Trauma-Informed Gestalt Therapist

Supporting people with anxiety, people-pleasing, disconnection, and difficult relationship patterns.

In person in San Francisco  ·  Online throughout California

Book a free 20-minute call
Dhespina

Hi! Welcome,

I'm Dhespina (She/they), a British-Albanian therapist trained in Gestalt and Hakomi. My approach is relational, somatic and trauma-informed.

Having grown up across cultures and considering both London and the Bay Area home, I'm attentive to how culture, family, belonging and difficult relationships shape the ways we learn to adapt.

Who I work with

I work with people who became low-need, agreeable, hyper-attuned or emotionally shut down in order to get through difficult relationships, families or life circumstances.

You might be:

  • Stuck in the past or the future, rarely in the present
  • Noticing old family patterns show up with friends and partners
  • Burnt out and aimless
  • Hopeless and low
  • Preoccupied with how others see you
  • Hard on yourself
  • Finding it hard to be in your body, or too anxious to settle into it
  • Unsure what you actually want your life to look like
  • Grieving something outside your control
  • Still carrying something from long ago that you haven't had space to process

What to expect from being in therapy with me

Sessions are collaborative and experiential. We may slow down a moment, notice what is happening in your body and emotions, and explore the patterns emerging in your relationships, including what happens between us.

Rather than telling you how you should think or behave, I help you understand your automatic responses and develop more choice in how you relate to yourself and other people.

Training & Background

  • MA in Integral Counseling Psychology, California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS)
  • Gestalt Clinical Practicum
  • BA in Psychology, Bangor University, Wales
  • Hakomi Professional Skills Training, Levels 1 and 2. In-depth somatic psychotherapy training I pursued beyond my master's, and the foundation of how I work with the body and the present moment in session.

I bring my full humanity into the room, and that creates space for yours.

Working Together

I provide psychotherapy as an employee of Center for Mindful Psychotherapy. My registration with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences is currently pending, and I practice under the supervision of Gieve Patel, LMFT #47196.

Format In-person at 1829 Market Street, San Francisco  ·  Online throughout California
Online sessions are conducted via a HIPAA-compliant video platform.
Fee The fee for sessions with me through Center for Mindful Psychotherapy is $150 per 50-minute session. A limited number of reduced-fee spaces may be available. Center for Mindful Psychotherapy handles all billing and payments.
Insurance Center for Mindful Psychotherapy does not bill insurance directly. I may be able to provide a superbill for you to submit to your insurer for possible out-of-network reimbursement. Reimbursement is determined by your insurance plan.

Get In Touch

The first step is often the hardest. A free 20-minute consultation is a good place to start. We'll talk briefly about what brings you to therapy, what you are looking for and whether working together feels like a good fit.

Book a free 20-minute call

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1829 Market Street, San Francisco  ·  In-person and online sessions