In-Person Therapy in San Francisco & Online Throughout California
Compassionate, Psychodynamic Therapy for Lasting Change
You can look like you have it together—
and still find yourself in the same painful emotional places, both within yourself and in your relationships.
If that feels familiar, you’re not alone. Many of the people I work with feel caught in patterns that are painful, confusing, and feel hard to change.
You might find yourself
feeling like you’re “too much” in some moments and “not enough” in others
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seeming fine on the outside, while internally feeling anxious, sad, or disconnected
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feeling things deeply, but also feeling ashamed of those feelings or unsure if and how to share them
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noticing the same relational dynamics show up again and again, even when you try to do things differently
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struggling to know what you feel or need until things become overwhelming
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turning inward with self-criticism when you can’t “figure it out” or change it
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shutting down or pulling away from the people in your life
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Making sense of what feels stuck
These experiences can feel confusing, especially when part of you is trying to understand what is happening while another part feels stuck in it.
These patterns are not random, and they are not who you are.
Often, they form over time in response to earlier relationships, environments and experiences, and become familiar ways of coping and relating that once worked and helped you survive.
What therapy can open up
My work is grounded in a psychodynamic and relational approach to therapy. In our work together, we slow things down so you can begin to understand what is happening beneath the surface of your emotional life and relationships.
Rather than focusing only on symptoms or strategies, we pay attention to how you experience yourself and others—how you relate, how you protect yourself, and how you respond to closeness, emotion, and need.
This process is not only about insight, but about experience: beginning to notice yourself differently as things unfold, and relating to yourself with more space and compassion.
Over time, this can open up something new—more clarity, more choice, and a way of being with yourself and others that feels less constrained and more alive.
Natalie Yates, LMFT
I’m Natalie, a psychodynamic therapist in San Francisco.
I work with people who often recognize themselves in what you’ve just read. Many are thoughtful, reflective, and self-aware, and yet still find themselves feeling stuck in ways that don’t fully make sense or feel fulfilling.
I welcome people of all identities and backgrounds, and I aim to create a space where you feel seen, respected, and able to show up as you are.
Areas of Focus
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Self-Esteem & Self-Worth
Feeling unsure of yourself or overly self-critical
Difficulty trusting your instincts or feeling grounded in who you are
Wanting to feel more secure, steady, and at home within yourself
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Early Relationships & Developmental Trauma
The lasting impact of early relationships and formative experiences
Carrying unresolved pain, shame, or unmet emotional needs
Noticing how the past continues to shape your expectations and relationships
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Anxiety & Emotional Overwhelm
A persistent sense of worry, unease, or inner tension
Feeling emotionally flooded, on edge, or stuck in overthinking
Difficulty slowing down or accessing a sense of calm
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Relationship Challenges
Repeating patterns in romantic or interpersonal relationships
Struggles with closeness, vulnerability, conflict, or disconnection
Wanting to understand how you relate to others and why it feels hard at times
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Depression
Feelings of emptiness, heaviness, or disconnection
Low energy, withdrawal, or loss of interest
Feeling stuck, lost, or unsure how to move forward
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Life Transitions & Identity Shifts
Navigating periods of change such as moves, loss, health, relationship shifts, college or career transitions
Periods that bring up questions about identity, direction, or belonging
Wanting a greater sense of stability and continuity through change
“It is a joy to be hidden, and disaster not to be found.”