Hello! I’m a Filipina, licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 16 years of experience in the San Francisco Bay Area. I graduated with my master's degree from John F. Kennedy University with a specialty in somatic psychology and my bachelor's degree from U. C. Berkeley. I specialize in working with professional women and BIPOC who have a lot on their plate and feel like they’re going to collapse or explode if one more thing happens. That being said, I am comfortable working with people from all walks of life. My approach is tailored to your needs and is informed by my training and experience in massage therapy, somatic (body-oriented) psychology and trauma-informed care (somatic experiencing). I also have extensive experience using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy, and facilitating therapy groups. Individuals come to me seeking a person who is not only highly trained, but also empathetic, kind, and honest - someone who has done their own work and can join them in theirs. I offer a space where you can feel safe, understood, and free to show up as your true self. I love helping people get to know themselves in a new way.

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

In your first session, we'll explore what brought you to therapy, what your goals are, and over time, the obstacles to those goals. We will talk about your needs, expectations, and previous experience(s) of therapy, including what has worked and what hasn't. Whether there is a specific issue that you want to address, or you are looking for more insight and growth, healing comes in many forms. During treatment, I will work with your present-moment and bodily experience to help you feel more alive, aligned with your values, and grounded in your everyday life.

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

As a somatic psychotherapist, I understand that insight and talk are insufficient to help a person live their best life. Understanding oneself and others and having the "right" language for one's thoughts and experiences, while valuable, are not enough if you continue to feel disconnected and not present for the life you want. Somatic work can help you feel the wordless joy, clarity and calm that arise from being at home with yourself.

Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.

I tend to work best with people who are curious, motivated and driven to understand themselves better. People who appreciate a warm, direct and interactive style, also tend to be clients who stick with me. I really enjoy working with folks who have tried different types of therapy (usually, but not always, conventional talk therapy), are frustrated with their results and wondering if therapy is effective. Other people I can help are BIPOC who have given up on finding a BIPOC therapist who understands them, and BIPOC who are interested in decolonizing their consciousness. Being a therapist, as well as a client, I know how difficult it can be to find a therapist you connect with, let alone someone who shares a similar (or similar enough) background. It can be a comfort and relief not to have to explain certain things! Lastly, if you are a trauma survivor and struggling with hyperactivation, dissociation and other symptoms that leave you feeling overwhelmed, out of control and/or numb, my training and experience in trauma treatment and somatic orientation make me uniquely qualified to help you.

About Jane Alfonso