Self Esteem Therapists in Castro-Upper Market, San Francisco, CA

Please Note: No Current Insurance Slots Available... Are you an 18-35 year old, striving to find yourself and your place in the world? Do you sometimes feel unmotivated and directionless, unclear on your purpose? Do you ever feel like the traumas of your childhood keep you from living your fullest life? Are you especially hard on yourself, and find it difficult to "self-care?" Or perhaps you have a child or teenager who is acting out, depressed, feeling misunderstood or difficult to understand?

The care and support that allows each person to grow and thrive is unique. Whether you're hoping to reduce the impact of life’s stressors, heal from traumatic experiences, improve your sense of self-worth, or explore your relationship with drugs and alcohol, our work together will recognize your individuality and be driven by your goals. I focus on building a relationship in which you feel you are treated with respect, understanding, and compassion, where you can experience a sense of safety in sharing about sensitive parts of your life.

Together, we can be in better understanding of how you've come to story your life - challenging the limiting influence of messages that sound like "what should be" and "what's supposed to be" - and come into more preferred ways of being. I am guided to support you through sex and gender issues, identity development across different contexts like age and culture, relationship problems, and life transitions by my own experiences in the identities I hold as a queer, 1st generation Filipino-American as well as my training and values as a therapist. We may encounter difficult moments together, but I'll be with you every step of the way!

Modern life leaves even the most successful among us feeling drained and adrift. When we experience anxiety or depression despite the abundance in our lives, it can be deeply isolating—like we’re incapable of feeling content, joyful, or inspired. These emotions may be painful, but they’re also doors to self-acceptance. By exploring the depths of our inner life, we can open new pathways to well-being. We can discover the practices that give meaning to our life, work, and relationships. And we can strengthen our innate capacity for healing.

The people who come to me are curious to get to know themselves in a deeper away. I work with people to help them live more authentically, embrace their true selves, set healthier boundaries in relationships, interrupt unhelpful patterns, loosen the grip of perfectionism, mindfully manage anxiety, and heal from trauma. Together, we can work toward both short-term and long-term change.

Even though it is hard to do at times, I believe one of the best methods of healing is to talk and let it all out – all of the hurt, all of the sadness, all of the things that get buried within – and therapy is one of the safest places to do that. I strive to provide a safe, non-judgmental space for adults and couples to reveal, feel, and heal their thoughts and emotions and gain insight and support during difficult times. I offer Tele-therapy as a Certified Clinical Telemental Health Provider (CTMH). I have Immediate availability and I have both early morning and evening appointments available.

The pain of disconnection, conflict and hopelessness in your relationship, marriage or intimate partnership is a pain like no other. Our earliest and deepest wounds occurred in the context of connection, or in the absence of connection that was needed. We seek out relationships in order to feel connected, stimulated, safe, loved and fulfilled. However, with each of our unique histories of interpersonal wounding, trauma and systemic oppression, intimate relationships often become the site of rewounding, disappointment, resentment and disconnection. Actually, this is normal! And it doesn't have to be the end of your story.

I am a passionate and empathetic therapist with strong counseling abilities and an understanding of interpersonal familial relationships. I have experience leading clients through their struggles with interpersonal issues, anxiety, depression, and life transitions. Through clinical experience, compassion, and empathy I support and assist those willing to make a positive difference in their lives.

People come to psychotherapy for a variety of reasons. Making our way in this world demands so much self-reliance and yet we are given very little opportunity to get to know ourselves well. We keep our fears and uncertainty about whether we have what it takes to survive our struggles very close to our chests. This is such a fragile place to live. Ignoring our emotions and "soldiering on" creates a life of isolation and confusion. This may manifest as depression, anxiety, or uncertainty about how to wish, desire, and create a life worth living.

I am a certified sex therapist and work with clients experiencing issues related to sexuality including performance anxiety, sexual dysfunction, or problematic sexual behavior. We will examine the triggers in your life and find resources to help you manage your challenges when they arise. My work is informed from a social and sexual justice perspective. In addition to my work as a sex therapist, I also work with anxiety, depression, and grief. I am currently seeing clients online via video conference.

There are many factors that can lead a person to therapy. Perhaps you’re experiencing a persistent feeling of fear, loneliness, or anxiety, but can’t quite put your finger on where it’s coming from. You may have experienced a recent change or loss of a loved one, relationship, or job that is profoundly impacting you. Or, it could be that the voice of your inner critic is so loud that they/she/he is all you hear.

When we are exposed to trauma at an early age, it can seriously impact how we feel about ourselves and our relationships with others. Trauma can also profoundly affect whether we feel this is a safe world and can contribute to depression, anxiety, and relational/familial issues. My practice is from a strengths-based, trauma-informed perspective with a non-judgmental framework. I aim to understand clients’ internal responses and to provide more options for emotional regulation and problem-solving.

I enjoy working with clients who want more than traditional "talk" therapy. I understand you might feel like just talking about your life cannot change your experience of it. You may be asking how can therapy make a difference? My approach is informed by the practice of mindfulness - the non-judgmental observation of the present moment. Research has shown mindfulness to be a highly effective treatment for depression, anxiety, and addiction. How is working in mindfulness different? In mindfulness we learn how to shift our emotional state from one of suffering to more empowered states of aliveness.

We all deserve space to be our full selves. I view my role as therapist as a co-explorer – I walk alongside you as you navigate your authentic experience of this world. In session, we follow what feels alive for you in the moment and approach what arises with curiosity. This mindful awareness helps us meet and build relationship with more “parts” of you. I aim to allow all of you in. Eventually, this process of being “more you” can lead to a more grounded and connected existence, one in which you find yourself with more choice, agency, and fulfillment in life.

I provide a safe, supportive environment in which you can talk about your feelings and experiences, both past and present. We engage in a collaborative process that allows for investigation into why you feel the way you do and what factors have influenced your development into who you are and how you experience life. In doing so, people are often able to feel better about themselves, their relationships, and their place in the world.

Are you dealing with anxiety, stress, depression, or relationship issues? Perhaps you feel stuck in your personal life or your relationship and experience constant worry, hopelessness, uncertainty overwhelming your day-to-day journey. Therapy is a brave and powerful first step towards exploring what might be contributing to these challenges and I help clients recognize their own personal strengths while learning new ways to challenge negative thought patterns and unhealthy behaviors that can keep us feeling stuck, depressed, and anxious. I am committed to provide a safe and compassionate space where you can be well supported on you.

In response to current disruptions to daily life and worries related to Covid-19, I am now serving individual adults looking for strategies to manage stress. I specialize in teletherapy for individuals and for parents. I also specialize in supporting parents. Many parents need a forum to discuss the new reality of sheltering in place, and sometimes homeschooling children. If you have a child who is sensitive, reactive, or sometimes hard to parent, I can help. I have experience with a wide range of children of all ages, and have supported parents and individual adults for many years.

I am a San Francisco based therapist providing psychotherapy, counseling and EMDR for individuals and couples. Among others, I work with individuals seeking to overcome internal blocks and improve functioning, create healthier coping strategies, recover from traumatic experiences, grapple with questions about identity and purpose. I support and encourage new perspectives, curiosity about self and others, cultivating resilience. I've helped my clients to address relationship challenges, career stresses or transitions, depression, anxiety, grief and loss, social isolation and the effects of recent and past trauma.