Willow Sanders, LMFT
“I believe healing happens when you are seen, heard, and met with genuine curiosity rather than judgment.”
Partnership Health Plan of California
Kaiser of Northern California
Session Fee: $145
Intake Number: 707-216-1758
Training and Experience
Professional Credentials & Memberships
License # is AMFT160516 Under supervision of Joy Kendall, LMFT48912
Member of CAMFT since May of 2024
CD- Certified Doula with DONA (Doulas of North America) in 2002
LCCE- Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator 2010
Education
Sonoma State University 2022 BA in psychology
MA in Counseling Psychology at William Jessup University 2025
I believe healing happens when you are seen, heard, and met with genuine curiosity rather than judgment. As an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT), working under the supervision of Joy Kendall, I come alongside you as a co-investigator—someone who is deeply interested in your story and committed to helping you understand what may be holding you back and how to move forward into the more meaningful and rewarding life God has for you.
I primarily work with adults ages 18 and over and with couples, and in special circumstances I also work with teens or children. I enjoy supporting women, men, and couples—especially those navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, addiction, life transitions, spiritual sorrow, existential angst, prenatal and postpartum mood disorders, and marriage concerns.
My therapy style is real, honest, open, and gently directive. I view our work as a collaborative exploration, where we work together to uncover the patterns, stories, and experiences that may be limiting your growth or keeping you stuck. I draw from a wide range of therapeutic approaches, including CBT, ACT, Narrative Therapy, Imago Couples Therapy, attachment-based work, somatic approaches, solution-focused therapy, parts work, Emotional Freedom Techniques, and timeline integration. Rather than relying on a single framework, I tailor therapy to fit you and your unique needs.
My motto is simple: “Shame dies when stories are told in safe places.” I strive to create that kind of space for you—a place where you can share the depths of your heart and soul without fear of judgment or the need to hide. Together, we will explore where pain lives, how to remain open enough to heal from it, or how to live with it in a more empowered and hopeful way.
I believe healing happens when you are able to tell the story of your heart to someone who is deeply committed to helping you understand yourself, integrate the many parts of who you are, and heal from both past and present pain.
If you desire, I am also open to integrating faith into our work together. We can explore how your experience of God and spirituality fits into your healing narrative, how faith has shaped your life, and how to experience God’s presence in ways that feel meaningful and restorative. You do not need to share my faith—or express it in the same way—for this to be included. I remain open, curious, and respectful of how your beliefs influence your life experience.
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I have been involved in ministry and church life for over 20 years in a variety of roles, including Sunday School teacher, youth ministry, church leadership, homeschool co-op teacher, drama teacher, and participation in stage production and special dramatic presentations.
Being actively present in church community has been a meaningful part of who I am and how I understand healing and wholeness. I believe that serving others with the gifts God has given us—whether in formal roles or everyday acts of faithfulness—helps keep us grounded and connected in a world that often pulls us toward isolation and self-focus.
My faith background deeply informs how I show up as a therapist. I see each person as having a meaningful purpose and calling in this world, for such a time as this. I was not raised a Christian and came to know the Lord in my early twenties, which gives me a unique understanding of both secular and spiritual worldviews. This allows me to meet people with openness, humility, and a non-judgmental posture, honoring many different ways of being and believing.
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Outside of the therapy room, I am a devoted wife and mother of 25 years to four very different kids. I am also a special-needs parent to my oldest son, who is 24, an experience that has deeply shaped my understanding of resilience, advocacy, and unconditional love.
Before becoming a therapist, I spent 25 years working as a Birth Doula and Childbirth Educator. Walking with individuals and families through pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum season profoundly shaped the way I sit with people today—calmly, attentively, and with deep respect for vulnerability, strength, and transformation during life’s most intense moments.
Like most humans, I’m not perfectly put together—and I don’t expect you to be either. I value authenticity over polish. In our sessions, you can expect my full attention, care, and presence. My hope is that when you read this, you sense that you would be met with warmth, steadiness, and compassion—that you would find a place where you can exhale, be known, and move toward healing alongside someone who truly cares.
My Appointment Portal
I invite you to schedule and manage your appointments with me through my client portal!