Testimonials - Ascertain Quality of Behavior Therapies

REVIEWS FROM OUR CLIENTS & COLLEAGUES

reviews

“Dr Patricia Zurita Ona is responsible for working with my teenage son and making it possible for him to comfortably and confidently interact socially or “feel normal” socially (as he recently phrased it). In addition, this preparation has enabled him to thrive out-of-state in his first year of college. Both my son and I agree, that without Dr Zurita’s help, all of this would not have been possible.

I realized that my son needed professional help when we began to travel to an out-of-state university to meet students and staff. During these visits, my son experienced extreme social anxiety episodes that left him feeling helpless and anxious. My son was devastated that an opportunity to attend the college of his choice would not be realized due to his inability to function socially. As a parent, these experiences were an awakening for me as to how serious the situation was.

I am attaching a link to an article that my son sent to me during this experience that describes a similar story of a young man who also experienced social anxiety throughout his life. Reading this article brought me to tears and opened my eyes. I was thankful my son found the article and that this article could articulate his thoughts. The article also gave me hope that perhaps it was not too late to seek professional help. Here is the article my son shared with me –
education.com/reference/…

After reading the article and then contacting several departments of psychology within universities around the nation, I was lead toward Dr Patricia Zurita Ona by the University of California Berkeley.

We met with Dr Zurita for four months prior to the time when my son would need to leave for college. Dr Zurita came up with a plan for one on one and group work for my son. My son met with Dr Zurita, and or Dr Zurita and a group, every week for approximately 20 sessions. I am thrilled to report that together by setting goals, doing one on one work, learning therapy tools and techniques, and by participating in group work – my son was able to leave for and attend the out-of-state university. In addition, he feels liberated from the anxious life he once led and has a sense of ‘normal’ about himself. My son and I text regularly and he is doing great. I asked him recently when we were discussing meeting new groups of friends, if he needed to speak with Dr Zurita, and he replied, “Mom, I have all of the tools to handle this. It’s up to me to use them.”

I am very grateful for finding Dr Zurita. She is responsible for teaching my son skills that have changed his life socially and enabled him to leave home and attend an out-of-state university. This was the dream of a lifetime for him and it would not have been possible without her help. Her guidance has also made it possible for him to live a much richer life, full of experiences he would have never considered, prior to his time meeting with Dr. Zurita.

I encourage parents to start this process much sooner, if they sense their child is having difficulty at a social level. Had I understood what he has been going through all of these years, I would have started the process much earlier, so that his prior social experiences and especially those in school, would have been much fuller.

In addition, Dr Zurita has a convenient online system that enables you to book and reschedule appointments and pay for your sessions. And, my medical insurance reimbursed a large portion of the cost.”

Working with Patricia Zurita Ona has changed and saved my life. I have struggled off and on for years with sever anxiety disorder and OCD . I have been to therapy throughout the years and have found some helpful but nothing really got to the core of the problem.
I often felt crazy and that my incredible fear and my phobias would remain with me thorough my life, I would not drive on the freeway, eat certain things and had constant catastrophic thinking, thus creating a lot of depression.
I needed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy which I saw advertised on many therapists’ websites. When I would call most of them they said they offered it and specialized with Anxiety Disorder/ OCD which was not the case. I had felt alone, hopeless and frustrated for the past 9 years. Never feeling like I was getting the help I needed. It was not until I started meeting with Patricia that I actually started to feel better and feel as if I had control over my life and started to live again.I received a lot of tools and exposure therapy and courage to face this and recover. I learned to stop letting my fears control me and my days, years ect.

I share this experience because I have suffered a lot through my life, never feeling as if I could find the right help. I wasted time and LOTS of money. I am so thankful that I found Patricia Ona.”

“Patricia and her team have completely changed my life! I cannot express my gratitude enough.
I have struggled with anger and other emotional issues my entire life. I have been to so many therapists, groups and anger management classes. Nothing worked. But then came Dr. Zurita Ona, and she transformed my reactions to emotional situations. She didn’t just listen to me and give me “anger management skills”, she helped me understand what my mind and body was doing when I got triggered. She helped me craft values and goals I wanted to have in my relationships, and walked me through each step of how to get there. Her methods are simple, manageable, and make sense when you are upset. I’ve been to therapists who have told me to take deep breaths, visualize calming colors, rip paper, go for a walk or scream in to a pillow when im angry. But in the moment, when im soooo angry, none of these world work. I would forget to do them, or I would already be so angry, that they were ineffective to help me calm down. Patricia’s methods are not only EXTREMELY effective, but they are easy to do, they make sense in the moment, and they bring about radical change when you apply them.

Before Patricia, I thought I was destined to have a life of anger, high strung emotions and failed relationships. After years of therapy, I felt helpless and hopeless. Nothing had worked, so therefore I was not “fixable”. Patricia and and her team have been my angels, and have lovingly and gracefully shown me a more effective way to live in harmony with my emotions, and with those around me. I now feel that I am no longer “managing my anger”, instead I am mindful of my actions, present in my body, and know how to use my emotions to attain healthy and fulfilling relationships based on honestly and openly acknowledging those emotions. I feel free, and hopeful for the future. I still have 4 months of DBT therapy, and I am excited to learn even more, and grow even further under their guidance.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

“I do not know how it reflects on my credibility should I happen to brag about being a seasoned vet when it comes to therapists and mental wellness pursuits. Regardless, I am. And on top of that, I also happen to be a health care practitioner myself. This means, for the purposes of a review, that when I walk into a new Doctor’s office, there is an additional dimension of critiquing for me to process. I would never willingly put myself under the guidance and care of a Doctor who did not 1) Impress me as a capable and honest caregiveer and 2) Impress me as a professional colleague.

– EMPATHY
– KNOWLEDGE
– PROFESSIONALISM
– RESPECT

I think that these are the basic bulletpoints that strike me when I consider why I think so highly of Patricia. Dr. Zurita takes NOTHING more seriously than the pursuit of her profession. Except possibly you, the patient. When under her care, you will be able to sense that to her, learning about human dysfunction and subsequently helping people with this knowledge, are what drives every fiber of her being.

Some therapists really care.

Other therapists are extremely knowledgeable.

Very few therapists are both. Patricia Zurita Ona is one of those very few.”

“I have referred several of my most challenging patients to Dr. Patricia Zurita-Ona, and been extremely impressed both with her clinical skills and humanity. I recommend her most highly. John Melbourne McGraw, M.D. melmcgraw.net“

“Dr. Patricia Zurita Ona truly cares about her clients. Behavior therapy with her has benefited myself and my husband regarding my obsessive compulsive behavior. She has a gentle and kind approach and I would recommend her to others”

“I was referred to Patricia Zurita Ona from my son’s psychiatrist for cognitive behavioral therapy treatment of his obsessive compulsive disorder (ocd) and anxiety which rose to a level which was out of control. Dr. Zurita Ona is very skilled at working with teens who suffer from anxiety, especially related to academic success and test anxiety. She helped my son learn coping mechanisms and stress reducing strategies to control his level of anxiety. Dr. Zurita Ona introduced my son to a great stress relieving app which involves deep breathing and meditation. She has an amazing ability to connect with teens and get them to open up about their struggles, create realistic plans of attack and create goals so they can lead joyful lives and not be so burdened with their stress. We saw her weekly for about 1-2 years and my son’s sessions with her were very beneficial to not only him, but our entire family as his stress was causing tension for us all. Dr. Zurita Ona explained to me why my son had certain behaviors and ways to help him learn new strategies to cope with his anxiety. If you have a teen who needs help to learn how to manage and control stress and anxiety, schedule a session with Dr. Zurita Ona! I highly recommend her services!”

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

“My recommendation, if you thinking about it you should TRY IT!

I have had a very long history of social anxiety, and after spending year after year trying to “fix myself” I finally gave in and tried seeking out some professional help.

Dr Patricia Zurita Ona is amazing and I can only say I wish I had come in sooner.

100% recommend to anyone.

Being aware of the problem isn’t enough. If you are having trouble get the help you need! You’ll thank yourself later!”

“Dr. Zurita Ona is the best therapist I have ever worked with and I’ve probably had 10 separate therapists in 4 different parts of the country over the last 20 years. She is highly empathetic and a terrific listener. She uses evidenced-based methods to address specific issues that are highly tailored to a client’s specific situation. As my life situation has changed and dramatically different topics have come up, she’s switched gears and brought different methods to bear to help address them.

She’s not afraid to pose the hard questions, but does so in such a supportive way. She’s flexible with scheduling and always professional. She’s also just a cool person. I almost never do Yelp reviews but, after working for her for the last 4.5 years, this one is very much overdue.

Check her out. You should have done so yesterday! :)”

“I highly recommend East Bay Behavior Therapy Center! My 12yr old daughter is suffering from emotional and physical symptoms caused by a fear of illness. We had her meet with Lillian Yamamoto who has been amazing! In the 17 sessions we have had with Lillian, I have seen huge improvements in my daughters behavior and her anxiety has decreased. Our family has learned a lot and we are learning how to communicate better with one another too. Thank you so much Lillian!”

“Patricia and her team have completely changed my life! I cannot express my gratitude enough.

I have struggled with anger and other emotional issues my entire life. I have been to so many therapists, groups and anger management classes. Nothing worked. But then came Dr. Zurita Ona, and she transformed my reactions to emotional situations. She didn’t just listen to me and give me “anger management skills”, she helped me understand what my mind and body was doing when I got triggered. She helped me craft values and goals I wanted to have in my relationships, and walked me through each step of how to get there. Her methods are simple, manageable, and make sense when you are upset. I’ve been to therapists who have told me to take deep breaths, visualize calming colors, rip paper, go for a walk or scream in to a pillow when im angry. But in the moment, when im soooo angry, none of these world work. I would forget to do them, or I would already be so angry, that they were ineffective to help me calm down. Patricia’s methods are not only EXTREMELY effective, but they are easy to do, they make sense in the moment, and they bring about radical change when you apply them.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

I often felt crazy and that my incredible fear and my phobias would remain with me thorough my life, I would not drive on the freeway, eat certain things and had constant catastrophic thinking, thus creating a lot of depression.

I needed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy which I saw advertised on many therapists’ websites. When I would call most of them they said they offered it and specialized with Anxiety Disorder/ OCD which was not the case. I had felt alone, hopeless and frustrated for the past 9 years. Never feeling like I was getting the help I needed. It was not until I started meeting with Patricia that I actually started to feel better and feel as if I had control over my life and started to live again.I received a lot of tools and exposure therapy and courage to face this and recover. I learned to stop letting my fears control me and my days, years ect.

I share this experience because I have suffered a lot through my life, never feeling as if I could find the right help. I wasted time and LOTS of money. I am so thankful that I found Patricia Ona.”

Intensive Outpatient Program

reset program

Our intensive program will teach you all skills you need to get unstuck from worries, fears, anxieties, and obsessions and get back into your life.

You can learn cutting-edge skills 1-1, in a personalized program, with a flexible schedule, and under the care of expert hands.

Online courses

online education

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
and Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) skills for
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

OCD

Obsessions + compulsions + avoidance = restricted life

I’m afraid of hitting someone in the street if I don’t pay attention when driving. I cannot let go of this awful feeling that comes when I don’t share everything with some people. If I don’t hear from others that I didn’t do anything cruel to my kitty, I cannot leave the house. Would I feel love when I die?

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Why our clients love working with us

testimonials

therapy schedule, get scheduled, ACT Coaching

"I am very grateful for finding Dr Zurita. She is responsible for teaching my son skills that have changed his life socially and enabled him to leave home and attend an out-of-state university. This was the dream of a lifetime for him and it would not have been possible without her help. Her guidance has also made it possible for him to live a much richer life, full of experiences he would have never considered, prior to his time meeting with Dr. Zurita.

"Working with Patricia Zurita Ona has changed and saved my life. I have struggled off and on for years with sever anxiety disorder and OCD . I have been to therapy throughout the years and have found some helpful but nothing really got to the core of the problem. I often felt crazy and that my incredible fear and my phobias would remain with me thorough my life, I would not drive on the freeway, eat certain things and had constant catastrophic thinking, thus creating a lot of depression.

“Patricia and her team have completely changed my life! I cannot express my gratitude enough.

She helped me craft values and goals I wanted to have in my relationships, and walked me through each step of how to get there. Her methods are simple, manageable, and make sense when you are upset. I’ve been to therapists who have told me to take deep breaths, visualize calming colors, rip paper, go for a walk or scream in to a pillow when im angry. But in the moment, when im soooo angry, none of these world work. I would forget to do them, or I would already be so angry, that they were ineffective to help me calm down. Patricia’s methods are not only EXTREMELY effective, but they are easy to do, they make sense in the moment, and they bring about radical change when you apply them ...

– Empathy
– Knowledge
– Professionalism
– Respect

Some therapists really care.

Other therapists are extremely knowledgeable.

Very few therapists are both. Patricia Zurita Ona is one of those very few.”

"I have referred several of my most challenging patients to Dr. Patricia Zurita-Ona, and been extremely impressed both with her clinical skills and humanity. I recommend her most highly. John Melbourne McGraw, M.D. melmcgraw.net."