Therapists in San Francisco, CA

Hello, I'm Jorge Leal! I am a Licensed Clinical Social worker who is passionate about supporting all of my clients who struggle with depression, anxiety, addiction, and relationship issues to improve resilience and develop meaningful relationships. My psychotherapy approach is evidence-based, with a primary focus on improving resilience and developing meaningful relationships. I work with adults of all ages from diverse social, cultural, and economic backgrounds. Typically, my clients struggle with negative thought patterns, interpersonal relationships, intense emotions, and difficulties coping with life stresses.

My approach to therapy is based on Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT). A core idea in ACT is that trying too hard to get rid of or control our emotions tends to backfire. Instead of trying to get rid of unwanted thoughts and feelings (e.g., anxiety & depression), I will help you learn to react differently to them so that you can keep your focus on living a meaningful and fulfilling life based on what’s important to you. We will work together to set meaningful goals to address your concerns–whether they relate to life transitions, depression, anxiety, body image, grief/loss, job or academic stress, or gender & sexuality.

Whether you're seeking therapy to address a specific concern or simply to engage in a personal exploration, the therapeutic process can help increase insight, decrease anxiety and painful emotions, identify healthier coping strategies, and deepen relationships. Since finding the right therapist can be a challenging process, I encourage you to check out my website for additional information to help determine how I may be a good fit for your needs. Together, we will work to identify and nurture your personal strengths, equipping you with coping resources that empower you to navigate the challenges of daily life and relationships.

At times, we find ourselves stuck and feeling frozen. We get overwhelmed with emotions and burn out from the demands of everyday life. In our work together, we can filter out external pressures, voices, and expectations to learn to tune into your inner wisdom. By fostering a deeper understanding of yourself, we can identify what’s causing pain and work towards feeling better. Together, we will work on finding acceptance, clarity, and a goal toward peace.

I imagine you've found your way here because you're feeling stuck and needing a reason to hope that things will change. Others may not see that you're feeling this way, but you know you're in need of relief. If this sounds like what you're going through, I may be a good fit to help you.

What brings us to ask for help often becomes fuel for transformation. Here, our symptoms are sign-posts letting us know that healing and growth are possible. I support my clients in seeing whatever challenge they bring to therapy as a call to transformation. I specialize in working with adults who want to heal and grow deeply. I have expertise recovery from shame, low self-esteem, codependency and developing self-compassion. The potential of therapy is about growth and fulfillment over the long arc of our lives and I maintain that whatever our current conflicts, they pertain to that.

Suffering can come in many forms. It is personal and distressing and can also be overwhelming, paralyzing, and lonely. But you do not have to face it alone. Many have come to me for help with what makes them unhappy and out of balance. I take satisfaction when my clients accept their own complexity and uniqueness and have successful outcomes in their lives due to therapy.

I am a psychotherapist specialized in working with adults, couples and families. I offer support for a wide range of issues and challenges. My approach is grounded, warm, engaged and collaborative. I work from a relational psychodynamic perspective. Our past experiences and traumas can have a significant impact on the way we relate to ourselves and others. With the exploration of this old patterning we can be empowered to make different choices. In doing so, our lives have the chance to be made anew.

I provide psychotherapy for individual adults and adolescents, offering therapeutic support and interventions which are tailored to the unique needs and personalities of those whom I am fortunate to serve. Working from a disciplined eclectic perspective, I collaborate with my patients to discover new and more helpful ways to cope with life's challenges and work towards their goals and aspirations. Whether the work is short- or long-term in nature, my approach is grounded in the belief that every person deserves and benefits most from a course of treatment which is individually tailored to their specific strengths and challenges.

In an effort to make sense of the difficulties that come with being human, some turn to psychotherapy for clarity. If you believe psychotherapy might be able to remedy the issues putting a strain on your wellbeing, then you might be looking in the right place. Beginning psychotherapy can be complicated; it requires a certain level of communication between you and the therapist in order for things to go smoothly.

If you're feeling anxious about the state of things these days and would like to talk, I am meeting with people remotely via phone and video. Therapy is a conversation in which you can discuss the most complex and sensitive subjects. Together we reach an understanding of what you're experiencing by sorting through your thoughts and feelings.

I am a psychotherapist with offices in SF and Oakland, where I treat both adults and couples. I take a relational and collaborative approach to psychotherapy. We are all unique, consciously and unconsciously influenced by the relationships and life-events that leave a lasting impact on how we address our current situation. Difficulties can sometimes arise when the habitual thoughts, emotions, or behaviors that once served us now have us feeling stuck, depressed, and powerless. Fear, ambivalence, compulsivity and patterned thinking can hamper our ability to address the inevitable twists and turns of daily life.

I work with adolescents and adults who are dealing with a variety of challenges, including depression, anxiety, histories of trauma, relationship issues, work or school stress, and low self-esteem. I also have a particular interest in helping clients explore and understand difficulties related to cultural identity.

My clinical approach is multi-disciplinary and rooted in psychodynamic theory, existential psychology, mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). I also have a background in integrative health and wellness, which can contribute to a more in-depth perspective on treatment. My style is collaborative, intuitive, direct, and non-judgemental, and I encourage clients to be true to themselves and transparent. Although treatment is based on an individual's needs and goals, principle themes in all treatment are to help one regain one’s confidence and strength and to reinforce one’s resiliency.

My therapeutic style is approachable, warm, curious, and, when necessary, challenging. I draw from my training in the lineage of Gestalt Therapy, working in the 'here and now' to find out how we can create growth and change. I also use tools from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy when appropriate to help develop awareness for effective change. We will work collaboratively to see how you can learn respond to your environment with greater freedom and choice, where you can see possibilities and turn them into actualities. I'm here to support you in becoming your best self.

I help adults and teens looking to become more aware, learn and better themselves. Maybe there is something that needs to shift/change or maybe it is just a growth-oriented process. I have done a lot of my work with people who identify as Trans/Gender Non-Conforming/Nonbinary. Other queer populations who I have a lot of experience helping include couples, polyamorous relationships, the Latinx community, long-term HIV survivors, and gay/Queer men. My work celebrates diverse genders, sexualities and kink identities. My ideal client is open to work in a way that combines talk therapy, yoga/somatic approaches and art-based therapies.

I am an experienced psychologist providing brief and long-term psychotherapy and crisis intervention to individual adults and couples. I specialize in trauma, depression, anxiety, separation and divorce, loss and grief, life transitions, relational issues, among others. I am a Certified EMDR practitioner and an Approved Consultant. EMDR is a specialized therapy for symptom relief and the processing of stress reactions/trauma, whether experienced from the distant past or more recently. I am a facilitator for Laurel Parnell's Attachment Focused-EMDR trainings. In addition, I am a Certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) and a facilitator of SE trainings. I provide Consultation to Licensed Professionals.

My ideal client is someone who is open-minded, receptive to challenge, and motivated towards enacting positive change in their life. Many of the individuals I support are referred through couples therapy and struggle with relationship challenges, physical and emotional intimacy, communication and self-expression, and establishing healthy boundaries. I collaborate closely with referring couples providers to ensure continuity of care and optimize outcomes in individual treatment. My relational style helps build trust and safety and has proven especially beneficial for clients who are hesitant or new to the therapeutic process.

Navigating life's challenges can leave us feeling adrift, disconnected, or uncertain about our next steps. If you find yourself in such a situation, I am here to assist you through the power of psychotherapy. My approach is rooted in support, collaboration, and a solution-focused mindset. By using proven, evidence-based treatments, I aim to help you transform your relationship with challenging thoughts and emotions. Together, we will identify and break free from ineffective behavioral patterns that have hindered your progress, empowering you to embrace a more purposeful and fulfilling existence.