About

As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I want to help you create a life that works. If you are coming to therapy on your own, I help you figure out how to shift emotions, thoughts and behaviors that are getting in your way. If you are coming in as a couple, we identify ways to improve communication skills so you argue less and feel closer. I am touched again and again by the changes I see in my clients, and it would be a privilege to work with you through your process of healing and growth.

With over 10 years as a therapist, I know how to help you explore your inner experience, identify and release blocks, and create lasting change. I am told that my presence is calm, grounded and empathetic and that I put people at ease so they feel comfortable opening up. In sessions with me I listen intently and give you the space to share whatever you need to feel unburdened and understood. Based on my experience as a therapist as well as my intuition, I guide you by asking exploratory questions and offering support and encouragement when you need it. I am not afraid to challenge you when I see that you are stuck and could benefit from thinking about a problem in a new way. Through our dialogue, I help you understand and heal the root causes of your distress, freeing up energy for new ways of relating to yourself and others.

My undergraduate studies were at Brown University, and I received a Master’s of Science in Counseling Psychology from San Francisco State University. Prior to becoming a psychotherapist, I earned a JD from the University of California at Berkeley and a Master’s Degree in Public Affairs from Princeton University, and I worked in community development and advocacy for many years. In addition to receiving rigorous training at various Bay Area clinics, I have completed the Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Foundational Training through Behavioral Tech, as well as completing basic training in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), a tool for healing trauma. Along with my formal education, I have also received training in meditative and spiritual practices that inform my work and life.

If you think we might be a good fit, I encourage you to call me at 415-272-9931 or email me at ljpantell@gmail.com to schedule an initial free phone consultation.