My Approach
I believe it's human to struggle and that we all can benefit from self-exploration. Everyone experiences anxieties, periods of feeling down, and stressful life events. We all have childhood wounds and special sensitivities. Everyone must work to develop close bonds with others, to bear loss, and to face rejection. I see therapy as a natural response to life's pressures and challenges. Those close to us also benefit—from our colleagues and friends to our partners and children.
As a seasoned therapist, I am skilled at tailoring my approach to meet your needs. I draw from the most effective elements of western psychotherapy, neuroscience research, and eastern centering practices.
I have found that modern talk therapy or evidence-based psychodynamic psychotherapy is especially effective for achieving deep and lasting change. In practice what that looks like is a conversation over time, albeit a unique one, about who you are, how you want to live, and what's getting in the way. My aim is to help you develop solutions and feel better—as well as help you learn from your life struggles and develop meaning, strength, and even wisdom from them.
Warmth, Compassion, Intelligence, Humor
It takes courage to look at yourself more deeply. I do everything I can to create a warm, welcoming, and confidential space so that you can feel as comfortable and safe as possible.
I will share my thoughts and ideas about what has led to or contributes to your current difficulties and together we’ll determine if how I’m thinking is useful. I do my best to integrate compassion and humor alongside my extensive training and experience into a flexible and practical approach that meets your needs. I'm LGBTQQ sensitive and welcoming.
With over 20 years of experience working in mental health, I have developed an intuitive sense of how to meet you where you are with tailored interventions that help get to the root of your struggles so that you can achieve change that lasts.
Treating Individuals, Not Diagnoses
I don’t treat conditions or symptoms with generic, one-sized-fits-all approaches. I treat you, a whole person. Therapy with me involves helping you sort through your unique thoughts and feelings related to your struggles—thoughts and feelings that can be confusing, conflicting, elusive, and even hidden. We’ll also pay attention to what your body might be holding or communicating, recognizing that the mind and body are integrally connected.
My approach is fiercely non-pathologizing. Diagnostic labels such as “major depressive disorder” or “generalized anxiety disorder” actually only describe symptoms and are not explanatory. In the same way that people with fevers typically require different treatments depending on their underlying causes (viral infection, bacterial infection, arthritis, etc.), people with the same mental health diagnosis may not share the same underlying causes or respond to the same treatment. Because of their limited usefulness, DSM diagnostic categories are increasingly not being used to guide treatment.
Medication Knowledgeable
My work with people focuses on holistic healing and emotional growth through psychotherapy. That said, I recognize that pharmacological interventions can make all the difference for some people. I have dual training as a psychotherapist and as a board-certified psychiatric pharmacist.
Given my background and clinical experience related to the use of psychiatric medication, I am comfortable working with people who are taking medications. I am knowledgeable when it comes to helping you sort through the pros and cons of taking medication, pursuing psychotherapy, or both. I also enjoy helping people develop greater emotional stability so that they can discontinue their medications.
Please note that I am not a psychiatrist and I do not prescribe medication. If you begin psychotherapy with me and we determine that you should consider medication, I can help you get evaluated by your general practice physician or by referring you to one of my psychiatrist colleagues.
Who I Work Best With
No way around it, our success relies heavily on the ineffable quality of our fit. I work well with people who, along with wanting solutions and symptom relief, also want to better understand their feelings and behavior so that they can make lasting changes in the way they feel about themselves and relate to others. If you are able to be curious about yourself and have a desire to make changes in your life that you can dedicate some time to work on, we have a high likelihood of being a good fit.
If you’re more interested in quickly learning coping mechanisms for controlling your thoughts, feelings, or behavior without understanding more about yourself, we’re less likely to be a good fit. You might consider cognitive behavioral therapy or medication. If you don’t get the desired results, you might reconsider psychodynamic therapy.
Free Phone Consultation
Even though therapy offers a chance to make long-lasting positive changes in your life, I know that finding the right psychotherapist and starting therapy is often a difficult decision. I invite you to contact me to assess your needs at no cost by phone. There are no forms or paperwork to fill out. Why wait? Call today and start feeling better.
Renée Spencer, LMFT has a master’s degree in integral counseling psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies and a PhD in pharmaceutical chemistry from the University of California, San Francisco. A Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Board Certified Psychiatric Pharmacist, Renée has also undertaken lengthy and rigorous post-licensure training in psychoanalysis at the San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis.