“If you nourish your body and mind but neglect your relationships, your overall health may be compromised. In contrast, prioritizing your connection—in addition to habits that support your physical and mental health—can help you live longer, healthier, and happier.”
— Kasley Killam, UC Berkeley Greater Good Science Center

Most of us accept that exercise and balanced meals keep us well. Yet the “third pillar” of health, social health, can often slip to the bottom of the priority list. Social scientist Kasley Killam reminds us that feeling cared for, understood, valued, and like we belong is crucial to well‑being. For anyone who senses a gap between themselves and the people (or purposes) that matter most, our Increasing Connections group therapy was designed for you.

Why We Created the Group

Modern life can leave even the most outgoing person feeling isolated: demanding schedules, social‑media fatigue, or the fear of showing up authentically can all erode meaningful bonds. Increasing Connections helps members:

• Identify personal and external barriers to relationships and connection
• Practice new ways of relating, both to themselves and to others, inside a supportive, space
• Build a toolkit for sustaining those connections long after group ends

Who Should Join?

• Anyone who feels disconnected from friends, family, community, spirituality, or their own authentic self
• Individuals noticing loneliness despite a “busy” social calendar
• People whose anxiety, self‑criticism, or conflicting values make it hard to show up fully with others

What Happens in a Typical Session?

Each session starts with a check-in where members share their current emotion and note any successes or challenges from the past week. Participants then spend a few minutes journaling on a prompt before coming together for a group discussion. During these discussions, members practice building connections with peers in real time while exploring common barriers to connection, such as conflicting values, anxiety, compromised self-care, overuse of social media, assumptions, fear of authenticity, and self-criticism. The meeting ends with a check-out, during which everyone names one specific way they plan to apply what they learned over the next week to build their relationships.

Meet the Facilitators

Emily Clark, LCSW
A licensed clinical social worker with 10 years’ experience across ages and diagnoses, Emily has seen one constant: authentic connection is the thread that raises life satisfaction. She brings a warm, structured style that gently nudges members past their comfort zones.

Mina Dailami, PhD
Mina is a postdoctoral fellow who’s passionate about helping people connect more to the people, values, and practices that bring a deeper sense of fulfillment. She invites members to practice together with a person‑centered, culturally sensitive lens.

Voices from the Group

“The journaling prompts generated a very insightful discussion.”

“They really prompted some deep thought for me.”

Even brief written reflections can unlock surprisingly profound dialogue, and the group’s safety net lets members test new ways of sharing without judgment.

What You’ll Take Away

• Awareness of the personal habits and beliefs that block connection
• In‑the‑moment skills for staying present, even when anxiety flares
• Experiential confidence from practicing authentic relating in session

If you’re ready to move from feeling separate to feeling supported, we’d love to welcome you to the group.

Ready to Increase Your Connections?

To learn more, contact our front desk at (415) 945 -9870 or leave us a message.