Find a Therapist in Pacifica, California.

Psychotherapy is a longer-term approach to change utilizing a growth and insight-focused orientation. Through the process connections between past and present are made and with greater awareness of what has led to where we are now we can begin to make conscious choices rather than react when old stuff is triggered and react in ways that don't feel good later. Often EMDR, somatic work, Internal Family Systems and compassion-focused therapies are utilized combined with process-based psychotherapy to address all aspects of the Self.

Psychotherapy gives you a place that exists for one purpose: to understand you. Away from the roles you play and the people you look after, you can finally turn toward your own experience and say what's true. That alone can be a relief; over time, it becomes much more. My role is to listen with care and to help you notice what you've overlooked: the recurring themes, the feelings that don't add up, the desires and fears you may not have put into words before. Much of what shapes us runs quietly underneath the surface, and bringing it into the open is what allows things to shift. The trust we build together is part of how the work heals: being met with serious attention and care.

Healthy relationships make healthy people. Unfortunately, about 50% of our society, while their parents may have loved them dearly, didn't get enough attachment and connection. When this happens, the normal / natural response is depression, anger, excess perfectionism, feeling uncomfortable in your skin, etc. While I may use several modalities, I am always being present and attuning to you in a way that gives you permission to be who you are. My experience is this creates a re-wiring of the "attachment / connecting" neuropathways in your brain. My clients, usually between 6 months and 2 years experience significant emotional shifts that allow them to feel comfortable in their own skin.

I help men and teens who are struggling with emotional pain, transform their lives. More than a decade's worth of focus on men's issues has taught me that men can experience and express emotion differently than women. In addition to my role as a psychotherapist, I am also Research Director at the San Francisco Psychotherapy Research Group, where I study the processes that lead to effective psychotherapy. My combined clinical and research background means that I am very aware of the most current and effective methods in psychotherapy, allowing me to utilize a warm, compassionate, and scientifically-informed approach to help my clients achieve the maximum benefits possible.

FRUSTRATED AND STRESSED OUT? Not happy in a relationship? Suffering from anxiety or depression? Unsure where to go from here? Looking for some solution to a complicated issue? I can help! In therapy, you can work through your inner conflicts, feelings of sadness, anger, guilt, and move on to clarity, decisiveness, peace and empowerment. I am interested in your journey to a better life. Call me for a free telephone consultation session.

Feeling stuck in a cycle that is causing you pain or a lack of fulfillment leaves you open to increased stress, followed by more pain and lack of fulfillment. This puts a strain on your relationships and your sense of well-being. Maybe you feel stuck in addiction, depression, anxiety, a relationship you want to change, a job that doesn't satisfy you anymore. Maybe you have specific ways of interacting with people that you find doesn't serve you anymore- yelling, arguing, passivity, keeping your guard up. We explore your patterns, your symptoms and the reasons they were useful to you. I will teach you knew ways of managing your emotions and ways to diminish patterns that no longer serve you.