Be Well and Stay Safe

Mental Health Providers List

The following is a list of mental health providers who have identified themselves as available to provide services. Some providers may offer services without charge or at a discount. The City has not screened and is not endorsing any particular provider. We encourage residents to ask providers about their services, qualifications and fees, and to ask for references if desired. Providers who wish to be added to this list can email the City at CV19CallCenter@cityofpaloalto.org

A new updated web portal from Palo Alto University, offers webinars and other online resources available.

Dr. Paul J. Marcille
Licensed Psychologist
14639 Big Basin Way, Suite C, Saratoga, CA 95070
(408) 438-8300
html dr.paulmarcille@gmail.com
www.drmarcille.com

Mary M Rodocker, PhD
Palo Alto, CA
(650) 321-9881
mary.m.rodocker.phd@gmail.com

Beth Rosenthal, PhD
Palo Alto, CA
(650) 321-7405
bbr550@gmail.com

Julie Kriegler, Ph.D.
(650) 566-9920
www.Drjuliekriegler.com
info@drjuliekriegler.com

Mary Brayton, M.A.
260 Sheridan Ave. #214, Palo Alto, CA.
(650) 863-7353

Jomary Hilliard, Ph.D.
CA Lic.# PSY14293
1000 Fremont Ave. #110, Los Altos 94024
(650) 254-0678
jomary.hilliard@gmail.com

Robert Badame, PhD
Palo Alto, CA.
(650) 261-6460

Aarti Gupta, PsyD
781-763-7898
Dr.gupta@therapynest.center

Ziba Taghipour, MFT
919 Fremont Ave Suite 202, Los Altos, CA 94024
www.effective-therapy.com
408-827-3056

Joan Berman, LCSW
650-322-5102 
joanbermanlcsw.com 
berman.joan@gmail.com

Music

• Stay Home Sessions from CaffeLena - If folk music is your taste you will enjoy a virtual visit to America’s longest continuously operating folk music venue in the United States.  
• Worldwide, musicians are sharing hoursof peaceful music for free. 
• Learn popular dance moves on the Learn How to Dance YouTube channel
• Looking for some new music? Soundcloud has channels specifically focused on tunes for isolation, self-care, and working from home.
• Enjoy some mood-lifting music from Playing for Change.
• To help transform your home into an oasis of relaxation, check out the relaxdaily channel on YouTube for ambient and piano music!

Wellness and Fitness

• Some may find that meditation is helpful to reduce stress. Here are some free online beginner’s guides, guided meditations, and a 15-minute video focused on meditation for anxiety.
• Check out recommended strategies from Dr. John Sharp, a faculty member at Harvard Medical School. 
• Palo Alto-based YourHealth and Joy has a page dedicated to various Yoga exercises for specific needs, including for sleep and stress relief. 
• If you’re ready to introduce mindfulness to the kids, Cosmic Kids has a wonderful set of videos for yoga and mindfulness delivered through familiar story settings.
• Active for Life has tools and activities that you and your family can engage in to maintain your family’s physical literacy.
• If you are new to or haven't yet tried mindfulness practices, UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center can introduce you to the basic concepts and science behind the practice of mindfulness. For an introduction to mindfulness meditation, download the UCLA Mindful app or stream these health and wellness meditations.
• The YMCA has a collection of exercise videos. The YMCA of Silicon Valley now has a Virtual Resource Center with a variety of online health and fitness programs, ranging from virtual workouts to childhood development
• Beachbody Kids has posted free workouts to make family fitness fun.
• The Heart and Soul Fitness channel on YouTube has a huge collection of exercise videos.
• The Walk At Home with Leslie Sansoneprogram has a compilation of free workouts that will help you get your steps.  
• 12 activities to keep your kids’ minds and bodies moving
• Short videos to practice mindfulness with kids
• Curious about Pilates? Try this playlist from the Well Good channel
• Don’t forget to stretch! Here’s an upper-body stretching program from Fitness Blender
• Try out Tai Chi with the Taiflow channel.
• If you are going for a run or hitting the treadmill remember to stretch first.
• Try out this breathing practice if you have trouble falling asleep.  
• Need a short break? Try one of these 10-minute meditations on the Daily Calm channel.
• CorePower Yoga has a free selection of on-demand yoga videos that you can do from your living room.
• These guided meditations from the Inward Bound Meditation Education program are specifically designed for teens and young adults.
• Watch a 20-minute video demonstration of yoga techniques that can help provide neck and shoulder relief, releasing stress.
• Free from the Palo Alto Library! Enjoy this list of e-books and audiobooks on mindfulness.  
• Explore the Entire World–from the Comfort of Quarantine–with 4K Walking Tours
• The Chopra Center shares guided meditations and ways to reduce panic.
• Enjoy an introduction to meditation from Yoga Journal. 
• Advice from the Sleep Foundation on healthy sleep habits.
• Fitness guru Denise Austin has a range of exercise videos to get you stretching, walking, and building strength.
• Pilates can be done right from home! Now is a great time to add this online program from Chloe Gregor to your overall wellness routine.
• Keep the whole family moving, playing, and creating with these ideas from Red Tricycle.
• For a reminder and guidance on how to use cloth face masks to protect yourself and others (plus how to make your own face coverings) please go here.
• Yes, you can stay fit within your own home! Outside Magazine has excellent advice on developing and maintaining an at-home exercise regimen.
• It’s a perfect time to dig out that old hula hoop and get fit right at home! Here are some reasons to get fit with this timeless classic.
• Missing the gym? Here are 12 workouts that can be done without equipment.
• If you would like to learn more about concepts of Wellness, see the Wellness Evidence portal from the Global Wellness Institute. You can learn about various wellness practices and medical and scientific research that support its use.
• GoNoodle has a channel with themed mindfulness exercises for kids!
• Runner’s World has advice on how to maintain a running regimen that is safe for you and others.
• The COVID Compassion Project is supporting healthcare providers, relief workers, first responders, and their families with free 30-minute virtual coaching sessions. Please share this resource with those who may need it.
• The American Heart Association wants us to move more and offers daily live workouts sessions or catch up with recorded workouts any time you want.
• Please help maintain a safe social distancing environment in your neighborhood and our streets. See how to park your car to help allow social distancing and reduce other hazards. More safety tips for pedestrians and bicyclists can be found here and

Coping with Stress and Emotion

• For seniors and those that care for them, the AARP, California Department of Aging, and the Governor’s Office have released the California for All resource card, featuring information on getting caregiving support, how to stay safe at home, how to report fraud, abuse, and neglect, and more.
• S. Department of Health and Human Services has a national Disaster Distress Helpline for crisis counseling. Call 1-800-985-5990, 24/7 for toll-free, multilingual crisis support services.
• The Red Cross has set up advice on how to cope with the emotional aspects of the evolving Coronavirus situation.
• This is a stressful time. Are you a teen who needs help? Do you just need someone to talk to? Here is a list of free helplines for teens. Hotlines, helplines, and safelines for Teens.
• Library staff recommendations for adults struggling to adjust to the changes made to our lives during this time.
• Stressed or having feelings of isolation? This article shares how building and practicing empathy is important for the wellbeing of both ourselves and others.
• The State of California has updated hotline resources for emotional support and well-being available. Many are 24/7 and available in multiple languages. Please share this with someone in need.
• The California Surgeon General’s COVID-19 Response Toolkit now has Stress Release Playbooks for adults and children and their caregivers. These Playbooks provide detailed stress-busting plans, self-care templates to follow, and overall strategies and resources to combat negative influences during this difficult time.
• Palo Alto’s Avenidas offers its Friendship Line to our community’s senior citizens. Seniors can call 650-289-5400 to get assistance or simply request a call from a friendly and supportive Avenidas agent or volunteer.
• The Mental Health Association of San Francisco serves all of California with its 24/7 Warm Line, where volunteers provide conversational support to anyone suffering for emotional issues not needing emergency support. The Warm Line and its volunteers are available at 855-845-7415.
• Working from home is the new normal for many of us. And it has its own challenges and stresses. This article from Bisnow has a series of tips to help ease the transition and thrive.
• Palo Alto’s Project Safety New continues to be a crucial mental health resource for youth.
• The non-profit On Being Project has developed A Care Package for Uncertain Times, featuring podcasts, poetry, and meditations.
• If you or someone you know is seeking out a local mental health provider, this new listing on our Be Well website is a helpful starting point.
• The Santa Clara County Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous has a useful resource to help protect its participants from disruptions to Zoom meetings (“Zoombombing”) here and here. If you or someone you know wants to join meetings of AA Santa Clara County, their online meetings can be accessed here.
• Mental Health America has an excellent round-up of resources for those in need of guidance and support with managing mental health.
• If you are struggling with the new video meeting and calling environment, this article is full of useful practices to make the transition more comfortable and rewarding for you.
• The non-profit Prevent Child Abuse America has an outstanding toolkit of resources for parents during the pandemic. Please share with someone who could benefit from these resources.
• The Child Mind Institute has shared effective ways to speak to your children about COVID-19. If you seek tips and guidance on discussing this difficult information with your children, please go here.
• Foundation for a Mindful Society has a great set of COVID-19 resources, ranging from ways to cope with new virtual work demands to how to integrate new methods for self-care in your life. Check out their live mindfulness sessions held three times each week.

Nutrition

• The City of San Jose has created a countywide interactive map of food distribution resources. There are also lists for youth under age 18 at and for seniors age 60 and over.
• For expectant mothers, new mothers, and their children, local non-profit Blossom Birth & Family has moved its free Breastfeeding Connections program online via zoom. Connect here.
• Stay healthy with these immunity-boosting nutritional tips and recipes from Feastingat Home.  
• If you need help or want to help others, please view our Food, Human Services, and Financial Assistance page for regular updates on local agencies that can help you or others.  
• Advice on meal planning and food shopping during quarantine from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
• Thinking of a home vegetable garden? The California Garden Web has answers to all kinds of gardening questions and answers to help you get started on your own healthy food source.
• Trying to reduce gluten in your diet? Cookbook author Nicole Hunn hosts a site dedicated to gluten-free recipes. 

Other Fun for the Mind

• If you need a fresh infusion of riddles to keep your mind active, go directly to the podcast series Hey Riddle Riddle and get acquainted with the Clue Crew.
• If you’ve always wanted to learn calligraphy to focus on something other than this health emergency, check on the free worksheets from The Postman’s Knock
• Need some inspiration? Check out the projects from Michaels crafts.  
• Scroll through a collection of podcasts and poetry from the On Being Project to help you as you process current events.
• Desiring a fresh view or want to revisit a favorite city? Check out these ProWalk recordings of cities combined with a relaxing soundtrack.  
• Mango Languages provide learners real-life situations and conversations for over 70 languages! This resource is for ages 6 and up. Register using your library account.
• The Girls Night In social site has curated a package of feel-good resources in a digital care package! Check out the suggestions for entertainment, family activities, and ways to help yourself and others.
• CityLab asked people to draw maps of how they see where they live at this time. You can also share your map here.
• A Beautiful World has inspirational stories from around the world, featuring good news about science, technology, ecology, art, music, medicine, and more.
• For a fresh infusion of optimism, Positively Present has a page dedicated to uplifting and inspiring at-home activities here.

Learn the easiest Rubik's Cube solution which is available in many languages. You'll just have to memorize a cople tricks.

Music, Movies, and Stories to Enjoy Together

• Keep yourself and others at home entertained by downloading a movie, book, or video game through Palo Alto Library’s e-library.
• Enjoy the wonders and stories of our oceans. The award-winning International Ocean Film Festival has films for you to enjoy at home.  
• Ready for a sing-along or a dance party? The internet radio platform iheartradio has a collection of playlists perfect for getting energized through music.  
• Virtual Magical Bridge Concerts, Sing-a-longs, and Much More will be performed on the Magical Bridge Facebook Page.  
• YouTube offers a range of virtual dance parties!  
• Have you listened to the Story Pirates podcast? Enjoy stories written by kids that are performed by professional actors. Inspired young writers can submit their own stories!  
• Stinky Tales is a new puppet crew sharing cute videos on timely topics, like washing your hands!  
• A personal favorite is online puppet shows!  
• The Great Courses are in-depth video lectures on a wide range of subjects, and you have free access to them through the library! Brush up on your drawing skills, learn about the economic history of the world, learn more about infectious diseases, and much more!
• See fascinating places in America at the GoUSA YouTube channel for full-length programs on American places and people, featuring national parks and musical cities like Nashville, New Orleans, and Chicago.  
• To help keep young minds active, our library offers Bookflix, with interactive online storybooks paired with nonfiction and educational games to engage young readers, grades Pre-K to 3.  

Activities for Families to do Together

• Here is [bit.ly/2Ue9vxx]a list of more than 100 ways to keep your family busy and happy. 
• Get the kids ready to cook at home! America’s Test Kitchen has a set of recipes to interest young chefs and bakers, including activities and quizzes about food and cooking tools!  
• Check out the activities on Tinkerlab if you need some hands on activities to keep younger kids engaged.  
• Of course, our treasured National Parks have 20 ways to get acquainted and explore virtually, including virtual tours, quizzes, and webcams of scenic sites!  
• [bit.ly/39TBeuk]take a virtual tour of some of the world’s most famous museums. 
• The Monterey Bay Aquarium has an array of wildlife webcams to watch which can instill feelings ranging from soothing to energizing.
• Take a virtual tour of a tree-themed art exhibit at the Palo Alto Art Center. This exhibit was created in partnership with Canopy.  
• Comic lovers? Download some activities here.  
• Draw, doodle and explore new ways of writing, here.  
• Try your luck with online racing!  
• Take a “walk” around one of Stanford’s Museums from Home.  
• Check out these projects from The Artful Parent for some joyful artmaking activities.  
• The National Trust for Historic Preservation has shared 11 virtual tours for you to enjoy.  
• Looking for more inspiration for kid-friendly activities? Author and illustrator Debbie Ridpath Ohi has a collection of printables for coloring, illustrating, and storytelling. She also has recordings of picture book readings and drawing activities on her YouTube channel.  
• The Palo Alto City Library staff created a list of storytime ideas on their blog. 
• All About Birds - Bird cams, bird ID guides, and everything else you need to enjoy the world of birding.  
• Art lovers can watch an expert art conservator work his magic to revive paintings.  
• Take the family on a fascinating walk through San Jose’s Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum with this 360-degree tour.  
• You don’t need to go far from home to explore the variety of our natural world. The Mid Peninsula Open Space Trust has posted an outdoor scavenger hunt on its Instagram You and your family identify and simply stop to experience the elements of the great outdoors as they emerge for spring.  
• Among the treasure trove of online resources from our library, Qello is a music lover's paradise. Stream full-length concerts and music documentaries from your favorite artists, genre, or decade.  
• Take a minute to send a note to the Library Fairy! Even though the library branches are closed (but with many virtual resources for kids and families), the Library Fairy is still taking and responding to letters from children in our community.  
• Hear about the works of distinguished contemporary artists at the National Gallery of Art’s Conversations with Artists series, available online here.  

Learning Resources for Education at Home

• To protect you and your family from misleading information regarding COVID-19, NewsGuard, a browser extension used by the Library on its public computers to help our users be aware of misleading information online, will now be available to home users for free through the end of June.
• To help kids of all ages learn our Zero Waste methods of compost, recycling, and landfill disposal the What-Goes-Where game makes learning sustainability fun!  
• Local environmental group Kids for the Bay teaches kids how to make natural pesticides with common non-toxic household items. More activities from their Everyone is an Environmentalist activity series here.  
• Our national space agency is offering a wide range of at-home activities from an aeronautics and space perspective, including cool activities like how to build precipitation data with Lego and a Junior Range Space Tech Explorer activity.  
• To help preserve our local water quality, our local Clean Bay program offers a variety of water quality classroom-based programs that have been adapted online!  
• Home Learning Resources: To enhance your educational time at home, City of Palo Alto Library staff have highlighted a few great online resources to help with K-8 homework and teen schoolwork. You may need your PACL card to access some of these resources, but remember--your PAUSD student ID is your library card!  
• Online Storytime Resources are another great way to have fun with your family while learning!  
• High school students can enroll in community college classes this spring! Both Foothill and DeAnza Colleges are offering online-only classes beginning April 13. California residents are eligible for free tuition, plus financial contributions towards books and other supplies! Apply online for DeAnza or Foothill.  
• Homeschooling can be a tough transition. Make it better with virtual field trips! Check out this list of virtual field trips and live online classes for Bay Area kids.  
• Library staff has gathered a list of free online tools to enhance distance learning for all ages! 
• Want to learn some new card games and find ways to build math skills while playing? This resource has a series of ten games with instructions and video tutorials.  
• If you need a one-stop site for multiple learn-at-home resources, take a look at Wide Open Learning. Topics are sorted by category and age group so it is easy to find activities that suit your needs. 
• The Exploratorium has designed its online Learning Toolbox to provide family learning on viruses. There are activities for young learners to understand the nature of viruses and help promote a new generation’s understanding on how to combat  
• The National Audubon Society has a wonderful program of activities for learning about birds. 
• For kids in kindergarten through 5th grade, the Nature Conservatory has a great series of home learning activities here. Since home is now school for the time being, you can build a learning garden at home!  
• Children’s book author Susan Tan is curating a wonderful collection of learning activities for kids, including various children’s book authors reading from their books, creative writing exercises for young writers, and other creative activities.  
• The Food Literacy Center has a wonderful curriculum for kids and families to gain healthy eating knowledge through food preparation and cooking, including dishes from various cultures.  

Resources for Grown-Ups

• The CDC has also published guidance on how to keep your home safe. 
• This new webpage contains some information on restaurants and retail establishments that are open for business. 
• A request for donations to several local food banks, blood donation, etc. was included so it might be good to provide an updated list of places that people could donate/provide support. 
• Interested in volunteering and helping the local community? The State launched a new website to offer help to those that need it. Go here for more.  
• Safe Routes to School encourages families who have increased their walk and bike trips lately to continue using this mode of transportation once shelter in place ends by taking the Safe Routes to School Roll Model Pledge. This pledge, taken by individual students or entire families, includes two simple goals: making greener choices in school transportation and sharing the road safely with others by following the Safe Routes to School tips.
• Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac (the Enterprises), and the Federal Home Loan Banks are taking steps to help people who have been impacted by the coronavirus. If your ability to pay your mortgage is impacted, and your loan is owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, you may be eligible to delay making your monthly mortgage payments for a temporary period.  
• Social Stories for Social Distancing:  This is a video resource for families with kids on the spectrum. Social stories are a technique that helps alleviate stress by previewing what will happen in a particular situation.  
• The CDC shares messages for parents, teachers, and others to help when talking with children about coronavirus.  
• Stanford students have created a virtual map showing places to find free meals for school children in the Bay Area.  
• Avenidas offers new online programming and senior resources. Go here for more.  
• Tips on working from home when your kids are home too.  
• To keep your Zoom meetings protected, see the Zoom Safety Checklist from the Anti Defamation League.  
• Sunset magazine has family-friendly advice and recipes for meal planning.  
• Millions of leaves are emerging around us! Travel Deep Inside a Leaf with the California Academy of Science and learn about the fascinating science of leaves.  
• If you or someone you know is struggling with food insecurity right now, this listing shared by Second Harvest of Silicon Valley shows where any child or family with children 18 and under can get free meals during the COVID-19 school closures.  
• Our Utilities Department has developed Green Living Resources, a guide to rebates, programs, and services to help you improve your sustainability and energy & water efficiency.  
• If your space is limited but you want to garden, the Square Foot Gardening Foundation shares what can you grow in just one square foot!