffrey Gianelli through Rose Therapy
Hi, I’m Cassidy, and I think of therapy as a partnership — something we create and do together in collaboration. My role is to meet you where you are and to create a safe container for your curious explorations, healing, and growth.
If you’re in the middle of something hard — grief, trauma, a difficult diagnosis, an assault, a breakup, a loss that’s rearranged your whole life — I’m here to hold space for that without rushing you through it. Grief and trauma processing don’t move in straight lines, and I won’t ask yours to. We’ll work at your pace helping you find relief without minimizing what you’re carrying.
If something else is pulling you toward therapy — anxiety, ADHD, relationship patterns that keep repeating, a career that no longer fits— I’m here for that too. Together, we’ll explore what’s happening for you, how your ways of relating to yourself and others developed, and what might support you more fully moving forward.
My clinical background includes providing psychotherapy in acute hospital settings, where I worked closely with patients and families facing serious illness and end-of-life. That work shaped my capacity to stay grounded and present with profound grief, trauma, and uncertainty, and to support people through some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives.
My approach is relational and depth-oriented, informed by attachment theory, psychodynamic work, somatic awareness, narrative therapy, parts-based and inner child work. Together, we explore the deeper patterns, experiences, and internal narratives that continue to shape how you feel, relate, and move through the world. Our work often integrates mindfulness, self expression, and spiritual inquiry as ways of helping you reconnect with your own inner clarity, resilience, and sense of self.
Jules Wandae
Head Manager
Wanda Houston
Marketing
Patricia Young
Designer
Araceli Pimentel, MSW, AWS
Associate Clinical Social Worker
Hi, I’m Araceli Pimentel, and I specialize in helping people navigate relationship issues. Whether you’re feeling stuck in a cycle of conflict, longing for deeper connections, or facing personal challenges, I’m here to offer a guiding hand on your journey toward healing and connection. With a warm, empathetic approach, I create a safe, supportive space where individuals and couples can explore their feelings, communicate more effectively, and build healthier, more fulfilling relationships.
I work with people dealing with anxiety, depression, childhood trauma, PTSD, people-pleasing, and marital or pre-marital concerns. My clients often tell me that I’m down-to-earth, easy to talk to, and that they feel comfortable opening up without fear of judgment.
My approach is holistic and focuses on psychodynamic, humanistic, and somatic orientations. I use a variety of methods tailored to fit your unique needs, including Internal Family Systems (IFS), EMDR, Brainspotting, Somatic Experiencing, and Emotion Focused Couples Therapy. I’m trained in culturally responsive and trauma-informed practices to help you feel safe, supported, and truly seen.
I strive to build a trusting relationship so you feel comfortable healing at your own pace. Together, we’ll determine which issues to tackle and which approaches will work best for you. I look forward to supporting you on your journey toward growth and transformation!
Erika Alcalde, AMFT
Associate Marriage and Family Therapist
Supervised by Jeffrey Gianelli through Rose Therapy
Welcome. I’m Erika – a Marriage and Family Therapist Associate based in Oakland, CA.
I deeply believe in the transformational power of therapy and in the inner healing intelligence that lives within each of us. My priority in our work together is creating a space that feels safe, authentic, and genuinely connected. I want to understand not only your struggles, but also your hopes, your desires, and the changes you’re wanting in your life.
My areas of focus include self-esteem, relationship challenges, anxiety, and embodiment. As a person-centered therapist, our work will be collaborative and responsive to your needs. When it feels supportive, I also welcome humor into the room. I offer direct yet compassionate reflections and approach our conversations with genuine curiosity.
Jules Wandae
Head Manager
Wanda Houston
Marketing
Patricia Young
Designer
Our Values
Our Therapeutic Approach
With our approach and caring environment, our therapy services go way beyond “talk.”
Our staff work to create a caring and environment to help address your issues.
In-person appointments available in the Bay Area and we also do telehealth.
We combine traditional therapies with spiritual-based approaches.
Our therapies help you build your confidence and self-compassion.
Most importantly, we want our therapies to help you heal and move on, no matter what’s happened.
Get In Touch
We are a dedicated team inspired to help you on your path to recovery, no matter what help you need. We are one of the top-rated therapy teams for Oakland, the Bay Area, and beyond.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
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