Somatic Therapists in San Francisco, CA

BIPOC: Black, Indigenous, &/or People of Color. Includes white-passing & mixed-race BIPOC. Welcome Dear Reader, whether these are first steps or a familiar return, may our steps together support your movements. I am a Chinese-American Queer, by Ancestors’ way of Guangdong Province, China. My family settled on unceded Muwekma Ohlone territory (San Francisco) 3.5 generations ago, where I was born. Since then, I have supported folx's holistic health at opposite ends of the state, nation, and globe.

Are you struggling to process depression, anxiety, relationship/family issues, and trauma? These emotional ruptures can cause major disruptions in our lives. The work to process these types of life events is multifaceted, and I can help you identify your feelings and potential relational patterns, build tolerance and acceptance around challenging ones, and set meaningful goals. In order to do so, I utilize various therapeutic approaches consisting of ACT, CBT, and Problem Solving Therapy and somatic interventions.

I believe to feel truly seen and heard in an authentic and deep way is one of the greatest gifts that we can give and receive. I center my work around meaningful connection. I feel that therapy is a reciprocal process where we are both working as partners in helping you reach your goals; to find a place of ease, understanding, and strength and to move through life feeling more centered and fulfilled.

I have 20 years of experience with diverse populations of all ages. I am a trauma informed somatic psychotherapist. I utilize relational inquiry to explore disruptions in body, mind, emotions and spirit, a depth process that allows for the experience of insight, positive shifts, integration and embodied transformation of suffering caused by negative, internal states, patterns and distorted beliefs of early environmental &/or relational failure. I invite the journey of uncovering one's true self with safety, self-regulation, mindful self-inquiry, an expansion of agency and life affirming realizations that promote healing and growth.

You want better relationships, with your partner, your family, at work and with yourself. You’re at the point where all of the boxes are checked, but you’re still not feeling happy or fulfilled. You struggle with guilt for wanting more, but know deep down that there's something holding you back. If you’re a couple, you want deeper intimacy and connection, to resolve recurring disagreements, or support when facing key milestones such as moving in together or getting engaged. You’re in the right place. I specialize in attachment-based therapy for those wanting to improve their relationships, beginning with themselves.

Feeling stuck in old patterns, and needing support? Are depression and anxiety becoming too overwhelming to bear? Seeking deeper meaning and satisfaction in your life, but are unsure of how to attain it? I provide a safe and non-judgmental container where we will explore and honor the unique parts of you, helping you navigate through your fears and belief systems, and uncovering your true authentic self. I have experience working with many different ages, backgrounds, and identities, including teens, couples, and LGBTQI populations. I work relationally, helping to build your emotional and physical awareness, in the present moment.

I believe that coming to therapy is about making a home in ourselves: a home where we feel at ease, where all the different parts of us are okay and we don't feel that something is wrong with who we are. When life gets hard we can feel isolated and cutoff - from the people around us, and also from ourselves. When we most need to feel compassion towards ourselves it can be hardest to find. My work is to help you find that compassion for yourself and to support you in strengthening your capacity to meet whatever life brings with courage and confidence.

Clients come to my practice looking for a therapist who can get to the root of their problem, and help them overcome anxiety and build confidence. I show up as my authentic self to each session because I know how important it is to be able to trust and relate to your therapist. I will celebrate your wins with you, and I will sit with you and help you process the tough stuff. I work with clients who are feeling stuck and overwhelmed but have the desire to improve. Clients who are highly motivated to start working on themselves.

I imagine what brought you here was a deep knowing inside that something in your life isn't right. Perhaps you feel depressed or a lack of meaning and purpose, but don't know what to do to make yourself feel better. I believe that building a meaningful relationship in therapy has the power to heal and transform us from the inside out. I want to support you in resolving your issues quickly and clearly. I offer in-person and virtual sessions via Zoom, telephone and other platforms for clients who are currently needing at distance support.

With genuine positive regard and a creative approach, my practice is committed to fostering awareness, healing and empowerment. The therapeutic relationship ultimately deepens the relationship with oneself and how we navigate challenges in the art of living. I facilitate with getting to the heart of the matter, gleaning meaningful insight, and building upon internal and external strengths. I have worked professionally for over 20 years, supporting a diverse population of hundreds of adults, children, couples and families through and beyond, trauma, grief, depression, anxiety, life transitions and relationship difficulties.

I specialize in working with adults who have experienced trauma as children, queer/trans/LGBTQ+ folks, and those willing/wishing to work in creative ways that allow us to reach beyond our ideas about ourselves. We hold your ways of coping as meaningful communication from a deeper, knowing part of you, worth being listened to and understood. In the places that a medical model often believes are worth eradicating, we find the fibers of a soulful life.

My therapeutic style is somatic , empathetic and appropriately humorous. I believe in a holistic approach to therapy, incorporating and joining mind, body and soul. I use breath work to focus on expanding your capacity to feel emotions; use awareness of tension to identify behaviors; and manage physiological sensations that overwhelm you. I enjoy working with individuals, couples and families struggling with trust, communication and trauma issues. I believe somatic therapy is helpful in relieving anxiety and depression by becoming aware of what overwhelms you and leaves you feeling stuck in a cycle that you can't stop.

In my clinical practice, I emphasize a psychodynamic approach to look at your past and present and how that may influence how you make decisions moving forward. I also use a relationship-based therapy approach with a strength-based frame to help you develop coping skills and protective factors against stressors and negative relationships. I do well with those who are experiencing symptoms of Depression, Anxiety and Somatic Mind-Body connection.

I offer in-person and virtual individual psychotherapy for women and teen girls. My clients often seek support for ongoing stress and the many ways it manifests - including anxiety, depression, burnout, perfectionism, self-soothing through substances and/or emotional eating/restricting, challenging relationships with self and others, and/or having a sense that something has felt off for a while and are not sure where to begin. I strive to offer anti-racist and gender-affirming care. Although I mostly work with women and teen girls, I welcome gender non-conforming individuals and women who are exploring gender and sexuality.

I am a SF Bay area based counselor and I have been working with people from various cultural backgrounds, from young kids, adolescents to adults. I was trained by Gestalt and Hakomi therapy. I believe in the power of mindfulness and how much information (trauma, wounds, core beliefs) that the body carries and evolves through habits, feelings and sensations according to our day to day, moment by moment life experience.

You've begun a courageous search. Take heart, healing is possible. My work is rooted in the body/mind connection, nourished by the imagination, and anchored in the support of our therapy relationship. My style includes both directing and listening. I understand that your timing and willingness to explore your concerns are unique and must be navigated with respect. We work together to take stock, talk about your goals, and gather the tools needed - from your own strengths, the training I bring, and a community of resources - to help you continue your journey of wellbeing.

Most importantly, my ideal client is someone who is desiring and ready for change. You may feel stuck in some aspect of your life such as career or relationships. You may have suffered a traumatic event. You may be experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression. And you have reached a point when you are ready to take action even if you don't quite know what that will look like yet. What I love most is accompanying someone on their journey inward, offering a safe space for you to be fully you.

Are you overwhelmed by emotional turmoil? Is a relationship causing you pain? Do you feel stuck in anxiety or depression? As an expert in emotional resilience and relational wellbeing, I help you get in touch with what you deeply want and uncover internal resources that have been buried. I assist you in developing communication skills to navigate the complexities of friendship, family and work. From this place of strength, we create together a safe space in therapy to experience and express the full range of human emotions so that even the most difficult experiences and traumatic events can be processed.