Grief Therapists in San Francisco, CA

The goal of therapy is for you be happy in your love and work. At the heart of it, therapy is about increasing your capacity to alleviate your suffering; feel more connected with yourself and others; expand and enrich yourself; recognize what you want; and recognize the internal and external forces that keep you from getting what you want. These are powerful antidotes to anxiety and depression.

I specialize in working with individuals, couples, and families going through major life changes, such as birth and death , and confronting challenges related to anxiety, trauma, grief , and addiction of all kinds. 

I am Adele Brookman, a psychotherapist in private practice in San Francisco. My holistic practice emphasizes nurturing self-care. My work concentrates on helping people change ingrained, self-defeating patterns and replace them with new, healthier ways of meeting needs and aspirations. My work combines depth, problem solving and humor to help turn insights into tangible change. In addition to working with individuals and couples in brief and in-depth therapy, I have led creative arts therapy workshops and groups on the East Coast and in California for 30 years. My client base is diverse, multicultural, and multigenerational.

My treatment approach is best described as strength-based. I believe that we come to even our most challenging moments, with the best of intentions. When a client chooses me as their therapist, they provide themselves with a dedicated, judgment-free professional who believes in their ability to guide their own journey. If you are at your most vulnerable or in the darkest of places, there is always hope. Both short-term and long-term therapy is available.

As a seasoned depth psychologist formally trained in exploring the depths of being human, I will work collaboratively with you to get to the root of what ails you. I find cultivating an affirming, caring stance allows an individual to move more readily towards healing and the resolution of problems and difficulties. Consequently, you can be the person you want to be thereby realizing greater personal agency and generating more successful relationships. The heart and soul of my practice involves working with chronic shame, gender and sexuality issues, life transitions, grief , loss , trauma, dissociated self-states, self exploration.

I enjoy supporting my clients' curiosity to uncover and explore what contributes to who they are and how they connect with the people in their lives. I work especially well with traumatic experiences, troubled upbringing, grief and anxiety. If you want to understand or change the way you relate to yourself, your story and the world and maybe are longing for a more authentic self expression and acceptance or sense of iner strength, we might be a good fit. I believe that sustainable change happens from the inside and you have the capacity to create this change.

I have a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and obtained a M.S.in Psychopharmacology in 2001. I've been in private practice for 40 years and an Assistant Clinical Professor at UCSF since 2005. My practice includes individuals and couples seeking help with a wide variety of issues including depression, anxiety, relationship issues, loss , and grief . I work within a relational, psychodynamic theoretical model as a means of understanding and integrating the complex relationship that individuals and couples present. In my clinical work as a therapist and supervisor, I work collaboratively in pursuing goals and objectives.

Nate Hinerman, PhD, LMFT, is Dean of Undergraduate Programs at Golden Gate University, San Francisco, where he is also a tenured Professor of Psychology, as well as the Chair of the Psychology Department. He is also on the faculty at the University of San Francisco, teaching in the Nursing School, and in the Religious Studies Department. He serves as Chair of the San Francisco End of Life Network, a community-based support and education group for hospice and palliative care professionals and patients, now in its 23rd year (www.sfeol.org).

You're not alone in feeling lonely, weird, or not good enough. It's confusing to live in a hyperconnected world full of opportunity and still experience so much isolation and pain. If everything seems like it's too much these days, it's because it is. Let's pause and take a breath together. If you feel like you've been trying too hard for too long and it seems too difficult to be who you are in the world, I am the therapist for you. Together we will make room for all the parts of you you've been keeping locked up or shut down to surface, heal, and grow strong enough to move forward.

Hi there! In my practice I utilize Somatic Experiencing, a specialized therapy to help with trauma resolution. In somatic experiencing we use the body and its stored memories, as well as our emotions as a way to heal past trauma. Unresolved trauma from childhood or specific events can show up as many things, such as depression, anxiety, grief , anger, dissociation, and ADHD to name a few. As we work together my goal is to get you some relief within the first few sessions and build a relationship that allows for you to feel safe and heard. I show up as my genuine self in sessions and like to be direct, honest and open.

I seek to be of service to you as you explore therapy as a path to heal and thrive. Taking this step to engage in therapy can feel like a daunting task and I am here to take that step with you. Throughout my practice I have focused on the importance of identifying all aspects of my clients’ lives that impact their well-being (support systems, cultural, work/ school environment, physical health, life experience, faith/spirituality) to provide treatment through a holistic person-in- environment perspective. I offer myself as a partner to support you on your life journey through building connection, bonding and trust.

I specialize in the treatment of depression, anxiety, grief , chronic pain, disability, and life transitions. I have openings in my practice for children, adults and couples, for brief or long-term work.

We all endure challenges and hardships, from small wounds to larger traumas. Therapy should be a safe space to explore the parts of your life that are causing distress - a place to integrate different parts of your self, to gain self-awareness, and to process difficult things.

If you are having a tough time in relationships, are feeling 'off', out-of-balance, or facing feelings of loss , grief , anxiety, depression, or confusion, I may be able to help you. Let's collaborate in a process where we explore, uncover, and understand your experience. Let's look with curiosity at what your patterns and feelings are trying to tell you. We will face the truth with compassion. I bring a calming, engaging, and dynamic presence to therapy as well as experience, strength, and hope. I offer a combination of insight, empathy, and tools that can support you to move through the raw, or tough parts of your psyche.

I offer warmth and love created by a safe and welcoming environment. I have a passion for working with those who have been told they are “too much”. From working with teens and families to those struggling through trauma or grief , I am here. I work with intersectionality and identity, cultural explorations and difficulties, as well as difference and sensitivity. I have worked extensively with those with eating struggles. I have worked in restorative justice and enjoy working with the formerly incarcerated, Please ask me anything