My Background and Approach to Healing

My background is Latin American. I have lived in the United States for many years, beginning with college at Emory University in Atlanta, where I double-majored in Biology and Spanish and Latin American literature. Even then, I was intrigued by how the humanities and literature intersect with the nuances of thinking and feeling.

My interests continued in medical school at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York and throughout my residency in General Adult Psychiatry at UCSF in San Francisco. I decided to pursue advanced training in psychoanalysis once I had graduated and become board-certified as a psychiatrist.

I came to understand that there is so much outside our everyday conscious experience that affects how we feel and interact with others. There is great value in discovering and examining this realm within a supportive space of deep respect for curiosity and healing. It facilitates greater possibilities for change concerning one’s sense of self, identity, and relationships and can get to the root of suffering as a result of persistent, repetitive patterns.

I now invite you to undergo this rewarding journey. Together, we can learn and understand how the interweaving of your experiences, thoughts, feelings, language, and culture have created the singularity within you and in your relationships with others. 

As a psychiatrist, I also can prescribe medications if indicated, which may help you manage your symptoms while we explore the causes of your suffering since in many cases, therapy combined with medication can be more helpful than either treatment on its own.

With or without the need for medication, when we work together, we can identify the real source of your struggles. We can also help you develop solutions and strategies for dealing with the present, coming to terms with the past as much as possible, and overcoming future challenges. We will work together to address your specific situation and create space for insight, acceptance, and healing. Helping others is part of my being. I would be honored to help you recover from your suffering and overcome the obstacles to your happiness.

If you have any questions or want to know more about my approach to psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, and psychiatry, I invite you to call 415 673 3125 or email me at sanfranalista@therapyemail.com for a free 15-minute consultation.