Psychotherapy in San Francisco

Marissa Arora MS, LMFT

I am deeply grateful for the privilege to hold space for individuals through some of the most vulnerable moments of life. My approach weaves together the wisdom of the body, the healing power of our mind, and calling on deep wisdom that guides us toward wholeness. My work draws from psychodynamic, somatic practices, and person centered therapy to help you heal, bring alignment, and reconnect with your true self.
I work to understand each person and am honored to hold space for individuals with different backgrounds and identites. My goal is to bring attention and respect to these varying parts of ourselves. My desire is to attune to the complexities of identity to bring harmony to different parts of ourselves, each of which hold importance.
I believe we all have an inherent drive toward growth and healing. I see my role as partnering with you as a witness to your journey. Life is complex and we are constantly noticing places to bring into balance. My work includes mindfulness practices of non-attachment and compassion.

“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.”

- Carl Rogers

Specialties

Life transitions: immigration parenting, infertility, prenatal and postpartum mental health

Work stress: career achievement and interpersonal concerns in the workplace

Trauma: Healing from attachment and relational trauma (CPTSD)

Psychedelic Integration: supporting individuals who are using psychedelic medicine for healing and growth to process these experiences

Transition: from high control environments

Conflict in relationships: breakups, disagreements with family members

Supporting loved ones: care for family members with acute mental health diagnoses such as psychosis and mood disorders

Therapy is one way to gain new experiences and to be witnessed and supported in the process of healing. In my work I focus on supporting individuals who have experienced trauma. We work to re-wire beliefs about ourselves and the world. I use focusing techniques such as mindfulness, somatic approaches and Brainspotting.

Life brings us many experiences including great joys and deeply painful chapters. Together we can bring curiosity to all of these manifestations.

Offerings

Learn more about Brainspotting

Whether you’re navigating recurring conflicts, rebuilding trust, or simply longing for a deeper, more secure connection, couples therapy can offer a path to greater, understanding. I will partner with you in your unique goals for your relationship.

In my work with couples I use various modalities including Emotionally focused Therapy. Together we can look at ingrained patterns and I will invite both of you to try new ways of relating to each other. This is especially powerful because we can practice these new ways of interacting in our sessions together rather than simply talking about the challenge.

Learn more about EFT

We are all a part of systems that are intricately interconnected. This is true in our families as well as with our larger social environment. Sometimes an imbalance or disturbance becomes apparent. In family therapy we have the opportunity to look at the system as a whole and bring attention to ingrained patterns that are no longer serving you.

Family therapy is broad and can include children and parents or it may be include adult family members. Relatives are uniquely defined by each family, together we can determine which constellation would be helpful to attend therapy.