Psychodynamic Therapists in San Luis Obispo, CA
See all therapists in San Luis Obispo
Sarah Case
Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, AMFT
Verified
Verified
Are you feeling like you are at a crossroads in life? Going through a big life transition? Struggling with depression or anxiety? Desiring to experience better communication and connection with your partner? I provide a safe container for you to explore your inner life. In my work as a therapist I bring an eclectic approach. I use a
psychodynamic
and somatic methodology incorporating aspects of yoga, mindfulness, breath awareness, expressive arts therapy, and somatic therapy.
Cassie Ueberrhein Psychotherapy
Marriage & Family Therapist, MS, LMFT
Verified
3 Endorsed
Verified
3 Endorsed
I take an eclectic and client-centered approach with a concentration in CBT, psychoeducation and
psychodynamic
methods.
My focus is young adults 18+, college students and LGBTQ+ folx. I have extensive experience working with college students. I aim to support and guide those who may be struggling with adjusting to college, coping with depression and/or anxiety, forming their identity, exploring their sexuality, working on relational patterns, etc. Decreasing stigma of mental illness as well as suicide prevention and LGBTQ+ rights are important causes to me as an individual, LGBTQ+ ally and professional. I am also a sex-positive therapist, who is not here to judge you. :)
Michelle Matoff
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW, PsyD, CBC
Verified
Verified
I am familiar with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, CBT, Jungian Therapy,
Psychodynamic
, Mindfulness practices and more.
I am a Psy.D, LCSW with +20 years of experience. I have lived and worked in diverse social environments (USA, UK, Brazil and Australia) and specialize in the treatment of anxiety, stress management, chronic pain management, codependency, compulsive overeating, pre-bariatric surgery evaluations and post bariatric surgery support.(1) In addition, my practice focuses on life transitions e.g. adjusting to college life, balancing school, career and relationships, aging, loss of health. I work with you to improve the quality of your life.
Not accepting new clients
Larry Galpert
Psychologist, PhD, ABPP
Verified
Verified
I have over 20 years of experience providing individual, couple, and group psychotherapy to adults and older teens. My orientation is eclectic, drawing from
psychodynamic
, humanistic-existential, gestalt, cognitive-behavioral, and internal family systems models. This means I have a variety of tools and approaches with which to help my clients understand and resolve the issues they face. Among the many issues and concerns I have helped people with are depression, substance abuse, relationship problems, affairs, sexual addiction, anxiety, grief, and personal growth. I am board-certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology (the "ABPP" after my name).
Silvia Ortiz
Psychologist, PhD
Verified
Verified
I draw from
Psychodynamic
, Solution Focus, Cognitive Behavioral and Family Systems.
During my 22 years as a psychologist, I have worked with a wide range of conditions. I particularly focus on Depression, Anxiety Disorders, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Substance Abuse, Grief, Domestic Abuse, Obesity, and Self Esteem. I provide services to adolescents, adults, and the elderly either in an individual, couples or a family format. When indicated I collaborate with Doctors and Psychiatrists to ensure effective treatment.
Not accepting new clients
Emma Carr
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified
Verified
My clinical approach is client centered- how can I help you with what is happening today? I utilize a
psychodynamic
and Trauma Informed Care approach to understand and explore your current struggles.
Anxious? Depressed? Overwhelmed and finding it difficult to achieve daily tasks that used to be so easy? Maybe past traumas have been interrupting your sleep, relationships, career, and you don't know how to manage these traumas? Maybe you want understanding and to break generational toxic behaviors that have worked against you? Maybe you witnessed or experienced an extreme event that is affecting you, but have no idea where to start? I get it, life is not easy, and maybe you are at a point you just need to talk to someone who is non-biased and non judgmental. I am happy to be that person to talk too!
Janine Porter
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
I will most often utilize a combination of modalities to best suit the client, and specialize in
psychodynamic
, humanistic, client-centered, creative play-based, and solution-focused approaches.
Seeking therapy is a brave choice and a valuable step in the healing process. If you are pursing therapy for support through a difficult time or transition, for healing childhood wounds, if you are feeling emotional pain or hurt, having trouble navigating a difficult relationship, and/or seeking deeper self-exploration, betterment and growth, I commend you. This is a courageous first step.
Jyana C Wechsler
Psychologist, PsyD
Verified
Verified
I utilize a variety of approaches, including, DBT, Attachment, CBT, Positive Psychology, and
Psychodynamic
.
I am accepting new patients. People are all unique and we strive to live a fulfilled life in which we can truly know ourselves, know peace, experience happiness and manage the cards that life deals us. Choosing a therapist means finding someone who can get you; will listen, care and work with you; and who knows their trade. My role is to be beside you; to hear and guide you in a judgment-free space as you navigate life and achieve your goals. I provide therapy to those 11 and up dealing with issues such as trauma, depression, anxiety, Bipolar, Psychosis, LGBTQ+-related, personality disorders, sexual attraction & offending related.
Cassidy Pierce
Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, AMFT
Verified
Verified
Her approach is inspired by a variety of frameworks: Narrative,
Psychodynamic
, Attachment Theory, and Somatic / Experiential-Based Theories.
Cassidy offers nurturing therapy to adolescents, adults, families, and couples motivated to pursue healing in their lives and relationships. Her understanding of psychotherapy draws from rewarding experiences from mentoring adolescents as a backpacking guide to serving students as a RYT-200 yoga teacher and Trauma-Informed Yoga Instructor (TIYT). She's also contributed to community mental health clinics and school-based settings where she supported individuals and families experiencing distress, addiction, and complex trauma. She ultimately feels privileged to walk alongside you into deep and vulnerable spaces.
Karen McGuffey
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified
Verified
I draw from a holistic mind/ body approach utilizing mindfulness (DBT), cognitive behavioral (CBT),
Psychodynamic
and EMDR therapy.
Are you seeking a safe therapeutic environment where you can resolve issues, deal with internal emotional conflicts, heal and move forward in life. In my practice, I provide my clients with real help and real hope so they can recover and discover the person they were meant to be.
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
& Online
Not accepting new clients
Nicole Vito
Psychologist, PhD
Verified
Verified
My main methods of treatment are Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy and
Psychodynamic
Therapy.
Everyone has the capacity to make positive changes whether they be large or small if they are motivated to do so. Therapy can be a helpful tool to help you acheive your goals and/or explore emotions that are difficult to deal with alone. I prefer to work collaboratively with my clients to develop a treatment plan that works. Therapy can be hard work and it's important that you are comfortable with how your treatment is progressing.
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Rebecca Velasquez
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified
4 Endorsed
Verified
4 Endorsed
Anxious or burned out? Seeking greater life purpose rather than just getting by in life? Time to step into your best, most authentic self! For over 15+ years, Rebecca has treated teens & adult clients with: anxiety, college/life transitions, pre-postpartum issues, addiction recovery, parenting issues, etc. Rebecca is solution-focused &
psychodynamic
in her approach and utilize various modalities including CBT/DBT tools, mindfulness, and creative body-based approaches. Whether you are a high school/college student, career professional, parent or spouse, being an adult can often feel stressful and challenging. Rebecca can help.
Rebecca Bernstein
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified
1 Endorsed
Verified
1 Endorsed
I integrate aspects of Brainspotting, ACT, CBT, narrative,
psychodynamic
, existential and mindfulness to individualize each client's care.
You wake up each morning feeling stuck and alone. Perhaps you know what is causing these feelings or maybe it feels like they came out of nowhere. Either way, these feelings overwhelm you and you’re just not sure what to do about it anymore. You notice that your relationships, work and even your ability to care for yourself are starting to be affected. You make plans to work out or make a positive change, but quickly give up because you just don’t have the energy. You are starting to lose hope that you can get yourself out of this.
Kate Whittle-Utter
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified
9 Endorsed
Verified
9 Endorsed
I practice therapy with a
psychodynamic
perspective, exploring conscious and unconscious patterns, behaviors, and beliefs that impact one's identity and relationships.
Therapy can help you find balance, connection, and fulfillment. In order to do so, I believe it's important that we acknowledge the shadow elements of life-the challenges that cause us pain, confusion, and block us from finding a sense of harmony and well-being. I collaborate with you in navigating the shadows and the more buried aspects of your life in order to develop a deeper capacity for balance, personal growth, and healing. To find out more about who I am, how I work, and if I might be the right therapist for you, consider visiting santacruztherapy.org
Denise Dritsas
Psychologist, PsyD
Verified
Verified
I am a traditional
psychodynamic
therapist in that I consider both conscious, rational expression and the unconsious needs and conflicts of my clients.
I believe in the human capacity to heal, accept, love, and grow from our life experiences. Our most treasured beliefs and relationships help us through the pain and difficult times in life. I believe there is no point so low from which we cannot only recover, but gain wisdom and strength as well. Therefore, I focus my treatment style on emotional and character growth, rather than simple symptom reduction.
Steven McCall
Associate Clinical Social Worker, ASW
Verified
Verified
I consider myself to be a warm, gentle, and supportive listener, and I want to make sure you feel deeply heard and understood. Sometimes it can be challenging to identify what it is that’s causing us to feel down or “stuck.” At other times, we may know all too well what is holding us back, but we’re unable to follow through on strategies to make things better. Wherever you are on your journey, I’m happy to be your ally and encourage you to find more joy and satisfaction in your life. With individuals, my preferred methods include Narrative Therapy,
Psychodynamic
Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Teryn Little
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified
Verified
Using my 39 years of experience within a
psychodynamic
, solution focused, strength affirming, holistic and spiritual approach, you will begin your healing journey.
I believe that we all come into this world as our original precious self. As we develop through childhood experiences, family, culture and society, we often lose touch with our true soul. Oftentimes we are hurt. Challenges and traumas can keep these hurts buried. Any issues left unacknowledged or unresolved keep demanding our attention. How do we overcome? Is it even possible to heal? According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way a bee should be able to fly. Its wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground. The bee, of course, flies away anyway because bees don't care what humans think is impossible...
Chelsea D. Pratt
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified
Verified
With foundations in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy,
Psychodynamic
and Holistic Therapy, I use an integrative approach, incorporating various therapeutic modalities to effectively meet my clients wherever they are at.
In my therapeutic practice, I strive to empower clients in their exploration and healing of maladaptive cognitive beliefs and behavioral patterns. I feel passionate about guiding clients as they learn new, effective strategies for a healthier relationship with the self and with the world.
Cynthia Sailers
Psychologist, PsyD
Verified
3 Endorsed
Verified
3 Endorsed
I utilize multiple modalities (CBT, Mindfulness, Solution-focused, and
Psychodynamic
Therapies).
People come to therapy for many different reasons. Often it is to break life-long defeating patterns, or because they are unhappy about their current situation. Do you continue to do things that you told yourself that you were not going to? Do you find yourself obsessing on negative thoughts or have urges to act on them? I provide supportive and non-shaming treatment for persons struggling with sexual behavior problems, compulsive eating, addiction, and other impulse control disorders. We will also focus on any associated symptoms such as anxiety, depression, weight gain, thoughts of self-harm, or feelings of being out of control.
Christina Dee
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified
10 Endorsed
Verified
10 Endorsed
Connecting with yourself can bring a greater calm and balance to your life. I provide a warm presence to help you nourish, strengthen and restore yourself to emotional, physical and spiritual wellness. Whether you wish you heal a broken heart, process grief and loss, resolve a work challenge or discover ways to fine-tune your beliefs and attitudes, I am ready to journey by your side as a source of support, guidance and insight.
See more therapy options for
Psychodynamic Therapists
Is psychodynamic therapy evidence-based?
Studies have found psychodynamic therapy to be effective in treating conditions like social anxiety, eating disorders, chronic pain, some personality disorders, and depression; indeed, some studies have found it to be just as effective as CBT or medication. What’s more, several studies have found that the benefits of psychodynamic therapy tend to endure—even grow—long after treatment has ended.
How long does psychodynamic therapy last?
Unlike CBT and other more structured forms of therapy, psychodynamic therapy tends to be open-ended and may not be limited to a set number of sessions. It is common for clients to be in therapy for a year or longer and to see their therapist one to three times a week, though the exact schedule and timeline may vary depending on a client’s challenges and progress. However, brief psychodynamic therapy is available, which tends to be more goal-oriented and typically unfolds over 16 to 30 sessions.
Does psychodynamic therapy work?
Research finds that psychodynamic therapy can help someone manage or reduce symptoms of diagnosable mental health conditions like depression or anxiety. The modality may also offer a range of benefits that are harder to measure but just as valuable—such as increased self-worth or healthier relationships. While no therapy type will work for everyone, research and anecdotal evidence suggest that psychodynamic therapy can be highly effective.
What are the limitations of psychodynamic therapy?
Some meta-analyses have concluded that there is little evidence to suggest that psychodynamic therapy can effectively treat certain mental health conditions such as PTSD, OCD, or psychosis, though it is sometimes used to do so. More broadly, the open-ended, free-association structure of psychodynamic therapy may be frustrating for clients who prefer a more structured, time-limited, or goal-oriented approach.