Feeling Good Institute

After years of struggling with emotional difficulties and then recent serious health issues I was referred to Feeling Good Institute. I saw Ellen Sande for a few months and it was by far the best therapy I have ever had. Not only did I find CBT to be life-​changing for me, but the way in which Ellen worked with me with such openness and empathy was exactly what I needed. I have completely turned my life around and have found a calmness and joy I had only experienced occasionally before. I am grateful to the Institute and Ellen and would highly recommend CBT to anyone seeking therapy.

I spent six months working with Jill Levitt at the Feeling Good Institute on a weekly basis. I was suffering from frequent panic attacks, generalized anxiety, and depression when I first contacted Jill. I wanted to take action on these issues and live a less anxious life.
Early on Jill clearly explained to me what CBT was and what we were trying to accomplish with it. Our sessions were a great use of time, I always felt like we were moving forward. Jill gave me weekly assignments to help me continue to focus on getting better between sessions. The accumulation of the work really began to pay off about 3 or 4 months into treatment. I started to feel more aware and in control of my thoughts instead of being constantly victimized by them. I had developed a toolkit to deal with my feelings in a variety of ways. Before our last session Jill encouraged me to write a report about what I had learned. I found this invaluable because it ended up being a personalized manual to my anxiety going forward.
I highly recommend Jill if you are seeking to work on anxiety or depression.

My name is Chris and I am an MFT in Oakland, CA working with children and adolescents.
Dahlia Woods, MD, was my lead trainer while I was learning the TEAM –CBT model earlier this year. I couldn’t speak more highly about Dahlia’s expertise and skill in teaching this model. I have tons of gratitude for Dahlia because I learned so much from her and I was able to take everything I learned and apply it to my own practice. Dahlia is extremely bright, warm-​hearted with a lovely soul. I would highly recommend working with her without any hesitation.
I have also taken courses at FGI which I also rate 5 BIG stars. The material covered in these courses combined with practice time has been invaluable in my career as a therapist. I would highly recommend these courses to therapists: beginners and advanced who want to keep growing professionally.

I am a counseling student and have had my fair share of personal therapy. I have read, studied and been trained by a couple of the FGI founders. I absolutely love the TEAM — CBT approach and found it effective, empathic and kinda fun. I have used the approach on myself as well as my clients. And it takes work and motivation. It is very data based and solution focused which I really appreciate.
The trainers are amazing. Dahlia is very sweet, knowledgeable, and approachable. Jill gives very detailed and gentle feedback. If you’re a student looking to expand your knowledge and gain effective skills and experience, I highly recommend getting traine by any of the FGI trainers.

TEAM training has offered some of best clinical training I’ve received throughout my graduate education. As an early career psychologist, I place a very high value on continued professional growth. It’s equally as important for me to continue to grow professionally and interact with colleagues who are also committed to professional & personal development. «Therapy» can be provided in many shapes and forms, often leading to a variety of unpredictable outcome. The TEAM approach has not only helped me tremendously in providing framework to my sessions & easy to use assessments to monitor & track my clients progress, but is has also been highly instrumental in helping many clients become «unstuck.» The techniques work… with many to choose from. As David Burns says himself, «if one doesn’t work, you can keep trying others until you find one that sticks.»
Dahlia Woods, MD, one of the group leaders I’ve been trained by, has made a tremendous impact on how I conduct therapy. She is one of the brightest, most genuine clinicians I know. Dahla is patient and thoughtful in her approach. She is always willing to offer valuable, accurate feedback. Her willingness to model TEAM techniques «live-​time» has been instrumental with helping me to incorporate the model and tools when I conduct therapy. Dahlia is extremely thorough, following through on questions and assignments. Her active & compassionate approach for teaching TEAM is one I hope I can emulate. Currently, I’m in Angela Krumm’s group, who is also outstanding as a trainer. Angela attends to her group with care and with remarkable knowledge. She has cultivated a group environment where it’s «safe» to make mistakes. In fact, making mistakes is often the best way to learn. Angela uses her warmth & intellect, along with her gentle sense of humor, to create an intimate environment to learn. She’ll also challenge you to become more proficient with the techniques as you continue to develop & grow. TEAM therapy is not a «one size fits all approach.» Every individual is unique with their own needs. Angela encourages thought provoking discussions on how to conceptualize and choose appropriate methods, based on individual needs.
Without a doubt, I would send a friend or family member to the Feeling Good Institute. I have seen the therapeutic approach work with many types of individuals, adults, adolescents & children, with a span of problems ranging from eating disorders & addictions to depression, low self esteem & even OCD.

I am a psychologist in private practice in the East Bay. I have benefited tremendously from the training from the FGI, and now my clients benefit from my training.
If you are a therapist, I recommend that you consider training with the FGI. If you are someone looking for a therapist, I recommend that you look for a therapist who have had training in the TEAM approach.

I am a clinical psychologist and have participated in in-​person and online TEAM training groups and have attended workshops through FGI based on David Burns’ TEAM training model. I sought this training because this method and approach to both psychotherapy and psychotherapy training is rigorous, specific and feedback-​driven. I also find it respectful, empowering and transforming. Angela Krumm and Jill Levitt are master therapists and instructors– I would send any family member or patient to them (and have done so!) It is true that this is a specific form of therapy that asks both therapists and patients to be very active in the therapy and committed to treatment goals the patient identifies in each session; this may be quite different than other therapies one may have undertaken in the past and it may not be for everyone. The tagline for FGI is «Dedicated to better therapy» and I wholeheartedly agree that this is exactly what is on offer. I am grateful for how this training has enhanced my professional work and my personal life.

Note that the 5 star reviews are from colleagues rating the training, not clients rating the treatment. This is a client side review.
Dr Katz is extremely bright, self-​confident, ambitious, detailed, thoughtful, empathic and interested in connecting with his patients. He really is a very likeable earnest guy. For whatever it’s worth, by reputation more than one area networked mental health professional described him as ‘he’ll tell you how smart he is’ when asked for referral review.
Do some research before starting therapy here, which is why there is Unilocal.Know what you’re getting into. The Feeling Good Institute has a very specific approach — TEAM-​CBT — that has a bit of a cult vibe. The name of this practice is explicitly linked to this. Read this ironic piece by the FGI founder David Burns about avoiding Schools of Therapy… while promoting his own School of Therapy as superior.
There’s also overall good info about different therapy approaches in there for you to consider.
Expect some by the book (literally) approach: clients will be required to buy and do homework between sessions from the 762-​page Feeling Good Handbook.
If you’re depressed and unmotivated, having assignments you can’t make yourself do may just add to your depression. (Read those Amazon reviews!) Be prepared for «that makes me feel /​how do you feel about» discourse that borders on cliché or condescension. Addiction is strictly run through the 12 step methodology, itself rather cultlike, so if you’ve tried AA/​NA/​etc and that’s not your thing, look elsewhere.
If you’re over say, 35 and have been through the therapy industry merry go round already, this is probably going to feel absurd to you. Keep going, and good luck.

The feeling good institute offers the finest clinical psychotherapy and professional training in the Bay Area if not the entire country. The professional trainings completely transformed my career as a substance abuse counselor. People I’ve referred have made tremendous gains in both their professional as well as personal lives. 5 stars!

I’m a psychologist in New York City and I’ve been fortunate to get to know and work with most of the staff at FGI. Maor Katz, Jill Levitt and Angela Krumm are three of the most competent therapists and teachers that I have ever worked with. My own clinical skills have improved tremendously since I have begun studying with them. Also, even though I am working on the other side of the country, I have actually referred several people to FGI for intensive therapy experiences, where they have several hours of therapy daily for several consecutive days. Some were patients of mine who were not making progress in therapy and some were patients that I didn’t have the expertise to deal with. In all cases the patients came back satisfied with the outcome.

I have been attending a weekly training group for therapists at the FGI for the past 10 months and have found it to be tremendously helpful and have learned so much. Angela Krumm has been a great group leader and I really admire both her clinical skills and her ability to teach the more complicated concepts in a clear and precise manner. I have also attended some of the one day trainings that the FGI offers and found those also to be very educational. I would definitely recommend the FGI for therapists who want to improve their skills and for clients who are looking for competent and compassionate therapists.

I am a psychiatrist in private practice and sometimes I get referrals that I can’t see because my practice is full. In that situation, I have referred many clients to the Feeling Good Institute and have been very pleased with their work. The clinicians there are extremely competent, warm, and effective. I have felt better knowing that if I refer someone to FGI, they are in capable hands.