Our Therapists

Dr. Jennifer Ballerini

Co-Founder & Licensed Clinical Psychologist (PSY22155)

My Approach. I love helping people heal old wounds, learn new skills, and grow into happier, healthier human beings. I feel privileged to be a part of my clients’ journeys as they let go of old patterns and develop new ways of seeing themselves and the world around them.

As a therapist, I’m committed to creating a warm, compassionate, genuine, and open environment for you to heal, learn, and grow. I’ll work hard to provide you with the support and challenges you need to reach your most cherished goals for yourself and your relationships.

Personal growth is an incredibly meaningful and worthwhile journey and — like anything worth having — it requires commitment and effort. When things get tough, I’ll be here to offer you the hope, enthusiasm, and humor you need to keep going.

My Services. Some of the issues I can help you with include...
  • Anxiety, depression, and stress
  • Relationship and family problems
  • Building better communication skills
  • Recovering from abuse or dysfunctional family experiences
  • Exploring who you are and what you want from life
My Specialties. My passion as a therapist is helping people develop happy, close relationships. I love helping couples move past the drama and into the meaningful connections they long for. Some areas of expertise for me include...
  • Helping couples build better, happier relationships
  • Helping people develop close, meaningful relationships with partners, family, and friends
About Me. I’m a licensed clinical psychologist with a master’s degree and a doctorate in clinical psychology. I have years of experience working with men and women, children and teens, and couples and families. When I’m not working, I love spending time with my family and friends, playing guitar, doing yoga, gardening, traveling, and finding any excuse to be outside.

You can reach me at 916.276.7709 or at dr.ballerini@lifeworkpsychology.com


Brenda Vaccaro, M.A.

Co-Founder & Therapist
Psychological Assistant (PSB34264) to Constance Holmes, Ed.D. (PSY18209)

My Approach. I believe that we have the opportunity to heal, learn, and grow throughout our lives — even well into adulthood. When we’re stuck, we need a great deal of courage to let go of what isn’t working anymore and reach toward something new to be healthy, happy and successful. My passion is working with people at this promising (and often painful) point in their lives to help them understand and change the life patterns that limit them so they can feel better…a lot better.

The ups and downs of personal growth will feel daunting at times, and making meaningful changes in your life will require hard work and determination. With every step forward, I’ll be here to provide the encouragement, humor and candor you need to stay committed. Together, we’ll figure out how to help you feel comfortable, yet challenged, so you can create the life and relationships you want.

My Services. I look forward to helping you…
  • Cope with anxiety, depression, and stress
  • Solve relationship problems (relatives, partners, friends)
  • Build better communication and assertiveness skills
  • Recover from dysfunctional family experiences
  • Explore who you are and what you want from life
My Specialties. I also have special expertise and a unique interest in working with…
  • Adults in the adoption triad (adoptees, birthparents, and adoptive parents)
  • Men and women who struggle to build close, meaningful relationships
  • Men and women who are socially anxious or self-conscious
  • Children, teens, and adults who need psychological testing
  • Therapists who need assessment consultation or services for their clients
About Me. I’m a doctoral candidate and earned my master’s degree in clinical psychology at The Wright Institute in Berkeley. I’ve worked in public and private mental health centers in the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento providing individual, couple, group, and family therapy, as well as psychological assessment. My experience also includes research on adoption, attachment, as well as social cognitive and affective neuroscience. In my leisure time, I love hanging out with my family and friends, listening to music, playing outdoors, birding, writing and traveling.

You can contact me at 916.616.8561 or at dr.vaccaro@lifeworkpsychology.com


Carlyn Spencer, M.A.

Therapist Intern
Marriage and Family Therapist Registered Intern (66936)
Supervised by Jennifer Ballerini, Psy.D. (PSY22155)

My Approach. I believe we all continuously learn and grow as we navigate the many paths of our lives. Sometimes we can get a little lost or stuck on our journey, and need a little help to find our way. I love helping people to navigate their life’s paths and to explore new ones.
 
As your therapist I will provide a warm, caring, and encouraging environment as I help support you through your sometimes difficult lifelong journey of learning and growing. I am here to help you be committed and strong, and together we will work towards having the relationships, experiences, and goals that you wish for in your life.
 
My Services. I look forward to helping you...
  • Manage behavior problems and establish effective discipline
  • Build stronger, healthier family relationships
  • Create communication, problem-solving, and assertiveness skills
  • Cope with anxiety, depression, and stress
  • Explore who you are and what you want from life

My Specialties. I love helping families work together to create the relationships they want. I really enjoy working with...
  • Teens and young adults
  • Children and families
  • Single parents
About Me. I have my Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy, and am an MFT Intern. I have worked in community and private settings with individuals and families providing therapy for more than two years. While not at work, I love to be with family and friends, or to be snowboarding, biking, hiking, camping, or on any other outdoor adventure.

You can contact me at 775.303.7363 or at carlyn.spencer@lifeworkpsychology.com