Therapists in Western Addition, San Francisco, CA

I strive to facilitate a reflective and explorative environment where the unbearable can be held and truth can be spoken. Multicultural and bilingual elements of my identity, and a history of enduring ethnic discrimination and immigration, significantly inform how I listen to my clients, think through trauma and fragmentation with them. Unconscious repetitions of aversion, clinging, and reenactments of familiar/familial ways of being bind us in suffering. Through psychotherapy, rigid frames of being can be deconstructed and psychological space can be reclaimed for creativity, desire and becoming.

Thank you for stopping by my profile! I'm a queer-identified therapist practicing in the Hayes Valley neighborhood of San Francisco. In my practice, I bring a comprehensive, holistic approach to healing, integrating all domains of life - from relationship, to spirituality, to work, and beyond - and draw on my own experience of healing in these areas to support your well-being. I have a strong belief in the positive power of change and am passionate about helping you find your strengths and achieve true healing.

Welcome. Are you ready for the work necessary to make real, enduring change? Do you have a troubling personal issue or suffer from general dissatisfaction? My orientation is to focus on the unconscious, the elusive essence of the problem. A powerful process unfolds when change occurs at this level of the mind. This opens the space for authentic personal transformation.

"The more aspects of myself I am given the freedom to know and live without reacting to as right or wrong, good or bad, the more I can witness all the elements of who I am and the healthier I am" ---Diane Shainberg. As a psychotherapist, I practice with the belief that therapy can be a rich and vital exploration into understanding the deepest parts of ourselves.The parts we cherish as well as the parts we want to change.

I am an experienced integrative psychotherapist and Jungian psychoanalyst with over 20 years of clinical experience. I work with individuals who struggle with anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship issues, stress management, health issues, and job and life transitions. My approach is very relational and collaborative. My goal is to help you explore what gets in the way of moving forward – difficult feelings or thoughts, old patterns, childhood conditionings – and help you regain an authentic connection with yourself and life.

Welcome! I'm always struck by how therapy helps us unstick. It's worth it. We just weren't meant to solve all our problems alone. In our work, I'll meet you where you're at, at your pace. Together, we'll create the space where you feel safe to share, solutions can emerge, and you can know yourself better. The skills I bring help things shift over time, combining present listening with eliciting and sharing insights. And while I'll bring my own perspectives, I also welcome pushback. This is a collaborative project. I work with people 1-3x/week.

Therapy with me is casual and warm, while providing you a space for direct guidance and embodied meditation practices to help you on your journey. I specialize in relationships and intimacy and support to improve communication, work through anxiety, and create a fulfilling life. I have training in both holistic East-West Psychotherapy as well as relationship and embodiment-focused life coaching. I have offices San Francisco and Oakland, CA. This holistic, embodiment-oriented psychotherapy offers individuals and couples concrete skills to tackle anxiety, depression, and relationship challenges in a safe and inviting space.

I have more than 20 years experience working with individuals and couples in short term and in longer term in depth psychotherapy. My clients struggle with depression, anxiety, loneliness, relationship challenges, questions around life direction, life purpose, personal identity. Often they report feeling "stuck," frustrated in their creative expression or in their ability to change or move forward in their lives. I try to look at each individual's strengths (ask how we can build upon those), and also look at where a person is getting in his or her own way.

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.

Ready to move beyond coping skills and self care? You want soul level growth, not just symptom management. You believe in a mind, body, spirit approach. You're not here just for coping skills, but for deepening into your fullest, most authentic self as well. You're interested in breaking unhealthy patterns, gracefully navigating life's pivots, and increasing self awareness. Shadow work and transcending perceived limitations inspires you. You understand that therapy is a journey that might bring about more questions before answers. However, you're open to the exploration and ready to discover a more authentic version of yourself.

As children, and throughout our lives, many of us are taught, through our families, our peers and our culture, that parts of the truth of who we are—our feelings, thoughts, desires, expression or identity—are bad or wrong, and that we must cut off and bury those unacceptable parts of ourselves in order to be loved. We spend much of our lives living with a fractured sense of self, without ever really knowing why we suffer, feel incomplete, ashamed, and never enough, filling the holes in our hearts with poor substitutes for the acceptance, love and connection we so truly need.

As a specialist in sex and relationship, people seek my help for a variety of sexual and relational issues including: recovery from infidelity, out of control sexual behavior aka 'sex addiction,' desire discrepancies, low-sex or no-sex marriages, sex pain, 'sexual performance' issues, challenges with ethical non-monogamy or a desire to open up a relationship, conflicts around porn or fetishes, religious sexual shame, arguing + communication issues, lack of intimacy, major life transitions and couples on the brink of divorce who want clarity and confidence about how to move forward.

You may be feeling anxious, struggling with sleep, and are desiring healthier and more connected relationships. Deep down there is another part of you that desires more fulfillment, less anxiety, and inner confidence. I can help you. I successfully support my clients in developing new inner resources to have greater relationship success and a holistic health toolbox to not just survive but instead to thrive. My expertise includes working with highly sensitive adults, couples, and families.

Therapy is hard to define. We each carry our own singular experience into the process: our unique histories, our complex tapestry of relationships, our love, our pain, our wounds, and our scars. Therapy is as unique and complex as each of us, thus we each experience it in our own way. I believe our complexity is a gift, although at times our lives can feel like a mystery, even to ourselves. We feel stuck and confused, unsure of how to heal or grow, and we wonder if we can ever truly thrive. Many of us wonder if there’s a recipe for our healing and growth, or if perhaps there’s a map we could follow, if only we could find it.

Choosing a therapist can be a daunting process. I am inspired by anyone who is willing to reach out to a complete stranger, in order to challenge and heal themselves. I believe safety and non-judgment are among the most important aspects of the therapeutic relationship. I am committed to supporting you as we explore your thoughts and feelings, looking closely at barriers that until now have limited your insights and clarity. Your power to feel better comes from looking inward, instead of out, and I want to help you do the work to get to that healing place.

I want to assist you in examining why you feel like your life is not where you think or sense it should be. Why you have a nagging feeling that perhaps you're wasting time and not living your life in a more deep and fulfilling manner. You may think you're “not good enough,” or “if only this would have/not have happened," life would be different. The activities you do feel banal, going to work/school is dreadful, relationships and family are difficult, and the values and beliefs that once held you have lost their ground. You feel lonely, depressed, anxious, and perhaps substance use is worsening. You’re wondering about doing therapy.

Congratulations on looking for a therapist. These are difficult times, and you’re not alone if you find yourself struggling with feelings of depression, worry, and uncertainty. Therapy can reduce suffering and foster the growth of hope, equanimity, joy, and feelings of connectedness. For those starting therapy, I prioritize building a strong rapport within a climate of safety and trust; a compassionate, empathetic therapeutic environment; and clear and responsive communication; and respect for your personal goals and values.

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

We are wired for connection — with our internal selves, with others, and within broader communities. But oftentimes there are barriers. It can be something we learned when we were small and trying to survive, a message from dominant culture that plagues our sense of self, oppressive systems that can be exhausting to fight, and/or an emotional wound that needs time to heal. Whatever brings you to therapy, your awareness of seeking someone to walk with you on this healing path is a great first step!