I offer limited hours for sessions in-person at an office suite in the lower Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco (Post & Scott St). The majority of my appointments are remote, with sessions conducted via secure HIPAA-compliant videoconference software, which allows for effective work without requiring clients to travel to a specific office location. I am licensed as a psychologist in both California (PSY28603) and Florida (PY13127).
INDIVIDUAL THERAPY
My specialty is health psychology, which broadly encompasses the interplay between one’s physical health and emotional health, such as experiencing mood or relationship difficulties due to the effects of chronic pain or other chronic conditions. It can additionally include experiencing traumatic symptoms from a single medical event, or a series of such events, or vicarious trauma from witnessing a loved one go through such experiences. Having space to process such experiences and learn how to manage them in effective ways is a primary benefit of such therapy.
The skills and techniques involved in such work are widely flexible, and encompass approaches that are both emotionally supportive (which tends to be most helpful for goals such as improving depression, trauma, or grief) as well as more directive (which tends to be most helpful for goals such as managing anxiety or ADHD symptoms). Such work also often includes building skills for positive behavior change, such as increasing exercise, losing weight, improving sleep, or reducing substance use. I pride myself on working from an integrative perspective that allows me to tailor treatment plans to the individual needs of my clients. My primary modalities include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Motivational Interviewing. These techniques are evidence-based and are widely considered first-line treatments for issues such as:
- Depression
- Anxiety/Panic
- Chronic pain/chronic illness
- Trauma/PTSD
- ADHD
- OCD
- Insomnia
- Substance abuse or other addiction recovery
- Positive behavior change (e.g. quitting smoking, losing weight, etc.)
Please note that, though I specialize in health psychology, I am NOT a medical doctor or psychiatrist, which means that I am unable to prescribe any medications. However, I have a great deal of experience collaborating with medical providers, and if you take or are considering taking prescription psychiatric medication I will gladly consult with your prescribing physician to maximize the benefits you receive from both therapy and medical treatment.
RELATIONSHIP/COUPLES’ THERAPY
I work with couples (and polycules) using primarily Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Emotionally Focused Therapy techniques. In the context of relationship therapy, I specialize in facilitating adjustment to the effects of one or more partners managing a chronic illness or issues related to neurodiversity. As with individual health psychology, the skills and techniques involved are widely flexible to specific circumstances. Common benefits of such work include:
- Improved open communication
- Conflict resolution
- Developing attachment and facilitating compromise between partners
- Recovery/repair following infidelity or other relationship stressor
- Developing shared values and future goals
BRIEF VS. OPEN-ENDED TREATMENT
There are times when it is helpful to build an open-ended ongoing therapy relationship, and there are other times when it is helpful to make a short-term treatment plan with a defined end date and specific outcome goals. Particularly for health-related goals, there is significant evidence for the efficacy of a treatment plan that is short-term by design, which may be easier to commit to and consistently engage in. Though I often work with individuals and couples on an open-ended basis, I also encourage my clients to consider such a short-term option if it makes sense for their needs and available time/budget. I will gladly offer a no-cost consultation prior to beginning work with a potential new client, during which we can collaboratively make plans for the sort of treatment that feels most appropriate.
David J. Velleman, PsyD 