Trauma Focused Therapists in Financial District, San Francisco, CA

Are you looking for a dependable therapist who has extensive training in trauma-informed-care? Melissa provides Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). She is a culturally sensitive and competent marriage and family therapist with specialized training supporting those affected by adoption, foster, and kin caregiving.

Seeking help can be scary and exciting, and it takes a lot of bravery and courage to take the initial step. You may be feeling like you are depressed and anxious due to your trauma. I aim to meet you where you are mentally and emotionally and help you grow, learn skills, and adapt to new changes. We can work together to identify your goals and needs and address the emotional and behavioral challenges you experience.

My focus is to help individuals and families heal from anxiety, depression, trauma, and relationship/family issues. As the therapeutic area of concern is introduced, we can begin to work together in developing empowerment of self as we set up together healthy and achievable goals. I aim to establish include compassion, good communication and trust. In our relationship then I will work alongside you to develop your own coping tools. My approach is a person-centered (positive type) direction to further your strengths and resilience which is tailored towards your specific goals and needs.

I currently only offer online and in-home therapy. When we are in the midst of crisis we can question our abilities to overcome. Like quicksand, these self-defeating thoughts pull us even deeper into despair and we may become seduced by seclusion. Instead, I believe we should strive to accept our struggles as the catalysts that can bring us into closer connection with others and thus be more empowered to overcome. My practice of therapy involves helping people realize that to struggle is not unique and that connections with others during those times can be the difference between surrendering to weakness and reclaiming your strength.

I am a licensed clinical social worker in a private practice in San Francisco. My psychotherapy practice is primarily focused on helping people who are struggling with the effects of trauma, relationship stress, depression, anxiety, substance use and addiction. I have expertise in working with people who have a current or past history with drug & alcohol use and recognize that substance use may result from different psychological, social and biological factors that are unique to each person.

Welcome to my practice, I’m so glad you are here! I am a Licensed Psychologist with more than 10 years of experience, specializing in recovery from trauma, anxiety, depression, and addictions. I feel that change is possible once you have felt understood and seen. I believe suffering is a normal response to abnormal situations and work with you to understand and change coping responses that no longer work for you. I believe there is an internal wisdom that allowed you to survive detrimental and traumatic environments, which can be tapped into through talking with a compassionate witness.

My focus is to develop a relationship with the client. This is called the two person model which is different than the old fashion practice where the doctor is one up and the client is one down. Rather, the two person model attempts to understand the client through questions and mutual discussion. I am not a silent therapist. I give feedback and remain fully engaged with the patient. Together we build a rapport. I adhere to a humanistic approach.

If you’re here, I imagine you may have found yourself exhausted, stuck, and suffering despite your best efforts. Maybe you're so chronically overwhelmed from trying to balance the demands of life that you find yourself unable to enjoy any moments of rest or recharge. Or you feel that despite how far you've come in achieving your goals you're never doing enough, and you're losing sight of why those goals matter in the first place. Maybe you silently struggle with a deep-seated fear that you're one misstep away from proving yourself an imposter and losing all that you've worked towards. Do you worry you'll never stop feeling this way?

I believe that all of us have the power to find the best solutions for ourselves and make appropriate changes in our lives. I strive to help clients use their own understanding of their experiences as a platform for healing. I work with client's to understand how repressed earlier emotions affect current decision-making, behavior, and relationships. Client's who work with me will learn to analyze and resolve their current issues and change their behavior in current relationships through deep exploration and analysis of earlier experiences and emotions.

I specialize in working with individuals and couples who are experiencing challenges with addiction, emotional trauma/ptsd, depression & anxiety as well as issues regarding relationship negotiation, conflict resolution, intimacy, sex and sexuality. I focus on self-understanding, individual strengths, developing stronger communication skills and coping skills. My approach is collaborative, interactive, eclectic and engaging. I believe that therapy is a partnership as no-one should have to struggle with any of these issues alone. I work with my clients to better understand that there is a solution, that change is possibe and that there is Hope.

Are you on a Spiritual path and seeking enlightenment? Do you find there are some recurrent patterns in your life that cause you to feel anxious, less than, and/or depressed? Is your life ruled by should(s) and shouldn't(s), instead of the peace and ease of this moment? The calling to a spiritual path and meditation practices can and do help to feel more calm, but as you are finding it alone can not bring the sense of wellbeing and an end to suffering.

I am a strength-based Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist—one who believes we each have the inner resources we need to be successful and happy in our lives. During our life journeys, many of us may need assistance with finding and/or highlighting our inner strengths so we can breakthrough our struggles, whether they be past traumas, family patterns/dynamics, relationship/attachment issues or a simple and current need for change. My hope is to help my clients build on their strengths, pinpoint their patterns, rewrite their stories, and find their way back to the positive aspects of life they deserve to experience.

Are you struggling with anxiety and/or depression and looking for help? Are old wounds surfacing from the past and affecting your current relationships? Experiencing PTSD symptoms due to trauma and needing more support? From a holistic perspective, I offer a warm and compassionate space for you to share you story, process the feelings around your story, and further help you identify the parts of yourself that desire to be healed. Providing personalized tools and exercises for you to feel well-resourced both inside and outside of session, we can work together to create a healing experience that works best for you and your needs.

I’m so glad you found my page! Although difficult at times, therapy is a rewarding journey. I am a client centered, strength-based therapist. I want to collaborate with you within your own value system and worldview. Together we will highlight your strengths and resources.

I am an empowerment and transformational coach who works with individuals, couples, companies and organizations who are committed to living life in a powerful, meaningful and fulfilling way! I am passionate about working with and developing effective leaders, transforming work cultures, creating more engagement in teams, and helping individuals and organizations achieve their goals and dreams. If you feel inspired by what you read, please contact me so that we can explore if we should work together and discuss how I can bring value to your life and/or organization.

Anxiety is something you’ve struggled with for a long time. While you seem to be functioning OK on the outside, inside you’re dealing with feelings of dread, catastrophic thoughts that you can’t seem to stop, and constantly feeling like you need to plan for what could go wrong. The good news is that therapy can help you struggle less with anxiety. You and I will work together to help you relate to anxiety more effectively and focus on building a full and vital life.

Stress wearing you down? I am certified in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), an empirically validated model for helping couples and families to turn conflicts into opportunities for connection. I also employ both EMDR and IFS (Internal Family Systems) with individuals, have worked extensively with cultural differences at home and professionally, and am a custody evaluator. I specialize in working with interracial, interfaith or LGBT families, as well as parenting and services for children ages 1-7. My practice is poly-friendly and has a social justice orientation.