Therapy and Counseling in Santa Rosa
Therapy for People Who Look Like They've Got It Together,
But Don't Feel Like Themselves
Helping people move beyond overthinking, navigate relationships with greater confidence, and reconnect with the person they want to be.
Angela Sitka, LMFT #97770 | Licensed Therapist in California since 2017 | Sonoma State University MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Change How You Show Up With The People Who Matter Most
You may already understand some of the reasons why you react the way you do.
The challenge is putting that insight into practice when emotions run high, anxiety takes over, or relationships become complicated.
I help people who want to break out of familiar patterns and show up differently in the moments that matter most.
What's getting in the way?
“I should be able to handle this on my own.” You don’t want to burden anyone else with your stuff, and you don’t want to open yourself up to criticism or judgement. It’s easier to just deal with it on your own, so you keep yourself small even though it leaves you feeling misunderstood, disconnected, or frustrated with yourself.
“I don't want to make this a bigger deal than it needs to be.” You wonder if you’re over-reacting when small things come up and you don’t know how to cope with it. You replay conversations in your head, second-guess yourself, and have trouble knowing when you need speak up for yourself, or when to keep quiet. You might shut down, get defensive, or get short or irritated with your loved ones.
“Am I normal? What do other people in my situation do?” You want to show up with more of your authentic self with the people you care about, but sometimes you wonder what that even means. You doubt that your instincts and reactions are “normal” and appropriate. Over time, you’ve become disconnected with who you are, your needs, preferences, and values.
What life could look like on the other side
You Trust Yourself to Handle Hard Things
Imagine feeling more confident in your relationships and daily life because you fundamentally trust yourself.
When something difficult comes up like a hard conversation, unexpected stressor, conflict with a loved one, or a setback you didn't see coming, you no longer assume you'll fall apart or make things worse.
Instead, you take a breath, stay present, and trust your ability to respond thoughtfully to whatever the situation requires.
You Say What You Mean Without Second-Guessing Yourself
You stop replaying conversations in your head and start having them.
You communicate more openly and directly, expressing what you want, need, and feel without immediately second-guessing yourself.
Difficult conversations become less intimidating because you trust your ability to stay grounded, speak honestly, and handle whatever comes next.
Feeling Comfortable in Your Own Skin Again
You feel more comfortable being yourself around other people.
Instead of worrying about how you're coming across or wanting to retreat, you find yourself more willing to let people see the real you.
And you start doing the hobbies, interests, and goals that make life feel meaningful again, not because you have to, but because they genuinely matter to you.
Find the Support That Fits What You're Going Through
Therapy for individuals who are passionate about their work but feel on-edge and disconnected in their personal lives.
Therapy for men who care deeply about the people in their lives but get distant, shut down, defensive, and stuck in their own heads in relationships.
Therapy for young adults in who feel anxious and struggle with self-esteem.
Therapy for people who overthink, overanalyze, and feel emotionally overwhelmed in relationships.
Why This Approach Works
My clients come to me having already tried thinking their way out of anxiety, stress, and relationship struggles.
So you push through. You stay busy. You try to think your way out of the problem.
But understanding the problem isn't always enough to change it.
As a therapist practicing ACT, I help my clients:
Develop internal steadiness, even when things feel chaotic or overwhelming.
Untangle from spiraling thoughts and settle the emotional reactivity.
Communicate effectively even when you’re stressed, overwhelmed or upset.
Make decisions about your life and relationships with intention and ditch the overthinking, self-doubt, and self-criticism.
Why Clients Choose Me
Here’s what working together actually looks like:
You don't have to know exactly what to say.
Many clients come to therapy worried they'll have no idea what to talk about. I guide the process so you're not left wondering what you're supposed to do in therapy.
From our first session, we'll identify what you'd like to change, create a plan together, and continue checking that our work is helping you move toward the life and relationships you want.
We Focus on Real-Life Change
Together, we'll build practical skills, like navigating difficult emotions without shutting down, communicating more clearly in relationships, and responding differently when you catch yourself overthinking or second-guessing.
The goal is for what we do in therapy to actually show up in your everyday life.
Therapy Doesn't Have to Feel Awkward
Talking about personal struggles can feel vulnerable, especially if you've spent years trying to handle everything on your own.
My clients often tell me they feel relieved after their first session because they feel understood, accepted, and not judged.
Ready to Feel More Like Yourself Again?
You don't have to figure this out on your own.
Schedule a free consultation to ask questions, learn about my approach, and see if we're a good fit.
About Angela Sitka, Santa Rosa Therapist for Adults
I’m Angela, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.
I use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help you respond differently in real-life situations, not just talk about them.
As someone who has struggled with overthinking and strong emotions myself, I used to believe I needed to neutralize and fight off my negative thoughts and feelings in order to be “normal.”
It was such a discouraging path for me because, inevitably, whenever I felt grounded and stable enough to put myself out there and allow myself to live a bigger, more meaningful life, anxiety and negative thinking would resurface.
It felt like I was constantly backtracking and regressing, so frustrating!
It’s kind of counterintuitive, but once I dropped the struggle with my difficult thoughts and feelings, it opened up doors to feel at peace with who I am, and my life now is a better reflection of my values, rather than staying in my comfort zone. I can now help others do that same.
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I know you have questions, concerns, and hesitations about starting therapy
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ACT is a therapy framework or modality that helps individuals respond differently to difficult thoughts and feelings so you can lead your life with your values, not your worries, insecurities, and stressors.
It is skills-based and behavioral, meaning you start doing things right away and there are activities and reflections in between sessions to implement what you learn.
The goal in ACT therapy is psychological flexibility which helps:
Being proactive in dealing with your problems rather than reactive
Improving resiliency
Nurturing self-compassion.
Keeps you striving towards goals despite setbacks
Adapting your behaviors to align with personal values, even during stressful times
For the clients I work with, those who haven’t done therapy before or have had past bad experiences in therapy, it is a breath of fresh air.
Clients will say to me, “wow, I had no idea that this type of therapy existed, I wish I had known years ago, I could have gotten relief so much sooner.”
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I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of California (LMFT #97770)
I have been a therapist for over 12 years and have been licensed for 9 years.
I have my Master’s of Arts (M.A.) Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and my Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Psychology
Advanced training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and extensive clinical experience in medical, community, and academic settings.
I specialize in helping high-functioning individuals navigate complex relationship dynamics, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm with a clear, actionable approach.
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My model of therapy requires weekly therapy, 50-minute sessions once a week. Once we decide it’s a good fit for your goals (first 1-2 sessions are on trial basis), then we set aside a weekly consistent time for both of us to reserve to do the work together.
I offer both in-person therapy in Santa Rosa, CA in my office off of Mendocino or video/phone therapy.
While every person’s therapy duration is unique, my former clients who report they have fully met their therapy goals, on average, typically do so in about 25 sessions, or approximately a little under 6 months of weekly therapy.
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The type of ACT therapy I provide in my practice is a good fit if you’re someone who:
is thoughtful, self-aware, and maybe even “good at insight” but still stuck
has tried to think your way out of things, but it hasn’t fully worked
wants something practical, not just talking in circles or just venting
is open to trying a different way of relating to your inner experience
A lot of people I work with have spent years trying to:
control their thoughts
get rid of anxiety or their negative thoughts
“figure themselves out”
And they’re exhausted.
This work isn’t about trying harder.
It’s about helping you step out of that struggle, so you can actually live your life instead of constantly managing your mind.
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a well-researched, evidence-based approach that has been shown in multiple clinical studies and meta-analyses to be effective across a wide range of concerns:
Anxiety Disorders (generalized anxiety, social anxiety disorder, panic disorders, OCD, and health anxiety)
Depression or feeling disconnected from life
Burnout and work-related stress
Feeling stuck, unmotivated, or “on autopilot”
Big reactions to small things (emotional reactivity)
Ongoing patterns like avoidance, procrastination, or self-doubt
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I love when people realize their lives have so many more options, freedoms and flexibility when they uncover and break the rules of how their brain tells them they need to live.
Doing therapy that just focuses only on symptom reduction (just minimizing symptoms as the main marker of success in therapy) can be a pretty low standard, and often short-lived.
In ACT, we’re aiming for something deeper: helping you build a fulfilling and meaningful life.
To me, that’s a much more worthwhile place to put our time and energy. And it’s so fun for me as a therapist to see clients have those “ah-ha” moments where a real shift happens.
What type of person do you want to be in your relationships? Angela Sitka, Licensed Therapist explains how therapy helps you show up in a way you can feel proud of.
In-person and remote therapy options in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County and California
My office is conveniently located near Downtown Santa Rosa. Can’t make it into the office? No worries – we’ve got you covered with online therapy in California.