TRAUMA THERAPY in San Francisco
HEALINg, rooted in SAFETY, mindfulness & compassion
In-person therapy in San Francisco and online sessions available throughout California
Shaken by trauma?
Reconnect with safety and solid ground
After a distressing event, it’s common to feel on edge, overwhelmed, or disconnected from yourself and the world around you. Some experiences can be so profoundly overwhelming that they disrupt your sense of stability and keep your body and mind in a constant state of alert. Trauma can leave you feeling anxious, depressed, easily angered, and perpetually on guard.
You may struggle with intense emotions that interfere with work, relationships, or even basic decision-making. You might notice heightened sensitivity to certain stimuli, or find yourself avoiding people, places, or reminders of what happened.
Right now, relaxing, sleeping, or even feeling safe may feel impossible. Still, you may be hoping that trauma therapy in San Francisco or online therapy throughout California can bring relief and help restore your sense of groundedness.
When Trauma Affects Every Part of Your Life
After a traumatic experience, even simple tasks can feel overwhelming. You may find yourself trying to numb difficult emotions, avoid reminders of what happened, or make sense of reactions that feel beyond your control. Your body may respond as well, with tension, exhaustion, headaches, or stomach discomfort appearing seemingly out of nowhere.
Night terrors, flashbacks, or intrusive thoughts can leave you feeling unsettled, while daytime can feel foggy or as though you’re moving through life on autopilot. Even when you try to stay strong, self-judgment and harsh criticism can creep in, making it difficult to feel hopeful or connected to yourself.
If it feels like there’s a wall between you and healing, trauma therapy can help. Together, we can explore what you’ve experienced, develop a deeper understanding of your responses, and support you in feeling safer, more grounded, and more connected to yourself. I offer a trauma-informed approach that integrates mindfulness, compassion, and a focus on the experiences and patterns that shape how you move through the world.
Not all wounds are visible, but they can still be healed
Trauma happens when an experience is so painful or frightening that it overwhelms your ability to process what you have experienced. While we often think of trauma as a single dramatic event, it can also result from repeated experiences, such as ongoing emotional, mental, or physical abuse, or from isolated incidents like a house fire or physical assault.
When trauma occurs within your family of origin, it can create relational wounds that affect your ability to trust, connect, and feel secure in relationships. Experiences such as being bullied at school, scapegoated at work, or repeatedly criticized, shamed, or belittled can also leave invisible scars that shape how you see yourself and the world around you. If left unaddressed, these wounds can continue to influence your relationships, self-esteem, and sense of safety long after the events themselves.
Even though these injuries aren’t always visible, healing is possible. Trauma therapy provides a safe space to explore these experiences, develop greater self-understanding, rebuild trust in yourself and others, and begin to reconnect with life.
Healing Trauma Can Feel Overwhelming on Your Own
Most people aren’t born knowing how to process trauma, so trying to navigate it alone can feel confusing, frustrating, and exhausting. Focusing only on symptoms like anxiety, depression, or anger may provide some relief, but it often does not address the deeper experiences and patterns connected to the pain.
Healing involves understanding the beliefs, emotions, and responses that developed in response to what you experienced, while also discovering new ways of relating to yourself, feeling safe in your body, and connecting with others. Therapy can help you create more space from the past so that it no longer feels as though it is shaping every moment of your present.
This work unfolds within the safety of a trusting therapeutic relationship, whether in person in San Francisco or online throughout California. Together, we can explore your experiences, deepen your self-understanding, and help you reconnect with yourself and the life you want to create.
Finding a Safe Space to Heal from Trauma
Trauma can be confusing and isolating, whether you carry a long history of painful experiences or may not even realize that trauma underlies what you’re struggling with. Either way, finding a space to safely process your experiences can be transformative, helping you regain a sense of stability and control in your life.
As a trauma-informed therapist, I work with you to understand how past experiences may continue to shape your present. Together, we’ll explore the patterns that shape your experience, practice slowing down, and develop greater awareness of yourself and your needs.
By gaining a deeper understanding of your experiences and creating a stronger sense of safety within yourself, you can begin to move toward healing. Over time, this process can help you feel more grounded, less reactive, and more connected to yourself, your relationships, and your life.
“I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.”
– C.G. Jung
What You Can Expect in Trauma Therapy
Healing from trauma can feel overwhelming, and it’s natural to want guidance and support along the way. In our sessions, I provide a trusting, compassionate space where you can share your experiences at a pace that feels comfortable for you. As we work together, we’ll explore what you’ve experienced, develop greater awareness of your emotions and responses, and find ways to support greater stability in your daily life.
I’ll also support you in cultivating self-compassion while learning new ways to care for yourself, navigate challenges, and create healthier patterns. The goal is not to erase the past, but to help you develop a different relationship with it, so it no longer defines how you experience yourself, your relationships, or your future.
My Approach to Healing Trauma
Healing from trauma is highly individual; no two people experience pain or wounding in the same way. In therapy, I create a safe, supportive space where you can explore your experiences, process difficult emotions, and develop greater balance and agency.
I draw on mindfulness, relational, and integrative approaches, adapting the work to your unique needs and goals. Together, we cultivate curiosity and self-compassion while exploring the patterns that shape how you relate to yourself and the world.
My hope is that our work together will help you understand and heal emotional wounds, deepen trust in yourself and others, and create a more compassionate relationship with yourself. Over time, this can open space for greater connection, meaning, and a fuller experience of life.
Approaches I Use in Trauma Therapy
I take an integrative approach to trauma therapy, drawing from different perspectives to support the emotional, psychological, and physical impact of trauma. Together, we can explore what you’ve experienced, understand the patterns that developed in response, and find approaches that fit your unique needs.
Narrative therapy can help you make sense of your story and develop a different relationship with painful experiences. By exploring the meaning you have made from what happened, you can begin to loosen the hold of old beliefs and create new possibilities for yourself.
Somatic approaches recognize that trauma can affect not only your thoughts and emotions, but also your body. Through practices that support grounding, awareness, and regulation, you can begin to reconnect with your body and develop a greater sense of safety within yourself.
Mindfulness-informed therapy helps you become more aware of your thoughts, emotions, and reactions so you can respond with greater intention rather than feeling pulled back into old patterns.
Psychodynamic therapy explores how past experiences and relationships may continue to shape how you see yourself, relate to others, and move through the world. Developing insight into these patterns can create new opportunities for healing and change.
Schema therapy helps explore the deeper beliefs you may have developed about yourself and the world, especially when early experiences have shaped your sense of worth, belonging, or safety.
Together, these approaches offer a flexible and compassionate way to work with trauma, supporting greater self-understanding, connection, and resilience.
Thinking About Starting Trauma Therapy but Not Sure What to Expect?
It’s normal to have questions when considering trauma therapy. You might wonder how the process works, whether you’re “ready,” or how you’ll manage difficult memories or emotions. Many people also wonder what a session actually feels like and whether therapy can truly help.
These questions are understandable. Starting therapy can feel like stepping into the unknown, but the process is gradual and supportive. You set the pace, and together we create a safe space where you can explore your experiences, practice self-compassion, and develop new ways of responding to difficult emotions.
Over time, therapy can help you feel more grounded, less reactive, and more connected to yourself and your life. Healing happens at your own pace, through a process that honors your experiences and where you are right now.
Common Questions you may have About Starting Trauma Therapy
You may have questions about therapy or wonder whether it can help you. That’s completely understandable. Research shows that both online and in-person therapy can be effective for trauma and PTSD. Even if you’ve tried to cope on your own and still feel stuck, therapy can offer a supportive space to begin understanding your experiences and moving toward healing.
It’s also natural to wonder about becoming too dependent on your therapist. In the beginning, it’s normal to rely on a trusted relationship as you work through difficult emotions and experiences. Over time, therapy can help you develop greater self-awareness, self-trust, and confidence, allowing the support you receive in therapy to become something you take with you beyond the therapy room.
start on Your Path to Healing and Put Some Distance Between You and the Past
If trauma or PTSD has unsettled your life, therapy can help you regain a sense of balance, safety, and trust in yourself. I provide trauma therapy in San Francisco and online therapy throughout California for those who are ready to explore their experiences and begin creating meaningful change. Together, we can explore what you’ve been through, rebuild a sense of trust in yourself, and reconnect with the life you want to create.
If you have questions or would like more information, leave a confidential message at (415) 292-5888, or contact me to schedule a free 20-minute phone consultation.
Request A PHONE CONSULT
Do you have questions or need more information? Fill out the form to request a free call. You can share a few details about what’s on your mind in the message field. Your information is private, and I’ll respond within 24–48 hours.
IMPORTANT INFO
I offer both in-person sessions in San Francisco and online therapy throughout California.
Appointments are generally 50-minutes in length and are scheduled on a weekly basis.
Longer or more frequent sessions are available for more intensive support.
You may call my office voicemail 24-hours a day and leave me a confidential message.
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