Dr. Bilka tailors her therapeutic approach to fit each client’s unique needs. She integrates several therapeutic approaches including cognitive behavioral, interpersonal, EMDR and relational techniques to provide comprehensive and dynamic treatment. Dr. Bilka’s clinical interests include gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender/questioning issues, adolescent and adult life transitions, relationship concerns, trauma and abuse. She specializes in treating teenagers and young adults dealing with mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and trauma. Dr. Bilka is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, which has been proven highly effective for the treatment of trauma as well as with many other issues. She incorporates warmth, empathy, humor and insight-oriented methods into her practice. Dr. Bilka views the therapeutic process as a collaborative one in which the therapist offers understanding and support, providing the client with the space to develop a deeper understanding of his or her self and the courage to work toward change.

Hi! I believe that a fulfilling life is one built through connection with others as well as ourselves. I am excited about walking alongside you as we explore your relationship to yourself and the world around you. Together, we can work towards helping you create an authentic life!

My passion is working with the LGBTQ community and with couples. I have worked in many settings and in my own LCSW counseling and consulting practice since 1987. I am originally from the East Coast and came to California, originally the Bay Area for 30 years and San Diego for the past 9, and have worked in medical, acute rehabilitation and outpatient psychiatry for the majority of my career.
I am trained in the Gottman model of couple's therapy, in DBT, CBT, ACT, Trauma resiliency, Prolonged Exposure therapy and CPT.
My most extensive training in the last 7 years has been with gender affirming care.

If you’re still struggling to find that inner peace and don’t know what else to do, that’s when I come in. I’m a licensed marriage and family therapist who is passionate about working with those who want to find themselves again – or maybe find themselves for the first time.

If you have one speed and that speed is go-go-go, let me help you slow down and be more present. We can work on turning off that autopilot and take control of your life again.

Together, we will work on all those experiences that were pushed aside, those accomplishments you felt you didn’t deserve, that feeling that life is just passing you by, all the times you powered through because you had no option, yeah, we’ll get into those!

Let’s figure out how to get you where you want to be. Let’s find that inner peace you’ve been searching for.

Together we’ll laugh, talk about the good and the bad, but most of all we will get you to a place where you can feel just a bit lighter than you did before.

It’s important work to step into counseling as an individual or with your loved ones. I admire those who make this commitment to growth and well-being. I’m honored to come alongside clients, providing therapeutic space to be honest without judgment. I’m passionate about giving clients autonomy, providing clarity, and being open to their feedback. I believe therapy is a collaborative process where both client and therapist play important roles: the client bringing their holistic self, and the therapist empathizing, tracing patterns, providing curiosity and insight, and working together toward meeting goals and living out personal values.

I enjoy working with couples, families, individual men, women, and teens! I have experience working in non-profit outpatient counseling centers and addiction treatment centers in addition to private practice. I especially enjoy helping families affected by addiction, working with couples longing to get unstuck and to experience lasting connection, and empowering teens with space to process and skills to manage stressors. I’m also passionate about supporting individuals through transitions across the lifespan, and through personal and spiritual identity work.

I am a compassionate therapist committed to guiding AAPI and BIPOC women through the challenges rooted in cultural values, family conflicts, anxiety, depression, exploring intersectionality, and intergenerational trauma. As a South Asian American, I bring a culturally sensitive approach that fosters a connection with my clients. As a therapist, I utilize Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy to support individuals in processing and overcoming the impact of traumatic experiences. Trauma is not always the byproduct of significant life altering events but can occur from small events like chronic stress, bullying, discrimination, dysfunctional family dynamics, microaggression, and constant exposure to challenging situations. EMDR involves a structured approach, helping clients identify and reframe/reprocess negative beliefs and emotions associated with past traumas. I also utilize therapeutic frameworks as Humanistic Person-Centered approach, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Strengths Based approach.

I am an experienced Associate Marriage Family Therapy who is dedicated to helping children, teenagers, and adults cope with mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, trauma, and adjustment issues.

As a mental health professional with over 15 years of experience, I am honored to collaborate with others as a fellow traveler on their journey to their ideal lifestyle. We achieve this together by using evidence-based practices (e.g., CBT, ACT) to identify and deconstruct unhelpful thought patterns that keep you stuck in behaviors that may have been adaptive in the past but no longer serve your present. This might include seeking validation from people whose opinion you no longer care for, working towards goals you no longer desire, or striving for hyper-independence when you really want to try on vulnerability.

My formal education focused on psychology and clinical social work. My professional experiences have been in public schools, hospitals and outpatient clinics, the Military, international nonprofits, universities and various community settings. I currently have a private practice with offices in Napa, in addition to my virtual office, where I provide "teletherapy" to clients in both California and Texas.
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My therapy training began in public schools with special education, K-12. I counseled children with mental health concerns and led life skills groups. I worked intensively with adolescents (and their caregivers) in alternative school programs burdened by emotional concerns.
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I spent most of the next decade working in hospitals, both pediatric and adult, assessing and responding to a variety of issues including devastating diagnoses, chronic health conditions, end of life issues, infertility and pregnancy loss, postpartum depression, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault and mental health crises. During this time, I taught and supervised students for the University of Texas at Austin Graduate School of Social Work. After ten years, I shifted out of the hospital setting to therapist lead of an integrated behavioral healthcare network where I helped build a program for providing mental health and case management to a pediatric and family medical practice serving 30,000 low income families.
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An opportunity led me to England for two years, where I managed a prevention and education campaign related to new parent support and family violence prevention. I educated US Air Force members and families on topics such as stress and anger management, PTSD, resilience, healthy dating, couple's communication and parenting, while co-facilitating support groups on chronic medical conditions. During this time, I also worked with Airmen and families on managing stress before and after deployments and transitioning to civilian life after a military career.
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After a brief return to the U.S. to study Spanish at the Defense Language Institute of Monterey, I moved to South America and worked for the U.S. Embassy while volunteering with a Chilean nonprofit. During this time, I researched advances in counseling and coaching methodology. Although I have a working knowledge of Spanish, I do not provide services in Spanish at this time.
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In 2014, I relocated to Napa, pregnant again after experiencing pregnancy loss. After treating parents for postpartum depression and anxiety, I experienced it first-hand and became aware of a need for expanded maternal mental health support in my community. So I added services to my private practice that would address infertility, pregnancy and postpartum mental health support, Moxie Motherhood, and co-founded a pregnant and postpartum peer support program.
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For almost two decades, I have honed my clinical expertise from problem-focused to possibility-focused. I remain current on research and active in the professional dialogue of wellness, balancing my time between counseling, coaching, teaching, volunteering and parenting. Read more here.
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I welcome the opportunity to support you.