Psychodynamic Therapists in Western Addition, San Francisco, CA

My name is Jessica Lief. I have been practicing social work and working as a psychotherapist since 2014. I support individuals who are recovering from eating disorders, body image issues, substance use issues, trauma, self harm, prenatal and postpartum issues, miscarriage and fertility issues. I work with adults of all ages. My style has been described as nurturing, empathic, and empowering. I am direct and authentic; I will never blame you for your suffering. My approach is primarily psychodynamic but combines aspects of self-psychology, mindful self-compassion, dialectical behavior therapy, Seeking Safety, and mindfulness.

I practice within a psychodynamic, relational framework, with a focus on issues of trauma, neglect, depression, anxiety and isolation. My clinical experience have been in hospital and hospice settings that surround anticipated grief and bereavement; community mental health outpatient settings and research institutes. Reaching out for help can be a daunting and vulnerable step, and understanding what it is you are entering into can help soften feelings of confusion and apprehension.

I am a licensed clinical psychologist specialized in providing psychotherapy to teens, adults, and couples. I work with clients who are experiencing emotional, behavioral, and/or interpersonal challenges to optimize mental health and wellness. My approach is compassionate and collaborative, largely based on psychodynamic, mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral, and interpersonal modalities. My hope is to help decrease emotional suffering, enhance your relationships, and work towards meaningful change.

I believe that a core component of living is about learning and growing and expanding as our journeys unfold. And, I am passionately sympathetic about how hard this process can be, and how difficult it often is to be human! As an optimistic psychotherapist with over 20 years experience, I am convinced of the human capacity for tapping into a deep source of inner wisdom, and our innate capacity to heal. Each individual can develop the self-knowledge and self-acceptance they need to confront their challenges and to restore a compassionate perspective to their lives.

In the fast-paced, hyper-competitive Bay Area, it can be challenging to balance all of the roles that we assume. Work, school, money, technology, and relationship stressors can leave us feeling depleted. Anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and career dissatisfaction are some of the ways stressors may manifest. My aim is to support and help to empower you to improve your life by engaging in the life that you want to lead. This may result in increased effectiveness, happiness, and reduced suffering in all of your roles.

I am accepting clients for therapy, coaching, and testing. E-mail is the best way to reach me for a consultation. As a clinical psychologist, I offer therapy and coaching for personal/professional growth. I work with clients to enhance coping with stress, bolster resiliency, and overcome obstacles to living more fully. I also specialize in psychological/personality and intellectual/academic testing and assessment. I have worked with clients of all ages from numerous intersecting ethnic, racial, cultural, and religious backgrounds, as well as a wide range of sexual and gender orientations and various abilities/disabilities.

My practice focuses on working with individuals, couples, adolescents and their families from a family system perspective. I believe that all of us benefit from recognizing who we are within the construct of our larger social dynamics. I am a psychodynamic and interactive therapist, focusing on your strengths as a means to work through your challenges. I will work with you to identify your therapeutic goals, and we will explore how best to reach your desired outcomes. I am creative, empathetic and very pragmatic. Therapy is a journey, we will work hard together to make the most of your energy, finances and time.

I specialize in attachment theory, addiction/addiction related issues, & becoming more aligned with your authentic self. I also enjoy working with couples wanting to strengthen communication skills or rebuild trust within their relationship. Caregivers were the first to teach us how to relate to others. Healthy relationships are often not modeled for us & we wonder why the same patterns repeat. I can help you gain insight into these patterns & we will work together to have healthier relationships. My goal is to get to know you, establish a strong connection, and provide a safe space to begin your healing journey together.

My adult and couples clients seek me out for many reasons. Some want to make changes in their lives. Others feel weighed down by difficult emotions, relationships, or past experiences. Some just want to better understand themselves and how to find meaning. My work is a collaborative process, rooted in theory and research, that creates meaningful, lasting change. I've helped clients with professional stress, challenging relationships, mood difficulties (anxiety, depression), challenges adjusting to new life stages/change, medical illness, substance use, a desire to build mindfulness skills, or simply feeling “stuck” and uncreative.

I work with adults, adolescents, and couples. Most of the adults in my practice are ambitious professionals who want to grow in their careers and/or romantic lives. As a psychoanalytic therapist, I'm trained to provide intensive therapy that leads to long-term change. As a psychodynamic coach, I help professionals tap social and psychological resources that enable them to grow into demanding leadership roles. My style is curious and playful, direct and deep.

Welcome to my psychotherapy practice. I work with adults 18yrs. and up in individual and couples therapy. I have worked with a wide range of client symptoms and issues over many years of work in mental health. I have extensive experience in short-term therapy and am good at keeping the therapy focused on the task at hand once goals have been collaboratively set. I really enjoy getting to know the individual strengths and needs of each client and adapting my approach to be as effective as possible.

I am a psychotherapist providing services for individuals, teens, and young adults who often come to me with experiences of sadness, anxiety, grief, anger, depression, low self-esteem, self-harming behaviors, or substance use. Others seek support in navigating relationship challenges, including their relationship with themselves, traumatic experiences, or a longing to understand themselves more fully. The human experience can be painful, taking various forms that impact how we navigate the world, relate to others, and relate to ourselves. Together, we embark on a journey to understand your pain and discover pathways through it.

I specialize in helping adults overcome anxiety and depression. As a Certified EMDR Therapist, I focus on helping clients recover from the effects of trauma. I also enjoy working with couples to develop effective communication skills and reduce destructive conflict. I strive to provide clients with a warm, secure environment in which they feel safe to explore painful experiences from the past that need healing. My approach combines the perspective of long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy with more practical cognitive-behavioral methods, as well as using the latest research from neuroscience about how our minds develop and change.

Congratulations on starting your therapy journey and taking charge of your mental health! I create a safe and encouraging space for adults and couples to process difficult experiences and emotions, navigate relational challenges, and get in touch with their authentic selves. I am a client-centered therapist and strive to meet you where you are on any given day. I offer a collaborative and empathetic approach so you can feel supported as you navigate life's challenges and reach your personal goals.

Life can be full of ups and downs; you may feel isolated, alienated, unable to trust, have low self-esteem or relationship problems. Therapy helps you get through these difficult experiences, I listen to your concerns and create a safe space for you to resolve them. I help you explore your thoughts and feelings, uncover your strengths and vulnerabilities, develop a deeper understanding of yourself and your life, deepen self-trust and create the changes you want. Feeling heard and understood brings comfort and relief. I help you release inner blocks which leads to more vitality, creativity, self-expression and fulfillment.

Most of us lug around a suitcase full of our thoughts, feelings, family history and past experiences and have no idea what's in there. Our current responses to and experience of life come from the contents of that suitcase. Together in therapy we gently unpack it. We will see what is working for you, what needs more support and what has served it's purpose but no longer works. I work collaboratively and am curious about all the things that make you who you are. I am particularly interested in working with people who feel misunderstood or unimportant.

Hello, I am Sarah Ruminson LMFT 140887, and I have worked in the mental health field for over 3 years. I worked for a community-based mental health company which provided me the opportunity to treat all ages and a variety of diagnoses. I have worked with a variety of clients ranging from infantry to elderly. I am open to all ages and really enjoy working with children. I gravitate toward using CBT, DBT, Client-centered, Solution Focused, Psychodynamic, and Family Systems approaches.

Life can be difficult to navigate, especially if you were not shown the way or given the tools to do so. Unfortunately there are enough of us out there who were not taught to recognize emotional overwhelm, how to tolerate discomfort, how to ask for and receive what we need. We spend our energy in circular patterns that keep us stuck in the rut we so much long to exit. And then one day we feel ready to go deep, to look at the dark, to face the things that keep us living in ways that don't feel aligned with who we know in our gut and heart to be. We feel ready to explore, be curious, listen, and learn to allow ourselves to emerge.

My approach to therapy is psychodynamic, psychoanalytic and relational. Our task together is to help unlock the parts of you that got stuck somewhere along the way.