Couples Counseling Therapists in Pacific Heights, San Francisco, CA

Life can be very overwhelming and lonely at times. When this feels too much to deal with alone, psychotherapy can be a place to have someone else see your struggles and help you bear them. I believe that through a meaningful relationship, we can work together to help you understand why you are suffering and how you can have more options for relating to yourself and others. For couples, being in a relationship itself can feel impossible. Through allowing in a third person to witness your dynamics and understand both members of the couple, it can be easier to communicate with each other.

Anxiety, stress, relationship issues,or grief limit how you show up in life roles. Past traumas or attachment hurts get re-triggered, Challenging times provide an opportunity to change old, conditioned patterns & self-defeating habits. You can learn to manage transitions and stressors in your relationships, family, work, health or parenting. You are finally ready to confront difficult emotions, make better choices, live healthier, communicate better, overcome avoidance, or take more risks. Ready to learn self-compassion and self-direction. In our therapy, couples work or EMDR, we will work together to mold your future self.

I am a Licensed Psychologist who works with adults in psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, and couples therapy, Over the last 25 years, I have helped people with a wide range of problems including depression, anxiety, substance abuse, sexual concerns, interpersonal relationship issues, career obstacles, blocks in creativity, and the process of coming to terms with difficult and traumatic life situations. Usually my work extends further in helping people discover and develop a more lively and authentic sense of self, which in turn brings a sense of deeper meaningfulness and engagement in life.

My work with you begins with the recognition that it takes courage to seek help. You may have questions about why you feel the way you feel and why you do the things you do. I believe you are not defined by your symptoms. Whether you struggle with love, work, or relationships, whether you are in crisis or you have received a mental health diagnosis, I believe that your true desires, conflicts, and needs are meaningful and worth actively getting to know. From our first session together, I meet you where you are.

I believe that therapy is a gift that a person can give themself. It can be part of the journey that enables a person to join with me to figure out what may be getting in the way of living their best life. Starting therapy takes courage. I have 30 years of experience working in this field. I believe that each of us deserves to live our best life and that working with me, people come to new places of self-acceptance, forgiveness, self-awareness, resiliency and can go on to realize more of their hopes and dreams.

I help individuals, couples, and families identify their goals, face their fears, and explore old patterns of behavior so they can make the desired changes in their lives that lead to more meaningful, happy futures as well as better relationships with themselves and others. I am interested in why we keep doing things that don't seem to work. My approach is both pragmatic and depth oriented and my style is collaborative.

When you are struggling individually or in your relationships, it can be hard to know where to begin, and harder at times to believe that getting what you need is even possible. You may have feelings you don't understand, experiences that you are trying to make sense of, or patterns that you feel stuck in. Your experiences and feelings are worthy of our curiosity and consideration. Through our conversations together, the therapy process can help us get to know you better, and open up possibilities for deepening understanding, compassion, connection, and resilience in your life.

You don't have to be in crisis for therapy, it's good just to have someone to talk with. I believe Psychotherapy can be a “point in the right direction” to bring change, healing, and a new sense of hope into your life. This is a place you can talk about anything, where you can explore fears, frustrations, hopes and all the parts of yourself. I am a deep and attentive listener, as well as interactive. One of my goals is to give you my "toolbox" so you can manage life outside the office. My niche is couples therapy, relationship issues, family systems, communication and individuals who want to reach their potential.

Dr. Denise Stilwell is a licensed clinical psychologist with seven years of experience providing psychotherapy in a variety of clinical settings. She worked as a nurse for sixteen years before she became a psychotherapist and brings that rich experience into her practice. She specializes in treating anxiety, depression, identity issues, interpersonal issues, grief, managing chronic illness, and somatic symptom disorder. Dr. Stilwell collaborates with her clients to ensure they feel seen and heard in their sessions while utilizing evidence-based therapy approaches that are culturally sensitive and individually focused.

I bring compassion, curiosity and extensive experience to help clients who may be stuck in repetitive patterns or struggles, or facing unexpected challenges. If you are at a loss for what to do or how to feel better, we can work together to understand what brings you to therapy, relieve distress and develop resilience to help you move forward. My style is warm, collaborative, and grounded in effective practices that calm anxiety, strengthen relationships and foster communication, connection and empathy. I create a safe and nonjudgmental space to attune and meet clients where they are every step of the way.

Emotions can sometimes be difficult to bear-sadness, worries about yourself and others, fears, painful recurrent interactions and relationships. Working with an understanding professional to explore feelings and expectations about yourself and your relationships can be the key to clarifying troubling emotional states. These feelings can cause recurrent painful states, or push us toward repetitive or self-destructive behaviors. Exploring these feelings in a safe relationship can cause feelings about yourself and others to shift, opening to new ways of thinking and behaving. This allows for greater flexibility, enhanced creativity, a better relationship with yourself, and better connections and relationships.

You’ve spent a lot of time being the version of yourself that you believe others have wanted, but it's exhausting. You’re tired of the overwhelm, anxiety, states of panic, feeling depressed, uninspired, or being unseen. You might also be trying to process big life questions that need honest reflections. Gone are the days of trying to manage it all on your own, it's heavier than you thought. You're now ready for professional support.

Something is getting in the way of living the life you want to live. You want to be professionally successful, have good relationships with friends and family, contribute meaningfully to the world and even have some fun. Instead you may be suffering a barrage of negative thoughts about yourself, sabotaging work or relationships or feeling unbearably anxious. I can provide a supportive, respectful relationship where you can face these difficult issues. I have helped many people to curb self/other destructiveness, improve relationships and have a more successful work-life while learning to be more kind to themselves and others.

I typically treat patients with long-standing difficulties. They have usually made numerous attempts to resolve internal distress and conflict in relationships or work with varying degrees of success. I offer intensive therapy that aims to provide the patient with tools to understand their patterns of behavior, decrease emotional distress, manage conflict, and adopt realistic expectations. I believe that the number one curative factor in psychotherapy is the relationship between the therapist and the patient. My role is to be mindful of the patient's tolerance for distress so as to keep therapy moving forward.

I specialize in relationship issues, marital and premartial couples therapy, and support anxiety and financial stress. Chronic disconnection with your partner or close relationships or struggles in managing anxious feelings can really upset the peace in your world. When struggling and worried about your future, change can feel overwhelming and confusing. I can help you sort out how to better manage your relationships and mood. If you're longing to learn how to love or cope with anxiety, going inward with skilled guidance can really help. I'm here to support you to heal and change. Let's schedule a call and talk about what you need.

My approach is relational, warm, and collaborative. I feel passionate about helping you make the changes in your life you'd like help with, including better relationships/marriage, improving mood, more effective parenting, increasing self-esteem, navigating divorce, feeling less stuck, help with addictions, navigating adolescent issues, and more. I began providing therapy to clients on the east coast in 1994 as a licensed LGSW. Years later I became licensed in California and continue to successfully help clients experience positive change. I have an office in San Francisco and in Marin County.

As a San Francisco therapist, I work with adults, young children and adolescents. I provide marriage therapy, couples counseling and individual psychotherapy. I have over 20 years of experience, and am expert in helping my patients understand their thoughts, behaviors and emotions. I have helped people facing a diverse, wide variety of challenges in their lives. I use my expertise to provide a safe atmosphere where you can explore solutions for your problems. I use an interactive approach to help you develop improved ways of coping with issues. My goal is to help improve the quality of your life.

Welcome to a transformative journey towards healing & self-discovery. I am Lisa, a psychotherapist licensed in CA & NY. My therapeutic toolkit includes CBT, DBT, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). With a profound commitment to supporting individuals & relationships on their path to mental well-being, I bring forth an integrative, culturally attuned, & compassionate approach. Tailoring evidence-based techniques to suit your unique needs, we collaboratively establish a nurturing therapeutic alliance that fosters healing & personal growth.

I have over 25 years of providing individual therapy to adults, children and adolescents. I also work with couples. My clinical experience and training will be the guide in working collaboratively with you to make sense of how you might be avoiding feelings with counterproductive activities or are overwhelmed by emotions and thoughts that prevent you from living a more satisfying life. My specialty areas include: issues related to separation and divorce, child therapy and interventions for early childhood issues. I am interested in understanding the impact of intergenerational trauma. I have experience working with symptoms from trauma.