About My Therapy Practice
I believe healing happens in relationship—with ourselves, with others, and within the safe, attuned space of therapy.
- Natalie Yates, LMFT
I’m a licensed psychotherapist in San Francisco offering psychodynamic, trauma-informed therapy for adults and adolescents navigating life transitions, depression, anxiety, grief, relationship and family challenges, low self-esteem, and the effects of trauma.
Therapy is a space to slow down, explore patterns, and give voice to what has often gone unspoken. Together, we look at how early experiences and relational dynamics shape how you think, feel, and relate to yourself and others. Our therapeutic relationship becomes a place where these patterns can be understood and experienced differently, supporting lasting change through reflection, emotional awareness, and new relational experience.
Many people come to therapy feeling stuck, disconnected, or caught in repeating patterns despite their efforts. Therapy offers a space to make sense of these experiences and begin relating to yourself and others with greater clarity, self-compassion, and connection.
“The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.”
— Kahlil Gibran
The Therapeutic Process
Therapy with me is not about applying a single technique or following a set formula. It is a collaborative, unfolding process where we pay attention to what emerges in real time, including your thoughts, emotions, bodily experiences, memories, and relational patterns.
This also includes what happens in the therapeutic relationship itself, which can offer meaningful insight into longstanding ways of relating and experiencing yourself with others.
Over time, this process can help you develop a deeper understanding of yourself, soften patterns that feel rigid or painful, and open the possibility for new ways of being.
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
Additional areas of expertise and clinical focus:
Relationships issues & dating
Low self-esteem & self-worth
Attachment challenges
Difficult family dynamics
PTSD & complex trauma
Grief & loss, and separations
Friendship & peer relationships
Bipolar disorder
Boundaries & people-pleasing
Perfectionism
LGTBQIA+
Suicidal thoughts & self-harm
Sexual trauma & sexual assault
Domestic abuse & intimate-partner violence
Substance use
Stress
Therapeutic Orientations
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We explore how unconscious patterns and past relational experiences shape your current emotional life.
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We attend to how early relationships influence your sense of safety, connection, and belonging.
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We move at a pace that respects your nervous system, prioritizing safety and choice.
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We include attention to the body as part of emotional experience, supporting integration and grounding.
Training and Background
Education
Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Santa Clara University
Emphasis in LGBTQ+ Counseling
Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara
Minors in Applied Psychology and Education
Training
I’ve worked in a range of settings, including schools, community mental health clinics, and private practice, which has shaped how I understand people, relationships, and care. I remain engaged in ongoing consultation to support thoughtful and ethical work. I’m deeply committed to this practice, and I continue my own therapy—something I believe is essential to showing up with presence, care, honesty, and authenticity, both as a psychotherapist and as a person.
My training has included working with survivors of sexual trauma, human trafficking, intimate partner violence, and domestic abuse. In that work, I’ve been continually struck by people’s capacity for resilience, and I aim to support a process of healing that feels meaningful, steady, and at your own pace.
License and Certifications
CA Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #139404
Certified Clinical Trauma Professional
Professional Affiliations
The Embody Lab
The Psychoanalytic Institute of Northern California (PINC)
California Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (CAMFT & SF-CAMFT)
Next Steps
If this resonates, I invite you to reach out for a complimentary 30-minute consultation. We can connect and get a sense of whether working together feels like a good fit. You’re welcome to ask questions and take your time deciding. Therapy can be a place to feel less alone, more grounded, and more at home in yourself.
Connect
I offer a complimentary consultation to see if we might be a good fit. Please feel free to reach out with any questions or to schedule a time to connect.
Business Hours: Monday–Thursday, 9am–6pm; Fridays, 10am–3pm