Trauma and PTSD therapists in San Francisco, CA
Find experienced trauma and PTSD therapists in San Francisco, California who provide testing, evidence-based treatment for trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, and related challenges such as anxiety, depression, and stress. Compare detailed therapist profiles and connect with a provider that’s right for you.
PTSD/Trauma
Lisa Abdilova Andresen
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW
The links between trauma and achievement spotlight the success stories of people who've endured difficult pasts. Through resilience and resourcefulness, some persevered and found success as an outlet for improving self-esteem. How else could you have filled the void of highly critical, emotionally unavailable parents? The trouble is that success may be tough to integrate and truly celebrate as your own, no matter how impressive your resume gets. Fortunately, recovery from trauma is very possible and with time, can foster post-traumatic growth which leads to a more fulfilling life and meaningful relationships. My clinical approach includes Internal Family Systems which explores how different parts of you protect and serve you. Trauma-Focused CBT also helps unravel core-beliefs that may complicate your relationship with yourself, your ability to trust others, or see the world as a safe place.
9 Years Experience
In-Person in San Francisco, CA 94107
Online in San Francisco, CA
PTSD/Trauma
Dr. Shawn V Giammattei
Psychologist, PhD
Many of our clients also struggle with trauma and PTSD, especially as a result of the minority stress experienced and their many intersections of minorities identities. We use several modalities including DBT, EMDR, IFS to help heal the reactions to harmful events and experiences.
17 Years Experience
In-Person in San Francisco, CA 94116
Online in San Francisco, CA
PTSD/Trauma
Amenah Arman
Therapist, MS-CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING, Nationally Certified Counselor
Trauma can shape how the nervous system responds to stress, relationships, and responsibility long after the original experience has passed. For many high-performing professionals, creatives, and leaders, trauma may show up as hypervigilance, emotional shutdown, perfectionism, or a constant sense of pressure to stay in control. Through trauma-informed therapy, narrative work, and nervous system regulation, we focus on helping the body and mind process unresolved experiences so you can feel safer, more grounded, and more present in your life and work.
7 Years Experience
In-Person in San Francisco, CA
Online in San Francisco, CA
PTSD/Trauma
Eric Olsen
Life Coach, PTSD, Trauma Triage, BSc Social Sciences, DoD Career Councilor, SARC, DAPA, Pre Licensed Human Intelligence / Psychology, Life Coach. | Professional Support: LSSBB, PgM, Bluestone PMP,
I am trained to handle your trauma and PTSD symptoms. We can work together to help uncover root cause and put you on a path and get your resources in addition that will help your recovery.
17 Years Experience
Online in San Francisco, CA (Online Only)
PTSD/Trauma
Dr. Jadah Petty
Psychologist, Ph.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Trauma is an experience that can impact nearly every aspect of someone's life, from relationships/trust, to work, to self-esteem, to mood and the list goes on. Finding someone who specializes in trauma/PTSD is essential to truly getting the help you need. I offer the gold standard treatments for PTSD (e.g. Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure), as well as treatments like EMDR and STAIR. Building a strong relationship is the first step to help you on your journey to re-engaging in the life you want to lead. I will then help you process your trauma, understand triggers, and develop new coping strategies for managing.
7 Years Experience
Online in San Francisco, CA (Online Only)
PTSD/Trauma
Heidi Hartston
Psychologist, PhD
A traumatic experience can reset your nervous system to be chronically hyper-vigilant as if another dangerous situation is right around the corner. Chronic hypervigilance can have you on guard all the time, over-reactive, easily offended or startled, sleep deprived and feeling alone and unsupported. It is exhausting and unsustainable to live that way. And it can shut down your creativity, playfullness, relationships and physical health too. I can work with you to process trauma, anger and grief. And I can help you learn to ease your nervous system back into a more relaxed state. I combine insightful, caring depth work with evidence based techniques that effectively free you from past traumas, self-sabotaging patterns, and help you to build the balanced, happy life you deserve.
35 Years Experience
Online in San Francisco, CA (Online Only)
PTSD/Trauma
Susana Scotti, Journey Psychotherapy
Psychologist, PhD
I offer specialized trauma therapy for individuals experiencing the effects of past trauma, including PTSD, complex trauma, and chronic stress. Trauma and PTSD can leave you feeling stuck in the past, overwhelmed by intrusive memories, or constantly on edge. You may experience flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance, or a persistent sense of fear, disconnection, or emotional numbness. These reactions are your mind and body’s way of trying to cope with overwhelming experiences. As a clinical psychologist, I provide a safe, supportive space to process trauma at a pace that feels manageable. My approach is trauma-informed and grounded in evidence-based treatments, helping you gently work through painful experiences while building skills to regulate emotions and feel more in control. Together, we focus on reducing distressing symptoms, restoring a sense of safety, and helping you reconnect with yourself and others. Healing from trauma is possible, and you don’t have to go through it alone.
13 Years Experience
Online in San Francisco, CA (Online Only)
PTSD/Trauma
Juliana Sloane
Hypnotherapist, CHT
Hypnotherapy for trauma can be an incredible tool for healing. Whether you're grappling with the long term effects of childhood or developmental trauma, or trying to find relief after a more recent event, hypnosis offers a proven path for freedom and relief. A life with fewer triggers and more ease is possible. One of my clients recently shared with me:
"Just a couple years ago, there were so many moments with my trauma responses where I felt like “This is never going to change.” And it has completely changed. My nervous system is completely different."
It may not have been a magic bullet that fixed her in one session, but over time, as we worked on the triggers, the reactions, and the patterns locked away in the body and mind, it became more and more possible to change behaviors, feelings, thoughts, and so much more. Not only that, but we managed to have fun along the way- embracing hope, strength, joy, and laughter - all while healing trauma. This is my goal for every client I work with - to feel more free, more themselves, more able to live the life they really choose.
6 Years Experience
Online in San Francisco, CA (Online Only)
PTSD/Trauma
Aaron Kapin
Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, SEP, LMT
From the perspective of Somatic Experiencing, trauma isn't the thing that happened 15 years ago (or last week), it's the ongoing effects that that incident continues to have on your body.
We can work together to figure out how your body is still reacting to that incident, and work to help your body 'catch up' to the present moment. If you're safer now than you were then, there are ways we can help your body 'complete' the threat response from so long ago, and land in the comparative safety of the present moment.
I can't treat PTSD, so if you've been diagnosed with PTSD you should still work with a licensed mental health professional, even as you work with me. What I can do is support your body in turning down the volume on that threatened feeling that has been coming up since the trauma-inducing events.
11 Years Experience
Online in San Francisco, CA (Online Only)
PTSD/Trauma
Shauna Farabaugh
Life Coach, Certified Somatic Sex Educator, Board Certified Sexologist, Certified TRE provider
I am a certified Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE) practitioner, offering sessions in person or online. TRE can be a great adjunct to other therapies or a primary modality for addressing shock trauma, chronic stress, and compassion fatigue. TRE® accesses the body's inherent mechanism of shaking or vibrating to discharge long held stress and activation. Since we work directly with the nervous system, it is possible to experience relief from symptoms without ever talking about the source of trauma or stress. And once you learn how to self-regulate the technique, you can access it on your own as an ongoing self-care practice, enjoying increased benefits over time without the cost of ongoing appointments. Questions? Curious if TRE is right for you? Contact me today for your FREE consultation.
13 Years Experience
In-Person in San Francisco, CA
Online in San Francisco, CA
PTSD/Trauma
Anxiety Eliminated
Hypnotherapist, Certified Hypnotherapist and Health Coach, MBA
I have an excellent protocol for releasing trauma an PTSD. See video testimonial of psychologist I helped at www.AnxietyElimianted.com
14 Years Experience
In-Person in San Francisco, CA 94104
Online in San Francisco, CA
PTSD/Trauma
Nicole Bermensolo
Marriage and Family Therapist, M.A., AMFT
Whether it was at the hands of a narcissistic parent or abusive partner, I specialize in helping clients overcome trauma resulting from interpersonal relationships. Using a combination of EMDR and talk therapy, we work together to calm that ever-present sense of uneasiness, regain a feeling of safety, and learn to trust in your own judgement. I am living proof that you can overcome abuse and trauma to live a rich and fulfilling life on your own terms.
7 Years Experience
In-Person in San Francisco, CA 94122
Online in San Francisco, CA
PTSD/Trauma
Erin Powers
Counselor/Therapist, APCC 9590
I am trauma-informed and have 5+ years of experience in working with people who have experienced PTSD.
6 Years Experience
Online in San Francisco, CA (Online Only)
PTSD/Trauma
Brooke Taylor
Pre-Licensed Professional, MA, AMFT
Trauma in teens rarely announces itself. It shows up as a kid who is on edge for no obvious reason, or who has gone numb, or whose reactions seem out of proportion to whatever just happened. It can look like anger, like risk-taking, like trouble sleeping, like a sudden change in who they are close to and what they will do. Sometimes it is a single event everyone knows about. Sometimes it is years of something that was never named.
What makes it trauma is not the size of the event but what it did to their sense of safety, and how much of it they had to handle alone.
I am trained in EMDR, parts work, and other trauma-focused approaches, and I work at a pace your teen sets. We do not start by asking them to tell the story. We start by building enough trust and enough internal steadiness that going near the hard material does not overwhelm them. That preparation is not a delay before the real work. It is a large part of the real work, and skipping it is how therapy ends up doing harm.
When they are ready, we process what happened so it stops living in the present tense: less reactivity, better sleep, more room to be a teenager rather than someone managing something constantly.
A note for parents. You may not be told everything, and that is by design. Confidentiality is what makes it possible for your teen to be honest, and I will explain clearly what I can and cannot share, and where the limits are around safety. I will keep you involved in the work without asking your teen to give up the privacy that makes it work.
5 Years Experience
Online in San Francisco, CA (Online Only)
PTSD/Trauma
Misty Johnson
Counselor/Therapist, LCSW
I have been a state-certified to work with survivors of sexual violence for over ten years. I have worked with individual survivors as well as facilitate group therapy. I currently facilitate support groups for survivors in San Francisco as well as San Jose. I have many tools to offer to cope and heal from PTSD.
8 Years Experience
In-Person in San Francisco, CA
Online in San Francisco, CA
PTSD/Trauma
Diane Hough, LMFT — Integrative Therapy for Relationships & Life Transitions
Marriage and Family Therapist, LMFT
Trauma can continue to affect how we feel, relate, and respond long after an experience has ended. I offer a gentle, collaborative approach that helps you understand these patterns, reconnect with a sense of safety and inner stability, and move forward without feeling defined by what happened to you.
32 Years Experience
In-Person in San Francisco, CA 94123
Online in San Francisco, CA
PTSD/Trauma
Vanessa Ffrench
Marriage and Family Therapist, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (140713), Certified Yoga & Meditation Instructor
I have a great deal of experience and training in trauma-informed therapy. Most of my work has been with trauma populations; I work with clients to identify childhood traumas, as well as current issues. I use a psychodynamic, trauma-focused lens, and weave in somatic practices to address trauma and bring in nervous system regulation.
15 Years Experience
Online in San Francisco, CA (Online Only)
PTSD/Trauma
Abigail (Abi) Zarate Ramsay
Pre-Licensed Professional, Marriage and Family Therapist Trainee, Professional Clinical Counselor Trainee
I support survivors of trauma and PTSD with a trauma informed, paced approach that centers safety, nervous system regulation, and meaning-making, without pushing you to share more than you are ready for.
0 Years Experience
Online in San Francisco, CA (Online Only)
PTSD/Trauma
Elaine Skoulas
Marriage and Family Therapist, M.A., LMFT
Trauma can shape how you think, feel, relate, and respond to the world, often long after the original events have passed. Whether rooted in childhood experiences, relational wounds, or overwhelming life events, trauma can leave the nervous system stuck in patterns of alertness, shutdown, or emotional reactivity. I integrate EMDR and Somatic Experiencing to help the nervous system process these experiences safely so you can feel more present, empowered, and connected in your life.
8 Years Experience
In-Person in San Francisco, CA
Online in San Francisco, CA
PTSD/Trauma
Lisa Chester-Schyman
Marriage and Family Therapist, LMFT
One of my specialities is working with trauma dn PTSD through a gentle, body-oriented approach informed by my training in Peter Levine's Somatic Experiencing program. Trauma is not just stored in the mind; it lives in the body and healing often begins by reconnecting with the body in safe and supported ways. I offer a compassionate space to help restore a sense of safety and wholeness at your own pace and in your own time.
8 Years Experience
Online in San Francisco, CA (Online Only)
San Francisco's extreme housing costs and the psychological toll of the tech industry — characterized by intense performance pressure, rapid layoff cycles, and boom-bust uncertainty — have made burnout, anxiety, and economic grief among the most common presenting concerns. The city has a historically significant LGBTQ+ community, and affirming therapists specializing in gender identity, queer relationships, and HIV-related concerns remain an important part of the local therapy landscape. UCSF Health provides world-class institutional mental health resources, while the city's dense network of independent practitioners reflects a culture that has long embraced therapy as a normal and valued part of life. Telehealth has expanded access significantly for Bay Area residents commuting from Oakland, the East Bay, and the Peninsula.
Trauma and PTSD therapists in San Francisco, CA Statistics
Trauma and PTSD therapists in San Francisco, CA average 15 years of experience and charge around $205 per session. 99% offer online sessions. The top treatment approaches are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) (63%), Psychodynamic Therapy (40%), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) (39%).
Average years in practice
15 Years Experience
Average cost per session
$205
Accept insurance
37%
Offer sliding scale
49%
Gender ID
| 71% |
Female |
|
| 24% |
Male |
|
| 3% |
Non-Binary |
|
| 2% |
Gender Fluid |
|
Session Type
| 61% |
In Person and Online |
|
| 38% |
Online Only |
|
| 1% |
In Person Only |
|
Top Treatment Approaches
| 63% | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) |
| 40% | Psychodynamic Therapy |
| 39% | Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) |
| 35% | Person-Centered Therapy (Rogerian) |
| 33% | Existential / Humanistic Therapy |
| 33% | Somatic Therapy |
| 32% | Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) |
Ages Served
| 98% | Adult |
| 60% | Young Adult |
| 49% | Senior |
| 48% | Teen |
| 25% | Children |
Client Focus
| 60% | Women |
| 44% | LGBTQ+ |
| 33% | Men |
| 25% | Hispanic / Latino |
| 24% | Asian |