Wes Pederson, Ph.D.
Dr. Pederson (PSY 26040) is a licensed clinical psychologist, co-founder, and executive director of The Wise Mind Institute. He offers individual and group psychotherapy to adults and adolescents as well as training and supervision to post-doctoral interns. With advanced training and experience in existential-humanistic therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Radically Open DBT (RO-DBT), he specializes in the treatment of substance abuse, chronic depression or anxiety, disorders of over-control or under-control, and long standing life and relationship issues.
The primary focus of his work is the process of self-realization, or embodying one's authentic self in the deepest and most effective sense, which has been the focus of his research and personal practice for many years.
Alison Alderdice, Psy.D.
Dr. Alison Alderdice (PSY 28838) is a licensed clinical psychologist and clinical director of The Wise Mind Institute. She earned her doctorate from the PGSP-Stanford Psy.D. Consortium. She has provided therapy in diverse training settings including: Palo Alto VA, Stanford Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Notre Dame De Namur University Counseling Center, Community Health Awareness Council, and Egan Junior High School. Her pre-doctoral internship was at Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Center in Brooklyn, NY.
Alison’s therapy is guided by DBT, existential-humanistic therapy, and CBT. Her work is flexible and collaborative, based on her patient’s needs and preferences in concert with her knowledge and insights. The common theme throughout her work is an emphasis on mindfulness and compassion. Alison’s therapeutic style is client-centered, warm, sincere, and non-judgmental.
Alison specializes in helping women recognize their potential, find their voice, and develop their power at work and at home. She has particular experience with women suffering from society’s push to “have it all” and to be the best in personal and professional settings. Her passion is to help women identify their strengths and dreams, accept and work with stressors (particularly in high pressure fields), and to create lives of balance and fulfillment.
Benjamin Evare, Ph.D.
Dr. Benjamin Evare (PSY 29833) earned his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Palo Alto University. His clinical training has included a diversity of settings including community mental health clinics, government agencies, and schools. He completed his pre-doctoral internship at Community Health Awareness Council (CHAC) in Mountain View, CA where he worked with clients in a range of developmental stages, including children, adolescents, adults, and families.
Ben believes that therapy, at the core, must be grounded in fostering compassion for self and others. He believes that many of us have critical internal thoughts that prevent us from reaching for our deepest goals. Drawing from an attachment perspective, he believes that fostering self-compassion gives one the strength to take risks. He has found that mindfulness practice can be a powerful part of the change process and can allow us to observe and detach from unhelpful streams of thought. Layered on top of Ben’s orientation of compassion, he believes that DBT skills provide an avenue through which clients can effectively manage emotions, take steps towards reaching their goals, and live a life with the integrity of one’s values in alignment with daily living.
Ben’s research and clinical experience have been in the areas of compassion, mindfulness, empathy, emotional competence, attachment, caregiving, and parenting. Through this experience, he has come to value the nuances of tailoring therapy to the unique needs of each client. Ben believes that through practice we can foster new patterns that, when repeated, can lead to a more fulfilling life.
Michael Miyasato, Psy.D.
Dr. Michael Miyasato (PSY 29831) earned his M.A. and Psy.D. from John F Kennedy University in Pleasant Hill, CA. He has provided therapy services in a wide range of settings including community mental health clinics, schools, forensic day programs, probation, and several non-profit organizations. He completed his pre-doctoral internship at Girls Incorporated of Alameda County in Oakland, CA focusing on adolescents, young adults, and their families. His dissertation focused on how to improve mental health services for Asian Americans.
Michael’s approach to psychotherapy is based in authenticity and compassion. From this foundation, he provides his clients with the necessary skills and insight to improve their lives. He believes in being flexible and collaborative; focusing on his clients’ goals while integrating his own wisdom and insights. Michael sees his role in therapy to be like a co-pilot; sometimes teaching and offering direct guidance, other times simply accompanying his clients through difficult times so they aren’t making their journey alone.
Michael practices comprehensive Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Radically-Open DBT (RO-DBT). In addition, Michael provides family therapy and parent coaching for parents of young adults and teens. Michael also specializes in working with Asian Americans and their families; addressing issues that are unique to them. Through a combination of pragmatic skills drawn from DBT and other disciplines, and compassionate acceptance, he is committed to helping his clients develop the strength and inspiration to thrive.
Rachel Costella, LMFT
Rachel Costella (She/Her) is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT #132716) who has earned her Masters degree in Counseling Psychology at Santa Clara University. Rachel’s clinical experience has focused on providing community mental health services to youth and families in a variety of settings including intensive outpatient, school outreach, and adolescent residential treatment.
Fostering a reflective and collaborative space, Rachel walks alongside her clients as they journey through the therapeutic process. She utilizes a systems lens to bring awareness to how an individual’s familial and societal culture, values, and expectations impact views of themselves and their relationships. Rachel believes that greater understanding of these components can bring insight to patterns of behavior and interaction, strengthen tools that build resilience, and promote change for a more fulfilling life experience.
Rachel enjoys working with teens, adults, and families. She welcomes diversity in her work, and addresses a variety of challenges that can impact individual and family wellness including interpersonal effectiveness, academic motivation + achievement, depression, anxiety, trauma, high risk behaviors, and LGBTQIA+ experiences. When available, she values a team-based approach by collaborating with parents, schools, psychiatrists, and/or medical doctors. Rachel will be strengthening her proficiency in Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT) as a member of The Wise Mind Institute and is certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) for adolescents.
Molika Loshi, Ph.D.
Dr. Molika Loshi (PSY 29588) is a licensed clinical psychologist and earned her doctorate from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology. She has provided therapy in a variety of settings including California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) in San Francisco, University of Washington, Tacoma Student Counseling Center, Bastyr University Student Counseling Center, Goodwill Counseling Center in San Jose, as well as in private practice.
Intensively trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Radically Open DBT (RO-DBT), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), and Existential-Humanism, Molika offers behavioral as well as client-centered and integrative approaches grounded in mindfulness and compassion. She strives to foster an open and safe therapeutic environment that is based on mutual trust.
Molika tailors treatment to the specific needs of her clients, with her overall approach aimed at helping people lead full and meaningful lives. She has expertise in working with individuals struggling with stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as life transitions, relationship dissatisfaction, chronic pain, and the impact of trauma, and loss.
Pembe Ethem, PsyD
Dr. Pembe Ethem (she/her) is a licensed clinical psychologist (PSY 33995) who earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from John F. Kennedy University and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from San Jose State University. Prior to joining WMI, Pembe has provided individual and group therapy to incarcerated individuals suffering from psychiatric disorders including substance use disorders, personality disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, and mood disorders through a Psychiatric Inpatient Program (PIP) within the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Pembe completed her pre-doctoral internship at California State Prison – Sacramento, treating incarcerated individuals at the Enhanced Outpatient (EOP) level of care, both in the Psychiatric Service Unit (PSU) and in the mainline.
Having grown up in the Bay Area, Pembe prioritizes culture and inclusivity through a strength-based and attachment theoretical lens. She approaches all of her clients with authenticity, compassion, and warmth. Pembe’s dissertation studied the role of humor for clients and therapists with different cultural backgrounds. Pembe has had extensive experience utilizing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Seeking Safety, Humor Therapy, and Schema Therapy. Pembe also teaches part-time at her alma-mater and enjoys mentoring growing students.
Pembe also enjoys working with individuals (ages 15 and up) who are looking to improve their lives and be their most authentic selves. She has particular experience supporting individuals through difficult life transitions, trauma, loss, and embracing vulnerabilities through a treatment plan specific to each individual’s needs.
Kerrie Pieloch, PhD
Dr. Kerrie Pieloch (PSY 33829) is a licensed clinical psychologist who earned her doctorate from Suffolk University in Boston, MA. She has trained in a variety of settings with children and teens including inpatient and residential hospitalization programs, outpatient clinics, a community mental health center, and an elementary school. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at the Franciscan Children’s Hospital and her post-doctoral fellowship at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School.
Originally from New York, Dr. Pieloch spent most of her life in the Northeast (New York and Massachusetts) before relocating to the Bay Area in 2022. She is passionate about her work with youth and families and has extensive experience working with children, teens, and parents. Dr. Pieloch’s therapeutic approach is collaborative and warm, with an emphasis on advocacy for her clients.
Dr. Pieloch specializes in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for children and adolescents with anxiety, mood disorders, and trauma-related disorders. She also provides guidance and support for parents of children and adolescents who are struggling with mental health difficulties. Dr. Pieloch is foundationally trained in DBT and DBT for pre-adolescent children (DBT-C). She has also been trained in a variety of evidence-based treatment protocols including Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and the MATCH protocol for anxiety, depression, trauma, and conduct disorders.
Amy Banas, Ph.D.
Dr. Amy Banas (PSB 94027758) is a Psychological Associate who earned her PhD in Human Development from the University of California, Berkeley, where she researched human decision-making related to violence and aggression. Amy completed her traineeship in the Piedmont Unified School District, focusing predominantly on adolescent mental health and school-based therapy. She has also served as a lay counselor for many years through the Stephen’s Ministry program, which provides mental health support to community members who otherwise could not afford care. Amy is currently supervised by Dr. Benjamin Evare (PSY 29833).
Amy’s approach to therapy is warm, holistic, and client-centered, often peppered with some humor. In addition to DBT-informed practices, she uses CBT, existential-humanistic, and solution focused methods to form hypotheses about what is going on and then works collaboratively with the client to - as a team - build, test, evaluate and revise strategies for the best path toward client goals.
Teamwork has long been a part of Amy’s life. Prior to her PhD, she competed as an NCAA Division I student-athlete, was a USA Track and Field Level II certified youth coach and has worked with novice and elite athletes in numerous capacities. This expertise lends itself to a passion for working with athletes or anyone struggling with high-stress and high-performance contexts, as well as those recovering from injury. Due to her own life experience, Amy also has expertise helping people navigate life after concussion and brain injury.
Amy has experience working with eating disorders, NSSI, anxiety, depression, identity/purpose, bullying, academic stress, ADHD, spiritual/existential exploration, violence exposure, and sexual assault and feels kindred to “highly sensitive” folks whose emotions feel SO BIG sometimes. She believes everyone deserves the opportunity to redeem the hard parts of life and find beauty in the messy and broken places.
Sarah Easton, LCSW
Sarah Easton is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW 94875) who earned her masters from the University of Chicago. Prior to joining the WMI team Sarah worked in community mental health with severe mental illness, as well as for many years as a clinician at the Palo Alto VA Medical Center. Within the VA, she helped manage an intensive outpatient program and provided individual and group psychotherapy for veterans dealing with addiction and trauma.
Sarah specializes in working with addiction, grief and loss, spiritual development, and relationship issues. Her approach to therapy is informed by the integration of psychodynamic (Jungian), behavioral (DBT), and body-centered modalities (Hakomi and MBSR). She believes that traditional talk therapy can be powerful alone, but integrating mindfulness of the body can more adequately address experiences in the present moment and help transform deeply ingrained beliefs or patterns. Moving beneath words and life stories, experiences can be felt and understood, allowing innate wisdom to support transformation. Additionally, Sarah has witnessed how behavioral therapies can offer much needed structure and skills to help cultivate a sense of emotional resilience and the development of healthy relationships.
Sarah views therapy as a courageous act, a gesture of willingness to turn towards inner life. Her therapeutic approach is warm, relational, and accepting. Sarah’s curiosity, care and attentive presence will create a safe and supportive space for reflection and change on each client’s journey towards healing and growth.
Amber Masselot AMFT
Amber Masselot (AMFT133991) is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist who earned her MS in Counseling from California State University East Bay. Her graduate program was geared toward a relational approach to counseling that focuses on multicultural diversity, collaborative treatment, wellness, resiliency, recovery, and strength-based interventions. Amber also holds her BA in American Studies from UC Santa Cruz. Prior to joining the WMI team, Amber worked at Rogers Behavioral Health, gaining extensive experience working with people who suffer from OCD and anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders. Her practicum experience was based at Piedmont Wellness Center working with adolescent mental health in a school based setting. Amber is currently supervised by Dr. Emily Schiller (PSY 19529).
Amber is an integrative trauma-wise therapist, utilizing strengths based, humanistic, IFS (Internal Family Systems), CBT, DBT, ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention), solutions focused, neurodiverse affirming, and BA (behavioral activation). Her calming therapeutic style is present, client-centered, non-judgemental, curious, and spontaneous.
Amber believes in a relational approach with her clients, passionate about the idea that once one feels safe and integrated with the therapist, it gives room for the person to develop and maintain that similar feeling within themselves. Amber is open to work with people of all ages and backgrounds, aiming to encourage growth and self-discovery, identify values, look at intergenerational trauma that impacts one today, while creating an environment for practicing coping skills and calming the nervous system. She invites you to explore all parts of yourself with curiosity and compassion. She is a hope bearer who will accept you as you are and work with you to discover where you are going and what you long for.
Rhonda Len Wai
As The Wise Mind Institute’s Office Manager, Rhonda brings professionalism, efficiency, kindness, and humanity to every aspect of her work. She is an experienced and skillful office administrator with a keen interest in psychology and an appreciation for the journey of healing and enrichment. Managing the vast majority of non-clinical daily operations, she is committed to relieving our clinicians of the behind the scenes (administrative) tasks so they can continue to stay focused on providing exceptional care.