Containing what feels unmanageable
Psychotherapy for Adults in San Francisco & Online in California
People seek therapy for many reasons. For some, life feels unbearably heavy—weighted by sadness, anxiety, or exhaustion. For others, the difficulty lies in repetition: the same arguments, the same cycles of self-criticism, the same disappointments no matter how hard they try. Still others describe a sense of disconnection—moving through the world while feeling cut off from themselves or from those they love.
Whatever form these struggles take, they are real and deserve to be taken seriously. At Amphora Psychotherapy, individual therapy offers a secure, reliable space where what feels too much to carry alone can be named, thought about, and gradually transformed.
Therapy here is more than coping strategies or quick fixes. It is a place to bring the parts of your inner life that feel confusing, overwhelming, or difficult to articulate—and to be met by another human being who listens carefully, over time, and in depth.
We offer depth-oriented, psychodynamic psychotherapy for adults in San Francisco and online throughout California, for those seeking both relief from immediate distress and deeper, more lasting change.
Why People Seek Therapy
Most people begin therapy because something has become too painful to manage on their own. You may be experiencing:
Persistent sadness, emptiness, or loss of motivation
Anxiety, worry, panic, or constant tension that doesn’t let up
Harsh self-criticism or perfectionism that leaves you depleted
Conflicts in relationships, or fear of closeness that leads to isolation
Grief following a loss
The emotional impact of illness, chronic pain, or major life transitions
None of these experiences exist in a vacuum. They are shaped by your history, relationships, culture, body, and social context. Therapy at Amphora is a place where the whole of you—your experiences, identities, and contradictions—belongs.
How Therapy Helps
Finding relief in the present
In the early stages, therapy often brings a sense of relief—like exhaling after holding your breath for too long. Naming what has been carried alone can help you feel steadier and less overwhelmed.
Working through the past
Unprocessed experiences do not remain in the past. They often show up as anxiety, emotional numbness, physical tension, or relationship patterns that repeat despite your best efforts. Therapy offers a place to think and feel through these patterns, so earlier experiences no longer quietly dictate the present.
Creating lasting change
Depth-oriented therapy does more than reduce symptoms. Over time, it reshapes how you relate to yourself and to others. Many clients describe developing greater emotional capacity, resilience, and a renewed sense of freedom in how they live their lives.
What Sets Amphora Apart
A secure therapeutic relationship
We understand the therapeutic relationship as the engine of change. Therapy works best when it is grounded in a steady, reliable connection that can hold difficulty without rushing to fix it.
Active, engaged listening
Your therapist is not a passive observer. We listen closely and respond thoughtfully—reflecting, clarifying, and at times offering respectful challenge—in service of helping you understand yourself more fully.
Depth and containment
Like the vessel we are named for, therapy at Amphora provides a container for what feels unbearable. This holding allows difficult feelings, conflicts, and questions to become more manageable and meaningful over time.
Tailored, adaptive work
No two therapies look the same. We follow what matters most to you, offering support and guidance as needed, at a pace that respects your experience.
What to Expect
Therapy unfolds gradually, with trust at its center.
Initial consultation
A first meeting to talk about what brings you to therapy, your history, and your hopes. It’s also a chance to see whether our way of working feels like a good fit.
Ongoing sessions
Many clients attend weekly sessions; others benefit from meeting more frequently during certain phases of treatment.
Exploration and reflection
Sessions may focus on present-day concerns or move toward deeper material such as early experiences, dreams, or recurring relational patterns. What matters is not only what is said, but what emerges in the therapeutic relationship over time.
Ongoing growth
As therapy continues, many clients report feeling less burdened, more connected, and better able to meet the complexities of their lives.
Ah, whom can we ever turn to in our need? …we are not really at home in our interpreted world.
Rainer Maria Rilke, “Duino Elegies”
Common Questions
How long does therapy take?
There is no set timeline. Some people seek short-term support during a crisis, while others engage in longer-term therapy to work through deeper patterns and support lasting change.
What if I don’t know what to talk about?
You don’t need to arrive with an agenda. Silence, uncertainty, and confusion are welcome. Often, what feels hardest to articulate becomes the most meaningful part of the work.
Does therapy work?
Yes. Research consistently shows that psychotherapy is effective in reducing distress and improving quality of life. Longer-term therapies, in particular, are associated with durable benefits that extend beyond the end of treatment.
Will you give me tips or tools?
Sometimes. While our work is not organized around a fixed set of techniques, we are responsive to your wish for guidance and will help you develop capacities you can carry into life outside the therapy room.
Therapy with Amphora Psychotherapy in San Francisco
Beginning therapy is a way of taking yourself seriously—your pain, your questions, and your wish for something different. At Amphora Psychotherapy, we offer a space not only for relief from what hurts, but for deeper growth and change.
If you are living with anxiety, depression, painful relationship patterns, or the weight of illness or transition, individual psychotherapy may help. We invite you to schedule a consultation and take the first step.