Geropsychology - Therapy for Older Adults
Aging often brings meaningful transitions—some expected, others more difficult to navigate. You may be adjusting to changes in health, relationships, identity, or daily structure. Challenges that once felt manageable can become more pressing, or new concerns may emerge.
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I’m Dr. Anna Yam, a licensed psychologist with certification in Gerontology. For over 17 years, I’ve worked closely with older adults and their families, providing evidence-based, practical, and compassionate care tailored to this stage of life.
Here are common areas of focus in psychotherapy with older adults:
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Building sustainable routines that support healthy aging
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Navigating cognitive changes and maintaining mental sharpness
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Coping with chronic health conditions, including movement disorders and dementia
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Strengthening romantic relationships or working through long-standing conflicts
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Improving relationships with adult children and family members
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Chronic pain management using evidence-based psychological approaches
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Sleep difficulties, including insomnia
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Adjusting to retirement and shifts in identity or purpose
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Supporting caregivers caring for a spouse or loved one
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If you’re an older adult dealing with changes in health, relationships, or daily life, therapy can help you better understand what’s happening and how to move forward. I provide evidence-based therapy for older adults focused on improving emotional well-being, strengthening relationships, and helping you adapt to life’s transitions with more ease.
Therapy for Caregivers
A caregiver is any person who helps another with a range of activities like paying bills, attending medical appointments, taking medications properly, buying groceries, preparing meals, getting dressed, and bathing, among others. It can be rewarding to provide care, but it can also be stressful, isolating, and overwhelming. If you are a caregiver, it is likely that your own needs have at times gone by the wayside. You deserve support, as well as a partner in navigating the challenges of caregiving.
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Topics in therapy for caregivers:
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Caregiver burnout
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Anxiety, depression, anger/frustration
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Isolation and loneliness
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Grief​
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Managing cognitive problems in the person you are caring for, including mild cognitive impairment and dementia
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Managing challenging behaviors in the person you are carding for
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Dynamics and relationships with family and other caregivers
Therapy for Grief and Bereavement
Losing a loved one or friend is one of the most stressful experiences of our lives. In addition to sadness, many survivors experience feelings of guilt, anger, loneliness and numbness. We are not meant to go through bereavement and grief on our own. Death and loss is a universal experience and you need and deserve support and community to help you go through it. Grief counseling can help you grieve and process your loss with guidance and support.
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In our sessions, we will tailor the journey of grieving to your unique story — your history, your resources, your culture, and the pace that feels right for you. Whether the loss was expected or sudden, whether you’re navigating complicated grief or simply seeking greater help than what friends and family can provide, my goal is to partner with you in reclaiming meaning, finding moments of peace, and building your resilience for the path ahead.
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As your therapist, I provide steady presence, empathic listening, and clinical guidance — but you remain the expert in your own life. Together, we’ll work on: acknowledging and normalizing your emotional experience (e.g., sorrow, anger, relief, guilt), managing the physical and relational impacts of loss, gradually exploring how your world is shifting, and helping you craft a way of living that honors your past while opening to your future. If you’re ready, I invite you to reach out and take the first step toward healing in a way that’s tailored to you.
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