Jorge Villarroel, MA, MFT License No. LMFT102068
A Bit About Therapy
415-367-4135
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Jorge Villarroel, LMFT
Psychotherapy for Adults, Couples & Adolescents
License LMFT 102068
I approach therapy with warmth, compassionate curiosity, and honest reflection, focusing on the present moment. I draw from my own life experience, as well as my academic training.
I am a supportive and open-minded therapist. I work together with individuals toward self-discovery, connecting with others from a perspective of personal awareness. I believe the therapeutic relationship has the potential to transform our lives in real and meaningful ways. Perhaps you feel stuck, or experience depression, anxiety, or pain that keeps you from living a full life and having healthy relationships, therapy can help one overcome these issues.
“The spirit of a man is constructed out of his choices.”
Irvin Yalom
A Bit About Therapy
My approach to therapy is based in modern research on the brain, trauma and attachment theory. I also draw on wisdom from multiple cultural traditions.
People usually come to therapy because something troublesome has happened , end of a relationship, a lay-off, loss, grief, a painful new circumstance etc. Others decide to seek therapy considering the possibility of a more meaningful life, relationship, a more satisfying career etc.
Therapy is a journey to sense, name and discover what we usually keep hidden. And in doing so, to unearth and accept who we genuine are at a core level. This process can lead to relief, clarity, aliveness, and perhaps even thriving.
I am originally from Argentina. I have an expertise in cross-cultural and immigration issues. I'm fluent in Spanish and have extensive experience working with culturally diverse clients, treating trauma and PTSD, survivors of interpersonal violence, systemic trauma. I have also done in depth work with many individuals living with HIV and LGBT individuals.
Some of the problems I have helped my clients work through include:
Anxiety - Depression - Addiction - Anger Management -Behavioral Issues - Chronic Illness - Coping Skills Divorce - Domestic Abuse - Domestic Violence - Immigration
Family Conflict - Grief and Loss
Life Transitions - Obsessive-Compulsive (OCD) - Self Esteem - Sexual Abuse
Stress - Substance Abuse -Gender Identity - Trauma and PTSD
Services I Offer
Making You Feel Better
I work with effective psychotherapy methods to evoke self-understanding and awareness among clients. I believe the goal of therapy is to become who you are in essence.
If you work with me, we'll look at your personal, family and cultural history, and the beliefs you hold about yourself and the world. We’ll look at broader patterns in your life. As we observe emotional patterns that feel cemented now, you may begin to envision new ways of relating to the world. Therapy can help us evolve beyond our habitual ways of being.
We can collaboratively work together to address distressing thoughts and feelings that prevent you from a fulfilling life. From small scale circumstances, to traumatic experiences, my approach is personalized to suit everyone’s needs.
Therapy is available in English and in Spanish, and with long distance clients I work over Skype.
Couples Therapy
"Love is not just a passion spark between two people; there is infinite difference between falling in love and standing in love. Rather, love is a way of being, a "giving to," not a 'falling for"; a mode of relating at large, not an act limited to a single person.” Irvin Yalom
In my therapy sessions, we’ll work to uncover current problems and change unhelpful thinking and behavior.
I enjoy working with all kinds of couples, different sexual orientations, ethnicities and relationship status. I help couples navigate through communication disruptions, decision-making, parenting conflicts, infidelity and other situations.
Couples often enter counseling stuck in a rut complaining of unbalanced sacrifices, efforts, misunderstandings, blaming each other and feeling under appreciated. We’ll work to create honest communication where each individual can express their feelings without blaming and also hear and empathize with their partner’s feelings. I also try to bring awareness to the tendency of wanting our partner to be different and change. I try to help clients to discover one’s own role in the couple’s difficulties . This fruitful process can promote a closer relationship and lead to personal growth as well.
Contact me today see what I have to offer.
Family Therapy
Family therapy is a type of counseling that can help family members improve communication and resolve conflicts. It may include all family members or just those able or willing to participate. Your specific treatment plan will depend on your family's situation. Family therapy sessions can teach you skills to deepen family connections and get through stressful times, even after you're done going to therapy sessions.
Family therapy can help you improve troubled relationships with your partner, children or other family members. You may address specific issues such as marital or financial problems, conflict between parents and children, or the impact of substance abuse or a mental illness on the entire family.
Your family may pursue family therapy along with other types of mental health treatment, especially if one of you has a mental illness or addiction that also requires additional therapy or rehabilitation treatment
Schedule an appointment today and see what I can do for you.
Individual Therapy
Feeling a bit down lately and nothing seems to lift your spirits? Talking to a therapist help patients develop positive attitudes towards life’s most complex circumstances. During therapy we talked about the human condition as a whole. I have a positive approach that applauds human capacities and aspirations while simultaneously acknowledging human limitations.
I treat individuals with different forms of depression, anxiety, identity issues, substance abuse problems, and relationship issues. While these struggles share commonalities, they are specific to each client. These symptoms are always experienced within the context of one’s own unique personality and relationships. These dynamics can be understood and worked through in relation to another person who offers an objective, compassionate, heartfelt, professional perspective.
Life complications and the way we relate to them are different things. We judge ourselves for feeling a certain way or for having certain thoughts and behaviors. These judgments can eventually become part of the problem. When we experience distress, the specific issue feels to spills on every aspect of our existence. We need space from it. We need understanding, context, and room to breathe so that we are not so identified with the issue itself.
When anxiety is subsides, our vision and perception changes and the process of knowing oneself can unfold. New ways of relating to the world and oneself become possible. Resilience is built and the self is restored.
The therapy hour is a time for you to come to know yourself in relationship to another. Whether familial, friendly, romantic, or professional, we are constantly in relationship with those around us. Using a contemporary relational framework, my work focuses on bringing awareness to how we experience these various types of relationships while growing in a new relationship to ourselves.
Call me today and allow me to help you see the glass half full in everything that life has to offer.
How to Begin
Please leave a message on my voicemail and I will call you back as soon as possible.I offer an initial free consultation via phone, or at my office to discuss why you are seeking psychological services at this time and to determine how to best proceed with treatment.
We’ll also talk about your needs and expectations in terms of scheduling, fees, insurance, and any other logistical issue.
I do offer some sliding-scale fees depending on your situation. I am an in-network provider for a few insurance companies. For the others, I am happy to provide you with a statement for reimbursement.
If you’re interested in meeting, we can set up a consultation for you to see whether you feel comfortable with me and for us to collaborate on the best therapy plan . If this initial session feels promising to you, we can decide on a regular meeting time.
I see individuals weekly for fifty minutes, and couples and families for one hour.
Get to Know Me
Meet Jorge
I'm a licensed Marriage and Family therapist. I was born in Argentina and educated in Argentina and the United States. I have an international background that has helped shape my interests in psychology , multicultural theory and diversity studies. I have experience working with children, adolescents, adults, couples, groups and families with special emphasis in multicultural, ethnicity, diversity and cultural issues. I have trained in a number of clinical settings including outpatient facilities, family counseling centers, and community agencies. I received my degree from California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS). My education there was invaluable to me, as I was introduced to holistic ways of healing and understanding human experience. While obtaining my degree, I undertook rigorous training positions at a variety of public and nonprofit community mental health settings, including Mission Neighborhood Health Center. After completing my degree I began working in private practice independently while continue working in community mental health settings. I also worked for 3 years at Mission Council, where I provided substance abuse counseling.
I have developed essential skills to offer the most effective and caring therapeutic experience in a safe and affirming environment. Ongoing training and other means of remaining active in the field of psychology consistently play a role in my practice to ensure the most current, ethical, and sound therapeutic approaches for my clients.I participate in continuing education through the Psychoanalytic Institute of Northern California (PINC) and the Northern California Society for Psychoanalytic Psychology (NCSPP). I also regularly engage with peers and senior colleagues for consultation.
Contact Me
3195 California Street - San Francisco, CA 94115
I believe that once emotional symptoms have been addressed, the quality of one's life can be improved and maintained. Ultimately, you will have the confidence and ability to be your true self, rather than be conditioned by societal pressure or other's opinions. Your mental health and well-being is important to me. I love helping my patients develop the tools they need to cope with all of life’s challenges. Contact me today to see how I can help you and let’s discuss the wide range of options at your disposal.
Jorge Villarroel / License LMFT 102068
Address:
2211 Post Street - Suite 300 - San Francisco, CA 94115
Email:
Phone:
415-367-4135