Trauma-informed therapy in San Francisco and online across California

Sometimes people come to therapy because something in life has become too painful, confusing, or heavy to carry alone. Other times the reason is less clear. You may look capable from the outside while privately struggling with anxiety, low mood, burnout, emotional overwhelm, or a quiet sense that something in your life does not feel quite right. And sometimes people come because a deeper part of them senses that the life they are living does not fully feel like their own.

Much of my work is with the long-term effects of chronic stress, trauma, abuse, neglect, painful relationships, and other difficult life experiences that continue to shape how a person feels, relates, and moves through the world. Often, what hurts most is not only what happened, but the ways it continues to live on in the present.

You may recognize yourself in this

You might also notice familiar patterns repeating in relationships, or live with a level of tension, loneliness, or shame that has come to feel normal.

Maybe you live with a persistent sense of tension or being on alert in your body, or keep going long past the point where your body is asking for rest. At times you may feel emotionally overwhelmed, and at other times strangely disconnected. Perhaps you have spent so much of your life adapting to others, or holding everything together, that you no longer feel sure what you want, what you need, or who you are beneath these adaptations.

Perhaps you are often hard on yourself in ways other people do not fully see, and feel that you are never quite good enough. You may long for closeness and connection, yet find it difficult to trust others, soften, or let yourself be deeply seen. Perhaps you take on too much responsibility for other people's feelings, lose touch with your own needs, or struggle to set boundaries and stand up for yourself.

Together, we work to understand what has shaped you, what still hurts, and what may now be ready to shift.

How I work in trauma-informed therapy

Therapy with me is not about being judged, fixed, or rushed. It is a space for paying closer attention and making sense of what has been difficult or confusing. You can bring the parts of yourself that feel messy, conflicted, ashamed, or uncertain, and they can be met with care and curiosity.

Working in a trauma-informed way means we move at a pace that feels manageable to you, I explain what we are doing and why, and you decide what you share, and when. My role is not to impose a formula onto your life, but to help you listen more closely to your own experience.

Together, we pay attention both to what is happening in the present and to what lies beneath it: your emotional life, your relationships, the stories you carry about yourself, and the ways your mind and body learned to adapt to difficult circumstances. At times, therapy involves support and practical tools for everyday life. At other times, it means slowing down enough to listen to what has long been pushed aside or protected against.

Therapy can help you understand why certain emotional and relational patterns have taken hold, and why they may have been so hard to shift on your own. I am deeply interested in the meaning and logic of those patterns, and in helping you meet yourself with greater honesty, understanding, and compassion.

Finding the right fit

Finding the right therapist is a personal decision, and a sense of fit matters. If something in my background or way of working resonates with you, you are warmly welcome to reach out. You can book a session directly, or start with a free 15-minute consultation to see how it feels.

I offer online therapy across California and in-person therapy in downtown San Francisco. If you live in the Bay Area, you are welcome to meet in person or online. Sessions are $220 per hour, and low-fee options are available at $170. Insurance is not accepted, but I can provide a bill that you can send to your insurer to see if it can be covered.

I spent my PhD and postdoctoral years researching the long-term impact of adverse childhood experiences, chronic stress, and trauma. Over the years, I have come to see how the ways people learn to survive difficult circumstances, often early in life, can continue to influence them long afterward, through patterns that quietly shape how we feel and relate to others, almost like invisible threads pulling on us in ways we may not fully recognize.

I am Norwegian-licensed, and that license does not carry over to California, so I am now working toward California licensure as a Registered Psychological Associate (registration 94029954) under the supervision of Dr. Cheryl Tien, licensed clinical psychologist, PSY 36121.

My training and supervision

Get in touch

I know it can take courage to begin therapy, especially if you have spent a long time holding things together on your own.

You can use the form, send an email, or leave a voicemail.

Email: drirismsteine@gmail.com

Phone: +1 510-545-3111

Connect

Dr. Iris M. Steine
Registered Psychological Associate, registration 94029954
Supervised by Dr. Cheryl Tien, licensed clinical psychologist, PSY 36121

Insurance is not accepted.
If you are in crisis, call or text 988, or call 911 in an emergency.

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drirismsteine@gmail.com

+1 ‪510-545-3111‬

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