Ronny Nevo, Psy.D.

Originally from the Bay Area, I have had opportunities to live across the United States, experiencing various communities and cultures, before returning back to the Bay. I have also had the benefit of discovering the field of psychology and my appreciation and respect for this work organically through my personal journey.

 

I received my undergraduate degree in philosophy and theater and, although my first career in a different field was brief, through my experience I learned about my professional values and goals. I realized that, while my job was exciting and interesting, I was seeking the fulfillment of deep connections and a rewarding career of purpose and significance in my work. I began exploring psychology through volunteering with various organizations, including employment assistance for individuals experiencing homelessness, as well as in-school programs, groups, and summer camps for children of various ages grieving the death of a loved one.

 

After volunteering and taking preparatory coursework, I attended graduate school at  William James College (formerly the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology) outside of Boston, MA, where I received my Masters and Doctorate degrees. I chose to join the school’s concentration on Children and Families of Adversity and Resilience, dedicated to addressing the challenges that youths, families, and communities face and drawing upon their strengths and supports to assist them in navigating these challenges. I also chose to do an emphasis in Multicultural and Global Mental Health, a program committed to promoting social justice, practicing culturally diverse and sensitive treatment approaches, and addressing mental health disparities among disenfranchised and historically marginalized communities in the United States and abroad. I completed my thesis focusing on an overlooked and unattended population, creating a group-based therapeutic and preparatory curriculum to support adolescent-aged fathers.

 

While completing my education, I appreciated the diversity in training that allowed me to grow clinically. My first year placement was supporting students within the therapeutic and counseling program at a local Boston public school. My second year training was at a substance abuse recovery center that utilized creative interventions and various forms of art therapy to support individual, family, and group treatment. My clinical skills further developed at a residential center for children and adolescents who had expressed aggression or violence towards themselves or others. Finally, I completed my internship experience at an outpatient family and community mental health center, conducting individual and family therapy and neuropsychological assessments.

 

Following graduation, I was able to further integrate my education during my post-doctorate training at a private practice in Austin, TX before moving back to the Bay Area. I hold a practitioner certification in Coherence Therapy, a form of Experiential Therapy. 

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I have the honor of experiencing individuals and relationships in a unique context of therapy, of being witness to the full range of the human spirit and experience, and the capacity for exploring oneself, connecting with emotions and memories, and resilience and growth.

 

I view my clinical role is to guide and encourage introspection through questioning and mutual reflection, gently challenging clients with curiosity and based in strength. This has allowed me to connect and provide the containing presence and safety necessary in exploring the vulnerability of therapy. I believe in authenticity, intentionality, adaptability, collaboration, and awareness within the therapeutic relationship. I work from a position of creativity, empathy and positive regard, appropriate humor and clinical playfulness, appreciation for the therapeutic process, and thoughtful reflection.