“I believe in kindness. Also in mischief. Also in singing, especially when singing is not necessarily prescribed.” - Mary Oliver
Hi, I'm Jessika Fruchter, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Expressive Arts Therapist based in Berkeley. I hold a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology and Expressive Arts Therapy from California Institute of Integral Studies, where I currently teach, and I am also licensed by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.
Originally from New York, I'm also a writer, artist, teacher, activist and ... well, human, trying to navigate this precious life with humor, grace, humility and personal style the best way I can.
My goal is to leave this world a little more healed than I found it, and I believe that can happen through grand gestures and everyday acts.
I launched my private practice in January 2017 after six years of working in community mental health. My decision to focus my work on the support of self-identified women and girls was both personal and political. I wrote about that decision in this blog post, if you're interested in checking it out.
When I'm not working with clients in my private practice or teaching future-therapists, I can be found creating my own art, spending time with the people I love, or daydreaming ... which is one of my favorite activities.