About Dr. Ly Franshaua Pipkins— Psychologist for Black Women in California
I’m Ly Franshaua Pipkins, Psy.D., a licensed clinical psychologist supporting Black women navigating anxiety, burnout, identity stress, and major life transitions. My practice is queer-affirming and culturally rooted, grounded in care that honors your lived experience and your nervous system. I blend mind–body therapy, grounding practices, nervous-system awareness, and culturally attuned care to help high-achieving Black women create internal rest, emotional clarity, and a steadier way of moving through their lives.
I intentionally work with a small number of clients at a time so our sessions have room for depth, presence, and connection. When you come to therapy with me, you get a grounded space that honors your nervous system, your lived experience, and the full complexity of who you are—relationally, culturally, and individually.
If you’re longing for therapy that feels steady, warm, attuned, and truly supportive of Black women’s emotional realities, you’re in the right place.
This free 15-minute phone call is a gentle way to explore fit — no commitment, just space to ask questions and see what support feels right.
Who I Work With
I work with Black women across the East Bay and throughout California who are navigating anxiety, identity stress, and the quiet pressure of being “the first,” “the only,” or “the one everyone turns to.” You’ve carried expectations with grace, humor, and skill—but you’re ready for a space where you don’t have to hold it all together.
If any of these resonate, you may feel at home here:
You’re the first in your family to do many things, and the weight of that role lives in your body.
You’ve been told you’re not Black “enough,” or you’ve learned to shape-shift across different environments.
You’re tired of being the only one in the room—or the one asked to translate everyone else’s emotions.
You feel pressure to be composed and steady, even when you’re exhausted.
You bring a lot to the table, but your contributions often go unseen or unspoken.
You feel on the margins, even within communities you love.
Belonging has felt elusive, like there’s no true center where you fully fit.
You’re ready to be seen on your own terms—without performing, shrinking, or explaining.
In therapy, you don’t need to justify your feelings or educate anyone about your lived experience.
You get to show up as yourself—in all your layers—and be met with grounded, culturally informed care.
Who I Am
My Professional Lens
I hold a doctorate in clinical psychology and have worked in medical, community, and mind-body-centered settings, including a major HMO medical center. My integrative approach is informed by:
mindfulness and awareness-based practices
grounding and nervous-system stabilization
acceptance- and compassion-based therapies
liberatory and culturally rooted frameworks
somatic and mind-body perspectives
Across all settings, my work has focused on helping clients feel safer and more at home within themselves—especially Black women navigating systems that demand excellence without offering ease.
Why I Practice This Way
For many Black women, emotional overwhelm doesn’t arrive loudly; it arrives quietly—through racing thoughts, sleeplessness, burnout, people-pleasing, and the internal pressure to stay strong. Over time, the mind and body move out of sync.
My work centers on repairing that disconnection.
I help clients build an internal pace that feels steadier, calmer, and more sustainable. We slow things down, we listen to the body’s signals, and we create practices that support rest—not just performance or productivity.
My Clinical Path
Before private practice, I trained in:
Behavioral medicine, supporting clients in acute emotional and medical crises
Integrative care, working alongside physicians in fast-paced medical environments
Gender-affirming care, providing psychological support in a medical transitions clinic
University and college counseling centers, supporting students facing complex emotional and academic pressures
A large HMO medical center, strengthening assessment, grounding, and crisis-stabilization skills
These experiences allow me to work with both depth and precision. I understand the toll of caregiving roles, high-pressure jobs, community expectations, and the unspoken labor of being “the strong one.”
My Approach
My style is relational, steady, and intentional. I bring clinical rigor and deep presence to every session. In our work together, you won’t be rushed. You won’t be pushed to revisit painful memories before you’re ready. You won’t be asked to perform strength.
Instead, we build capacity slowly—through grounding, clarity, nervous-system awareness, and a therapeutic relationship that honors the fullness of your lived experience.
Healing isn’t about perfection or productivity.
It’s about creating internal conditions for rest, ease, connection, and possibility.
What It’s Like to Work With Me
Clients often describe my approach as:
grounding
warm
direct in a gentle way
spacious
culturally attuned
steady and nonjudgmental
Our work might include:
slowing down your internal pace
understanding early patterns and internal narratives
grounding techniques to regulate anxiety
reconnecting with the body after years of living mostly in the mind
exploring identity, belonging, and cultural expectations
building emotional permission, intuition, and self-trust
Therapy becomes a place to exhale and reclaim parts of yourself that have been quiet, overworked, or overshadowed by responsibility.
And we don’t only process the hard things.
Black women deserve spaces that honor joy, not just survival. In our sessions, it’s common for us to laugh, celebrate your wins, and acknowledge the moments where things feel lighter or more possible. Humor can be a release valve for the nervous system—an exhale after carrying so much for so long. Joy, ease, curiosity, creativity, and even quiet delight are part of the therapeutic work, too.
We honor the full emotional spectrum. Yes, there may be tears and meaningful processing, but there will also be space for flow states, small victories, grounded rest, and the parts of you that feel most alive. Strengthening your nervous system isn’t only about calming overwhelm; it’s also about making more room for pleasure, connection, and peace.
Therapy with me is not about perfection or performance.
It’s about creating internal conditions that support rest, ease, joy, and possibility.
Credentials
Psy.D., The Wright Institute
Licensed Clinical Psychologist, California
Specializations in anxiety, burnout, and mind-body therapy
Former clinician within a large HMO system
Background in mindfulness, grounding, and somatic practices
Ready to Begin?
If you’re ready to feel more grounded, supported, and steady in your life, I’d love to meet you. We’ll begin with a brief consultation to make sure we’re a good fit.