Oakland · East Bay · California telehealth
Therapy that moves at your pace. Literally.
Walk-and-talk psychotherapy on the trails above Oakland and Berkeley, with Daniel Sapoznick, LCSW. No couch, no clock on the wall, no therapist voice, just an honest hour outdoors with someone who takes you seriously.
- Walking sessions on public East Bay trails
- Secure video anywhere in California
- Free initial phone consultation
Who I help
Mostly people who are hesitant about therapy, often for good reasons.
“You bring that ungh I don't want to do ‘X' thing. Together, we find the roots of those feelings, separate the good roots from the weeds, and replant parts of your inner garden.”
Daniel Sapoznick, LCSW
What I work with
Six things that bring people here
None of these are boxes you have to fit into, they're just the language people arrive with.
How walking sessions actually work
Nothing mystical about it
It's the same fifty-three minutes of real therapy. It just happens outdoors, side by side, which for a lot of people removes exactly the parts that were putting them off.
The call
A free initial phone consultation. You ask whatever you need to; I'll be straight about whether I'm the right fit and say so if I'm not.
The meeting point
We agree a public trailhead or park entrance that's easy for you to get to. No office, no waiting room, no reception desk.
The hour
Fifty-three minutes walking side by side at a pace you set. Stop at a bench when something needs proper attention. Silence is allowed.
The weather clause
Rain, illness or a week with no margin, we move that session to secure video rather than losing the rhythm.
Outdoor sessions take place in public space. I choose quiet routes, and we talk about that trade-off honestly before we start, telehealth is always available for the more sensitive stretches of work.
Full details on services
About Daniel
A licensed clinical social worker who'd rather be outside
I'm Daniel Sapoznick, LCSW, a licensed clinical social worker practicing in the East Bay (California license 27930). I work with young adults, teenagers and new parents, mostly people at a junction where the obvious answers have run out.
I'm trained in Motivational Interviewing, Mentalization, Narrative Therapy and Harm Reduction. In practice that means I'm interested in what you actually want rather than what you should want, in helping you think about your own mind, and in meeting you where you are rather than where a treatment plan says you should be.
I'm not going to speak in therapist voice, and I'm not going to pretend a hard thing is fine. There'll be some laughing. That's not a lapse in professionalism , it's usually a sign the room is real.
Fees
Clear numbers, and the objections people rarely say out loud
- $200 walking
- Walking sessions, 53 minutes
- $185 online
- Telehealth sessions, 53 minutes
- Free
- Initial phone consultation before you commit to anything
- 48 hours
- I'll get back to you within 48 hours
“That's a lot of money.”
It is. There are a limited number of sliding-scale spots, subject to availability and financial need, ask directly and I'll tell you honestly what's open. I also provide superbills and invoices for HSA and FSA use.
“Therapy didn't work last time.”
Often that's information about the fit or the format rather than about you. Bring the bad experience to the consultation, it's genuinely useful material, not an awkward thing to skip past.
Common questions
The things people ask first
What actually happens in a walking session?
We meet at an agreed public trailhead or park entrance and walk side by side for fifty-three minutes at a pace you set. It's the same therapy that would happen in a room, minus the room. If a day calls for stillness, we sit on a bench or meet by video instead.
Do I have to be fit or outdoorsy?
No. Routes are chosen around what you can comfortably do, including flat, shaded and short options. The walking is a format, not a fitness requirement.
Is an outdoor session private?
It happens in public space, so it can't offer what a closed office offers. I choose quieter routes and times, we talk about the trade-off before starting, and telehealth is always available for more sensitive work.
Where do you work, and who can you see?
Walking sessions in Oakland and Berkeley, and telehealth for anyone located anywhere in California. I'm licensed in California only, so you need to be physically in the state at the time of a session.
What does it cost?
$200 for a 53-minute walking session and $185 for a 53-minute online session, with a limited number of sliding-scale spots subject to availability and financial need. The initial phone consultation is free, and I provide superbills and invoices for HSA and FSA use.
What if I'm in crisis right now?
This practice doesn't provide acute crisis or emergency psychiatric services. In a crisis or emergency, call or text 988 or dial 911.
Next step
One free phone call. No pressure attached to it.
Tell me a little about what's going on, ask whatever you want about how this works, and we'll figure out together whether I'm the right person. If I'm not, I'll say so.