Somatic Therapists in Tenderloin, San Francisco, CA

We are living in challenging times. When a heartbreaking loss knocks us down to the ground, or a trauma from the past gets activated from a recent event, it can feel unbearable to cope with all that is already happening in the world. In our work together, we will bring the healing power of awareness to the discomfort in a safe and supportive setting to help you increase your capacity to be with the pain, and move through it. So often we are unaware of the patterns we hold in our bodies and minds that keep us stuck. Together we can shed light on what is happening so you can choose how you want to respond and show up in your life.

As your therapist, I create an environment for you to feel safe to explore fears, challenges and your deepest desires. I'm here to empower you! I'll offer a variety of techniques and collaborate with you in developing goals to co-create a therapeutic experience, facilitating healing and personal growth. I use an anti-oppression, disability justice framework and consider how ethnicity, class, gender, age, ability and sexuality intersect. My background as a community organizer for social justice informs my practice. I will tailor our work together to address your unique and specific needs and preferences.

No matter who we are or what our background in life, much of our behavior is influenced by our unconscious mind, and I have learned that facing these unconscious motives in a relational therapy setting can lead to psychological healing, especially when combined with the physical body and somatic experiences. I enjoy engaging with clients in exploration, analysis, and reflective interpretation, and through this, developing a path of healing and growth.

My philosophy of care is to provide compassion and support to help you achieve your goals. This is accomplished by focusing on what is important to you, where you will be listened to and heard, and for us to share an honest and accurate reflection of your experience. If you've ever felt stuck or lost, or struggle with intense emotions, or have difficulty connecting with them, therapy with me is a powerful way to find yourself again, to restore balance and hope in yourself, and to revive your innate capacity for resilience and joy.

Feeling like you have to hide parts of yourself at work, or with your romantic partner or family? These pressures can make us lose touch with who we are and what makes us feel alive. Are you feeling lonely or not good enough, and longing to be fully accepted? Together, we can explore what matters most to you, so you can move towards the life you want. I can support you in transforming patterns that make you feel stuck or overwhelmed. I offer Internal Family Systems, Emotionally Focused Therapy, Somatic Therapy, Hypnotherapy, and Brainspotting, which are all proven approaches for healing trauma and reducing anxiety and depression.

As a therapist, my work revolves around helping individuals and families understand and navigate their relational dynamics. My clients are often curious about exploring the complexities of their personality and how it manifests in their relationships. I believe that a willingness to be open-minded and introspective is key to making progress in therapy. In addition to working with individuals, I also have experience working with families who are struggling to build healthier relationships with one another. Whether it's communication issues or other challenges, I'm dedicated to helping families find solutions that work for them.

It is my hope for you that you are thriving in your life--free of anxiety, depression, and other ailments, leaving you open to fully enjoy your life. If this isn't the case and you happen to be feeling stuck, worn-down, stressed, anxious, or depressed, if you're in a challenging transition, struggling with a relationship, or wanting to embody your life more fully--Welcome! I am dedicated to helping guide and support you in achieving your goals. I work using a collaborative, body-centered, approach and will empathically support you on your journey toward greater well-being.

Therapy is about developing a new kind of relationship with one's experience. Much of our pain, suffering, and struggle stem from resisting the experience, judging it, and denying it. My work is dedicated to helping you embrace the challenges and find meaning in them by helping you slow down, enter the experience, and discover your potent spark. We have our answers within and by looking inside, our suffering finds meaning and transformation, our vision finds clarity and awakening.

The most important questions is: "What pain brought you here? What is the hardest issue for you to deal with?" The most important result of the first session is that you walk out feeling that I understand you and will be able to be your ally in working through your issues. In other words we need to like each other and you need to feel that I have the expertise to handle your problems and not judge you.

At Golden Gate Integral Counseling Center, we believe that quality mental health care is a human right. We are dedicated to providing affordable professional psychotherapy to adults and children, couples, and families living in the SF Bay Area. Our sliding-fee scale is structured to accommodate people of all income levels and life situations. The Center provides a supportive and inclusive environment, and services designed to facilitate healing during times of emotional stress, confusion, and pain. Our therapists' approaches are tailored to each unique client and recognize the desire of individuals to find answers within.

We cannot get through life without experiencing difficult times. None of us can. Whether it's dissatisfaction in a relationship, family conflict, career predicament, trauma, or personal distress, we all experience suffering at some point. And yet, how we respond can make all the difference in our future and the future of those we love. Therapy can often be one of the first steps on a path toward a life that is fulfilling and allows you to be your authentic self. The best place to start is right where you are; the time to start is now.

Are you a BIPOC, or Queer identified individual experiencing burnout? Or perhaps you've been feeling misunderstood as a person with different dreams than what your family wanted for you? Are you conflicted and thinking about making major changes in your life? Maybe you simply need additional support to help you process that next step? Making the decision to begin therapy is an important step toward self care and compassion. I can help you in your journey toward personal growth and healing. I create a warm, respectful and safe environment that gently encourages you to speak about issues that you want to focus on.

I have a therapeutic style that is honest, empathetic, compassionate, and straightforward. Using clinically proven treatment methods via Teletherapy, I work holistically, leveraging a combination of treatments to address mental health concerns such as complex trauma, re-parenting, grief, addiction, PTSD, confidence, work/life balance, abuse, and sexual issues. I am also clinically interested in the study and offering of psychotherapy to those living with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. My expertise as a Nutritional Psychologist allows me to look at your needs holistically. www.drjeffreylawton.com

We're artists, leaning into the world & willing our lives. And rapture, an essential feeling, leads us outward to be more truly ‘there’. Heidegger thus interprets Nietzsche’s “will to power:” A strong, full-bodied interest & movement towards the world, before us as a possibility but not always chosen. Poignantly, Heidegger (1961) names a “fallen” state: “Of someone who is intoxicated...he [sic] 'has' something like rapture. But his is not enraptured. The rapture of intoxication [does not raise one] beyond himself. What we are here calling rapture is merely...being 'soused,' something depriv[ing] us of every possible state of being."

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom" -Anaïs Nin. There are times when we feel lost, confused, even fearful. Perhaps we find ourselves at a crossroads, undergoing life changing experiences. We want to deepen our relationship to all aspects of our lives, and may feel we know where we would like to be, but cannot find a foothold, or begin the journey alone. If any of these relate to your life situation, you are probably ready to enter into the therapeutic process.

In my practice, I help you to live the life that you want. We will uncover the things that are keeping you from being as happy and fulfilled as you would like to be. With an integration of many different treatment orientations, I implement the techniques that are the most effective for your particular needs. My mission is to empower and educate you so that eventually, you can be your own therapist.

Do you feel you have it all/have enough, but do not feel satisfied, content, happy, or at peace? Do you want to find meaning and purpose in your life? Do you want to examine the root causes of your emotional suffering instead of putting a bandaid on your symptoms? If so, I invite you to schedule a 20-minute consultation with me to begin exploring your transformation. I can help you to learn to trust yourself, discern what you have and don't have control/responsibility over, and find your center/ true north, which you can utilize to make decisions more effectively and flow through life's ups and downs with more ease.

I am skilled in providing therapy to high-level professionals in tech, science, medical, pharmaceutical, business and law industries, specializing in depression, anxiety, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, LGBTQ-issues, and addictions. Challenges related to professional development, harnessing managerial skills, career and educational transitions, work-life balance, primary relationships, and intentional and curated living are most often the focus of the work with those I serve.

I work with clients to treat anxiety disorders, depression, and bipolar disorders, as well as increase their ability to regulate emotions and replace impulsive behaviors with effective ones. I also help clients to identify their own intrinsic strengths and values. The effect is an ongoing flow of positive experiences, which help to build confidence, boost self-respect, and improve interpersonal relationships. I offer clients positive regard, non-judgmental stance, and a compassionate environment, where they can feel safe expressing their experiences, thoughts and feelings.