Steve" data-image="http://sfnewperspectives.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/cropped-headimg_training-150x133.jpg" data-button="">
All NPCC staff members can be reached at their individual phone number or email address.
For an intake interview, please call 415.752.5275 or contact one of our staff members below.
A traumatic event can be life-changing. We may feel as if the person we once were has been permanently changed. In many ways, this is true. We may feel anxious, confused, and isolated. Yet trauma can be transformed into increased resilience and new capacities. I have a strong conviction that with the right conditions, we can heal from adversity. If fact, we can thrive. My work is to provide a safe relationship that can support the body’s intrinsic capacity for healing and the mind make new meaning. I have completed a Master’s degree in counseling psychology at Meridian University. I am a graduate from the Somatic Experiencing Institute and am EMDR-trained. I’ve had a long standing meditation practice that started when I was working on my undergraduate degree in Buddhist and Western Psychology. My mother is an immigrant to this country, and I have lived in Europe for nine years; I have compassion for the outsider. I also have a long history in the performing arts and thus love to support creative people and remove the obstacles that prevent us from being the person that we are meant to be. My approach is humanistic and trauma-informed. I incorporate somatics, mindfullness, parts work and creativity into therapy sessions. I look forward to meeting you!
If you suffer from anxiety, depression or just want to make a change in your life, I am here to help. I work from my heart and intuition, seasoned by my training in depth psychotherapy, experiential therapies, and meditation. I draw from a range of modalities to find what fits best for you. Somatic or body centered therapies can help you to manage and hold your emotions, and learn about the forces behind them. Art, writing or sand tray experiences can be effective non-verbal means to explore undiscovered parts of your internal world. Gestalt techniques can help you to define and work with the different parts of you that cause you pain and inner conflict.
As a professional mediator turned therapist, I work particularly well with couples, helping them to learn how to communicate with one another, show appreciation, draw boundaries and work collaboratively. In my work with both couples and individuals, my training in mediation and coaching allow me to help you meet concrete and specific goals. With over 20 years of mindfulness meditation practice and 12 step experience, I offer therapy that is compassionate, spiritually aware, and solidly based in practices that are known to work. I love working with diverse populations and am dedicated to cultural sensitivity, inclusivity and being aware of issues of privilege.
I look forward to working with you on your journey towards a more fulfilling, happy and connected life!
“The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven...” - John Milton, Paradise Lost
My hope as a therapist is to offer a space for reflection in which you, the client, can come to see yourself with clarity and realize your own personal truth. I am here to help you find your way back to yourself and locate your intuition, spirit, and intention in a way that looks back as it looks forward, clearing space for new choices and experiences. Sight and insight, vision and revision – sometimes, simple recognition opens the way to transformation.
I am a 2016 graduate of the Master’s program in Integral Counseling Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies. I also hold degrees in Art and Philosophy. I bring my creative spirit and intellectual curiosity to a psychodynamic approach to clinical psychology, utilizing interventions including guided imagery, mindfulness-based stress reduction, and cognitive and dialectical behavioral therapy. I have training in somatically oriented, gender-sensitive trauma-informed therapy and bring an expertise in the areas of addiction and recovery to my work.
I am here to be with you along the way while you wonder, imagine, and dream your way to the possibilities you alone can create. I am here to help you see that everything is possible. Therapy is your space to express yourself. It’s okay to be selfish here – this time is all about you. It's okay to be angry, sad, or terrified. It's okay to say the things you think are unsayable. Together we will find an outlet for expressing those things that you’ve been holding which, buried, cause repeated and unnecessary pain.
I will listen without judgment. We'll explore your early childhood and your first relationships, those that wounded you and those that inspired you. We'll take a look at your underlying beliefs, perhaps even some you didn't know you had, and see how these are informing your actions, habits, and unconscious responses. In every instance you will be the one to choose the direction of our inquiry and the depth of the waters in which we swim. I have a deep respect for the unknowable, the great mystery, that aspect of the human condition where something is always left out, just beyond grasp.
Wherever you find yourself in the infinitely varied spectrum of culture, gender, race, sex and religious identity, you are welcome here with me.
"The wound is the place where the light enters you." - Rumi
No one with a heart can escape being wounded. Fortunately, there are many tools at our disposal to help you heal. Whether you are feeling lost, anxious or depressed, in seeking therapy, you have already taken the first step towards finding joy. Go YOU!
As an ordained Episcopal priest, I have journeyed with many people suffering the loss of a loved one, a job and even a sense of identity- due to a life transition. I have counseled people who have been damaged by religion, traumatized by the abuse of power, and undermined by toxic relationships. There is a bright tomorrow for you, even if today, you are not feeling that this is true.
I believe that we are all beloved children- no exceptions. As a counselor, I practice compassion and non-judgment. As a mother of four, a spouse and a feminist, I understand how gender roles and sexual orientation can be used as weapons against us. Yet we long for healthy relationships at the deepest level of our being. If I can help you to feel better or to untangle the emotional knots that sometimes overwhelm us, please be in touch.
I also enjoy working with couples. Perhaps you are ready to make a lifetime commitment to your significant other. I am trained in premarital counseling as a Prepare/Enrich facilitator and also have experience with Imago therapy. Studies show that couples counseling before marriage greatly lessens your chance of divorce. But the good news is that it is never too late to improve a relationship, if both parties are willing. I look forward to helping you and your partner to grow in mutual understanding and contentment.
Do you ever feel blocked or lost? Wondering what your purpose is or where your life is headed? Therapy can provide a safe container to build awareness, heal and find meaning. As a therapist and certified hypnotherapist I offer a nonjudgmental, safe space for you to explore, discover and express yourself. Some tools I engage are mindfulness, hypnotherapy, depth work, reintegration, emotional freedom technique and guided imagery.
As a holistically trained therapist I integrate all realms of being: mental, emotional, physical and spiritual for a balanced life. I believe that you have it within you to heal yourself; I will be a guide alongside you for the adventure. I have experience working with people of all ages and identities who have suffered from anxiety, depression, chronic illness and pain, life transitions, relationship conflict, grief and loss, self-esteem, spiritual confusion/emergence and women’s issues.
“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” – C.G. Jung
"There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.”
-Leonard Cohen
“Why do we focus so intensely on our problems? What draws us to them? Why are
they so attractive? They have the magnet power of love: somehow we desire our
problems; we are in love with them much as we want to get rid of them . . . Problems
sustain us — maybe that’s why they don’t go away. What would a life be without them?
Completely tranquilized and loveless . . . There is a secret love hiding in each problem”
-James Hillman
“What does it matter how many lovers you have if none of them gives you the universe?”
-Jacques Lacan
If you are feeling stuck, or overwhelmed and uncertain of your next step in reaching your potential, I may really be able to help you. Over the past two decades I have specialized in guiding people to get unstuck and rediscover their unique direction and purpose in life.
I believe we all innately hold within us a sense of what we are capable of. Unfortunately our path can become blocked or completely obscured by fear, shame, doubt and prominently other people’s opinions. Using a collaborative approach to recover meaning and their personal authority, I work with my clients to tap into their inner wisdom to overcome their barriers. My approach is person centered, as each of us is like a snowflake, distinct in our composition and gifted abilities. In order to tune into your unique voice we might explore through techniques engaging your imagination, expanding awareness of your how your deepest thoughts and feelings contribute to your behavior and, in a safe space, bringing to light and taking on what is being avoided.
I have been trained as a Jungian oriented depth therapist blending narrative therapy, mindfulness and cognitive behavioral techniques. In addition, I have worked professionally over the past sixteen years as a career counselor; identifying individual strengths to overcome the blocks from within and without.
Whether you are in a life transition, feeling overwhelmed or hopeless, or grappling with existential/spiritual concerns, you don’t have to do this work alone. Together, we can look at old patterns, acknowledge stressors you may carry from early life, other people and unjust systems, and transform your relationship to your truest self and to others. My style has been described as gentle, sensitive, insightful, and collaborative. My approach is mindful, multicultural, experiential, and trauma-informed.
A person of color and second-generation immigrant with nearly two decades of leadership experience in nonprofit and community-based social change efforts, I love working with people from a range of perspectives and life experiences in a nonjudgmental and compassionate way. Having spent time in academic public health research, where I received my doctorate, I understand the challenges of work/life balance, burn out, and the search for an authentic, meaningful life.
I am completing an MA in counseling at Palo Alto University and training with the Focusing and Expressive Arts Institute. I am also a graduate of San Francisco Theological Seminary’s diploma in spiritual direction/guidance and bring an awareness of integrating the whole human person. Our work together may be informed by neuroscience, attachment theory, somatic awareness, creativity, awareness of parts, and mindfulness. Together, we can collaborate on living more fully in the present moment.
“…what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Howard Thurman, educator, philosopher, theologian, and civil rights leader.
I help people caught in anxiety, depression, stress and confusion find healing, wholeness and purpose. My approach is gentle and insightful and my method is multi-faceted. For my clients, this means deepening self-awareness and access to powerful inner and outer resources that support creative and effective responses to life’s many challenges. I help couples understand and transform conflict and cycles of negative behavior into healing connections that are safe, intimate and deeply satisfying. I help families explore the hidden rules, roles and rubrics that drive conflict and disconnection and discover new paths to greater trust, freedom, fulfillment and joy. I bring a natural ability to connect with people at the center of their lives and support and empower their efforts to heal and discover their potential. Indeed, psychotherapy can yield profound results including a reduction in anxiety, depression, confusion and self-defeating behavior. It can increase confidence, clarity and a deep sense of well being. When you bring your awareness gently, deliberately and consistently into your experience, with the support and guidance of a skilled, caring therapist, you open a powerful path to change and growth.
I earned a Master of Arts degree in Integral Counseling Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. Drawing from the major spiritual traditions of the East and West, recent cultural and social sciences research, and the innovations made by contemporary psychoanalytic, humanistic, systemic and transpersonal psychologies, the CIIS Integral Counseling Psychology program views psychological healing and growth within the larger context of spiritual unfolding. The program is experiential, culturally sensitive, and centered on the inner work necessary to become a healer. Prior to a career in psychology, I spent more than two decades as a financial journalist in Boston, New York City and San Francisco.
Welcome to New Perspectives! I hope that as you are looking at this site, you are feeling that we can help you make positive changes. Sometimes in life it is very helpful to have an ally, and the aid that we offer through the therapeutic relationship can be a powerful tool for transformation. My name is Gabe, and I have worked with children and adults dealing with depression, anxiety, and situational problems. I believe that while working with my clients, I have increased awareness, helped to understand and process traumatic events, and offered the empathy and insight that has made a difference. I am glad to be here, and to continue helping people in their hour of need.
Seeing you leave my office feeling better and more comfortable in your skin makes my day. Hearing that your life has changed for the better makes my year.
I pledge that when you come to me you will find my heart open to you no matter how you have suffered, no matter what you look like, no matter where you come from and no matter how you live your life. My goal is to look at those things you give me permission to look at and to work with you to see how your choices are or are not serving your wants and needs. I will pay attention to what you are telling me, both in words and in other ways, to serve your needs and to go at the pace that is a fit for you. I will share the understandings I have gained in my life if you want them and if they are helpful to you.
Therapy is about both the inside and the outside. Deeply connecting and understanding what is going on in the room gives you something to take into your life. Bringing your life into the room gives us the things we can look at together to help you become the person you want to be and to give you the life you want to have. To earn your trust, I will be caring and real with you.
If you're looking at this site, there's probably some part of your life that you're considering changing: a job, a relationship, a way of dealing with people or situations that isn't working as well as you would like. Having a therapist to talk out your ideas and feelings with can make the changing you want to do easier.
I'm a seasoned intern who's worked with many women, men, and couples, from many different places and situations. I offer you an interested listener who can also make suggestions, based on my training and experience; then you decide what choices you want to make. If you would like, we can use drawing, role playing, and sand tray work as part of your therapy.
I have a special interest in working with couples, with artists and musicians, and with everyday problems of work and personal relationships. I'd be happy to talk with you about the life changes you want to make.
I have always believed that, as Aldous Huxley said, “experience isn’t what happens to you; it’s what you do with what happens to you.” While we are powerless to control many conditions and events that befall us, we have a capacity for resiliency that therapy can amplify by providing the right tools and support. My job as your therapist is to help you find the right resources, both in your community and within yourself, to help you experience the challenges of life in a way that ultimately empowers you and builds your innate resilience. You can overcome, grow, understand, change, and thrive. I want to help.
Over the last ten years I have sought additional training in trauma, with particular focus on working with survivors of sexual assault. I also have years of experience working with LGBTQ issues, chronic illness, and people living with and affected by HIV. My approach is built on a foundation of feminist perspective because I believe therapy is ineffective if the greater social context a person lives in is not examined critically; most of the time, doing so is empowering for all genders.
I'm trained in many different types of therapy, including humanistic, psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, family systems, narrative, and solution-focused. I incorporate mindfulness practices, feminist theory, somatic experiencing, and Gestalt, imaginal, and Hakomi techniques into my work as fits the client and topic. If you feel like you'd work well with someone who is warm, direct, and conversational, I'd love to hear from you.
I hold a holistic perspective to healing and psychotherapy that includes the intellectual, emotional, spiritual, physical, social, and creative aspects of life. I specialize on the relationship to stress and trauma, how it shapes who we are, and how techniques that uses the power of imagination, play, and creative expression can facilitate healing and wholeness.
During therapy we will collaboratively explore modern understanding and ancient wisdom to develop a unique path to wellness. I strive to cultivate mindful awareness and allow the natural creativity in each individual to provide insightful answers and novel questions that shape our lives for the better. I have experience working with altered states of mind such as dreams and fantasies, spiritual or mystical experiences, and the search for meaning and understanding.
I welcome individual clients, couples, families, and children of all ages. I have experience with anxiety, depression, and traumatic stress/grief, and those in the special needs community. If you are interested in a respectful space for developing yourself, cultivating healthy relationships, and finding fulfillment in work and pleasure, I welcome the opportunity to work with you.
I am passionate about the wisdom, courage, health and joy that lives within every person. Each of us contain the keys to healing our lives, and living to our fullest potential. We contain all that we need. I empower my clients with the tools that they need to work with themselves, thus fostering independence and self-sovereignty. I draw from a broad spectrum of psychotherapeutic modalities in order to best facilitate each client's unique process and path towards self awareness, healing and balance. Some modalities that I use are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Psychosynthesis, guided visualizations, creative expression and mindfulness.
I meet my clients where they are with empathy, unconditional positive regard and a strong belief that clients hold their own wisdom and healing, and that my job is to help them to uncover that natural drive towards health and wholeness.
I have a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in Palo Alto, CA. My approach is humanistic, client focused, transpersonal and psychodynamic.
"Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it." ~Rumi
There are times in every person’s life when something just doesn’t feel right. Maybe you’re feeling exhausted, or perhaps you found yourself in an unexpected life circumstance. Maybe you know what you want but can’t seem to achieve it, or are having trouble discovering what exactly it is that you want? As a therapist I have the utmost respect for anyone who is willing to take a look at their life and set a goal to work towards what they want. In order for this to happen there has to be a mutual trust and respect between the client and therapist. I believe that therapy can be life changing and when an individual is ready to do the work, even a minor adjustment can make a huge difference. I strive to provide each client with a unique approach. We are all on this journey together. My goal is to help others see clearly and live a life of happiness, gratitude, and success.
Having the support of family and friends is wonderful, however sometimes that is simply not enough. I listen with an open mind and whole heart to offer an unbiased perspective that we so rarely receive from those closest to us. Through science based research and mindful guidance I journey along side you in an adventure of truth and freedom. The truth is, when it works, you begin to feel alive again. There is a magic that happens when you open yourself up and begin to accept all that you deserve.
I am open, honest, and direct. I love to see the transition of people’s lives which takes place as they use the tools and insight provided to them through therapy. Whether you’re looking for deep interpersonal counseling or more of a solution focused consultant the benefits are endless. Let’s begin!
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, we’re simply stuck and need help finding clarity, direction, and unique solutions to our problems. I believe in our innate inclination toward health and wholeness. I also believe in the therapeutic process and its ability to improve relationships (with others and with one's self) and its capacity to foster peace, clarity, joy, meaning, and a greater state of aliveness. During the therapeutic process, you'll discover things about you and your life that you didn't know before, experience your feelings beginning to change, and discover new possibilities and solutions. My style is gentle, warm, and non-judgmental. I work with individuals, couples, children, and adolescents using a blend of approaches with a steady eye on the mind-body-spirit interplay. The goal, however, is always to find the therapeutic approach and pacing that supports your comfort level and your ability to explore freely.
In closing, please know that you're showing incredible initiative by researching therapists. And, really, that’s so much about what therapy is. It’s taking action and simply exploring new ideas and options, trying them on, seeing how things feel, and figuring out what works best for you. In essence, your path toward more satisfaction and fulfillment has already begun. I have great hope for you, and I wish you all the very best. Good luck!
Welcome, how can I help you? Life is full of transitions; some are easier than others. I will work with you to clarify issues, identify obstacles, and develop new awareness and skills to create the changes you want.
I enjoy working with individuals and couples of all ages on a variety of problems including relationships, work, aging, and LGBTQ issues in a supportive and non-judgmental environment. I bring warmth and humor to our sessions as well.
Additionally, I offer art therapy as part of my specialized training. Art therapy offers additional means of expression to deepen our work beyond discussions. We may use drawing, painting, collage, photography or sculpting. Relax, no skills are required.
I am also trained to teach Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills and I co-lead a weekly DBT Skills Training Group here at NPCC. These skills are highly beneficial for regulating emotions and interacting with others. We can work on developing these skills as well.
Therapy may be challenging at times, but if you stay with it, it can yield fulfilling results. I look forward to hearing from you.
