Annie Souter
Sometimes your mind can feel like it does not have an off switch. You may replay conversations, anticipate what could go wrong, or put pressure on yourself to get everything right. For middle schoolers and teens, these worries may show up alongside school pressure, changing friendships, identity questions, or family stress. Adults and parents may feel stretched thin from caring for everyone else while trying to make room for their own needs.
I work with middle schoolers, teens, adults, and parents who are navigating anxiety, overthinking and rumination, panic, neurodivergence, relationship or family stress, and life transitions. My goal is for you to feel genuinely seen and supported while also helping you move toward the changes you want.
I'm warm, direct, organized, and real. I listen closely and make room for what you are carrying, while also asking thoughtful questions and gently naming patterns that may be keeping you stuck. Some clients benefit from structure and practical tools; others need more space to slow down and understand themselves. We will find the pace and balance that fit you. Humor is welcome, and the occasional unexpected analogy may make an appearance.
Before becoming a therapist, I spent 15 years teaching middle school English and history, including at Stanley Middle School in Lafayette. I worked closely with students and families through the academic, social, and emotional challenges of adolescence, including IEP and 504 supports and the varied experiences of ADHD, autism, anxiety, learning differences, and other needs. That background - and my own experience as a parent in Lamorinda - gives me a practical, compassionate understanding of the pressures young people and families face.
Annie@valleyoakcounseling.co
(925) 322-0017
“Therapy should feel like having an ally - someone who listens without judgement, helps you understand what is happening, and gently supports you toward meaningful change.”
Education
M.A. Counseling
Saint Mary's College of California,
M.A. Education &
Teaching Credential
California State University, Northridge; Single-Subject English and History
B.A. Anthropology
University of California, Berkeley
Registration & Supervision
REgistered Associate MFT
AMFT #164688
Registered Associate PPC
APCC #23377
Employed by
Valley Oak Counseling
Supervised by
Kate Leyva, LMFT #84265
Clinical Experience
Counseling and
psychological services
Saint Mary's College of California
School-based counseling
Clinical experience supporting high school students
MIDDLE SCHOOL EDUCATION
15 years teaching English and history, including Stanley Middle School in Lafayette
IEP & 504 Support
Extensive collaboration with students, families, and school teams
Advanced Training & Associations
Bay Area Autism Consortium Symposium
Solution-Focused Therapy workshops
California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
Areas of Support
Anxiety, Overthinking & Panic
Sometimes anxiety looks like looping thoughts, constant anticipation, or feeling on alert. Therapy can help you understand what is driving the anxiety, build grounding and coping tools, and respond with greater flexibility and self-trust.
Neurodiversity-Affirming Therapy
I welcome autistic clients and clients with ADHD, approaching different ways of thinking, communicating, processing, and relating with respect and curiosity - not as something that automatically needs to be fixed. I adapt therapy to the needs and strengths of each individual.
Middle School & Teen Therapy
School pressure, changing friendships, family tension, identity questions, and uncertainty about the future can make adolescence feel overwhelming. I offer middle schoolers and teens a supportive place to understand themselves, strengthen confidence, and build skills that fit their age and individual needs.
Life Transitions, Identity & Changing Roles
Transitions across different ages and stages of life - including changes in identity, relationships, family roles, work, or parenthood - can leave you feeling uncertain about who you are or what comes next. Therapy offers space to understand what is shifting, reconnect with your values and needs, and move forward with greater clarity.
My Approach
My approach is relational, individualized, and grounded in psychodynamic, attachment, narrative, and family systems perspectives. I also draw from solution-focused techniques. Together, we may explore how earlier experiences, relationships, family patterns, and the stories you carry about yourself shape what is happening today, while also identifying practical ways to respond differently in the present.
Some clients benefit from more structure and concrete tools; others need space to slow down and better understand themselves. We will find the pace and balance that fit you. I'm warm, reflective, and honest, and I'll gently challenge you when that supports your goals - sometimes with an unexpected analogy along the way.