6 San Francisco Therapists for Creatives Now Accepting Clients
Creative work can be deeply meaningful and deeply personal. When rejection, comparison, burnout, perfectionism, or financial uncertainty start crowding out the joy of creating, it can be hard to feel like yourself in your work. At Stillpoint Therapy Collective, we offer therapy for creatives that makes room for both the artist and the person behind the art.
Who we work with
Creativity can take many forms, and you don’t need to earn your living from your art to belong here. We work with people whose creative lives are closely tied to their identity, relationships, work, and sense of self.
Artists, writers, and musicians navigating financial uncertainty or creative pressure.
Performers managing auditions, rejection, visibility, and performance anxiety.
Designers, art directors, and creative professionals experiencing burnout.
Neurodivergent creatives working with unconventional rhythms, focus, or executive functioning.
Queer and trans creatives exploring the relationship between identity and artistic expression.
Multi-hyphenates balancing creative work with another career, caregiving, or other responsibilities.
Whether you are looking for therapy for artists, therapy for performers, or simply a space where your creative life will be taken seriously, you are welcome here.
Bayley Azevedo
As a queer therapist based in San Francisco, I offer therapy for creatives who are navigating burnout, self-doubt, boundary challenges, or the pressure to keep saying yes. My approach is psychodynamic, relational, and trauma-informed, which means we can look at where these patterns began while also building practical ways to communicate your needs. I’m especially passionate about affirming LGBTQIA+ clients and creating a compassionate, sex-positive space where your identity, relationships, and creative life can all be part of the conversation.
Offers therapy for creatives ✓
Credentials: Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #140730, Supervised by Ellen Ottman, LMFT #124702
Specialty Areas: Boundary setting, burnout and stress, self-esteem, cognitive distortions, anxiety and depression, trauma and sexual trauma, LGBTQIA+ couples, intimacy and communication
Location: In-person in San Francisco; virtual across California
Virtual Therapy?: Yes
Amber Godwin
I bring a unique perspective to therapy for creatives through my background in applied math, tech, and somatic therapy. I understand what it can be like to move between analytical thinking and a creative inner life, and how perfectionism, stress, or old patterns can show up in the body. My approach is warm, relational, trauma-informed, and grounded in Somatic Experiencing, helping you slow down, reconnect with yourself, and build greater nervous system regulation without forcing the process.
Offers therapy for creatives ✓
Credentials: Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #144905, Supervised by Michele Rae Bachmeier, LMFT, MFC #35491
Specialty Areas: Anxiety and stress, developmental and complex trauma, nervous system and emotional regulation, life transitions, relationship challenges, self-awareness, Somatic Experiencing
Location: In-person in East Bay
Virtual Therapy?: Yes
Ky Cruz
I offer therapy for creatives in San Francisco who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or caught in patterns they do not fully understand. Rather than treating coping strategies as problems to eliminate, I get curious about what they have helped you survive or protect. My work is trauma-informed, neurodivergent-affirming, and grounded in a social justice lens, drawing from psychodynamic therapy, IFS, mindfulness, somatic work, and DBT. If you want therapy that makes room for complexity rather than forcing you into a formula, we can shape the work around who you are.
Offers therapy for creatives ✓
Credentials: Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #160179, supervised by Ellen Ottman, LMFT #124702
Specialty Areas: Trauma, PTSD and CPTSD, substance use, neurodivergent-affirming therapy, LGBTQIA+ individuals and couples, BIPOC individuals and couples, identity exploration, grief and loss, self-esteem, life transitions
Location: In-person in San Francisco; virtual across California
Virtual Therapy?: Yes
Lauren Thibodeau
As a trans male therapist, I bring lived experience to gender-affirming somatic care for LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities. I use Somatic Experiencing, Internal Family Systems, and EMDR to help you reconnect with your body after trauma, navigate identity, and find your voice. Whether you're healing from interpersonal violence, exploring who you are, or want to feel more empowered, we move at your pace toward your goals.
Offers therapy for creatives ✓
Credentials: Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #127601, supervised by Dr. Sara Gregory-Gilman, LMFT #21586
Specialty Areas: Neurodivergent-affirming therapy (ADHD, Autism Spectrum, OCD), trauma, PTSD and CPTSD, EMDR, LGBTQIA+ and gender-affirming care, BIPOC individuals and couples, chronic illness and chronic pain, somatic therapy
Location: In-person in San Diego
Virtual Therapy?: Yes, across California
Amy Toig
As an artist and singer-songwriter myself, I understand creativity as more than something you do; it can be a source of identity, meaning, resilience, and healing. In therapy for creatives, I bring an integrative approach that combines somatic practices, mindfulness, and relational work. I’m especially attuned to the intersections of creativity, queer identity, chronic illness, and chronic pain, and I also offer Eco Therapy and psychedelic integration when appropriate. My goal is to help you reconnect with your own inner wisdom, self-trust, and creative vitality.
Offers therapy for creatives ✓
Credentials: Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #147414, Supervised by Ellen Ottman, LMFT #124702
Specialty Areas: LGBTQ-affirming therapy, queer couples therapy, anxiety and depression, trauma and PTSD, chronic illness and chronic pain, burnout and stress, identity exploration, psychedelic therapy and integration, Eco Therapy
Location: In-person in San Francisco; virtual across California
Virtual Therapy?: In-person in San Francisco; virtual across California
Tina Salomon-Tripp
Before becoming a therapist, I spent more than 25 years in the creative arts, so I understand how closely your work can be tied to identity, meaning, and self-worth. I specialize in therapy for creatives who feel blocked, self-critical, uncertain, or disconnected from their inner compass. My relational, psychodynamic, and attachment-based approach goes beneath the surface, and I also incorporate creative dreamwork when it feels meaningful. If you want a therapist for artists and other creatives who understands creative life from the inside, I offer a warm, thoughtful, and direct space to explore what is getting in the way.
Offers therapy for creatives ✓
Credentials: Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #149177, Supervised by Joni Lavick, LMFT #31244
Specialty Areas: Creative blocks, low self-esteem, anxiety and depression, identity concerns, guilt and shame, grief and loss, loneliness, young adult individuation, dreamwork
Location: Virtual across California
Virtual Therapy?: Yes
How therapy for creatives can help
How therapy for creatives can help
Turn down the volume on your inner critic
Creative work can make self-doubt especially loud. In therapy for creatives, we look at where that critical voice comes from, what it may be trying to protect you from, and how to relate to it differently. The goal isn’t to lower your standards, but to make creating feel less punishing.
Build a more sustainable creative life
Burnout can happen when your work, identity, income, and sense of purpose become tightly intertwined. Therapy for artists, performers, or other creatives can help you notice where your energy is going, strengthen boundaries, and make more room for rest and recovery. Together, we can work toward a creative life that feels meaningful without constantly draining you.
Reconnect with your body
Sometimes creative blocks show up physically before they make sense intellectually. You may notice tension, numbness, restlessness, or a sense of shutting down. Our somatic therapists can help you tune into those nervous system cues, build greater regulation, and create more space for curiosity, feeling, and creative expression.
Separate your worth from your work
Rejection, criticism, missed opportunities, and comparison can feel intensely personal when what you create means so much to you. Therapy for performers and artists can help you build a steadier sense of self-worth, so feedback can inform your growth without becoming a verdict on who you are.
Common reasons why creatives seek therapy
Sitting down to create and feeling completely stuck, even when the ideas are there.
Taking rejection, criticism, or a missed opportunity more personally than you want to.
Losing the joy in your art once it becomes tied to income, deadlines, or expectations.
Comparing yourself to other creatives and feeling like you’re falling behind.
Saying yes to too many projects, collaborators, or favors and leaving little energy for yourself.
Balancing a demanding job with a creative life that keeps getting pushed to the side.
Feeling disconnected from your body, emotions, or inspiration after months or years of pushing through.
Grieving the career, recognition, or creative life you thought you would have by now.
What to expect from the therapy process
Step 1: Schedule a free 15-minute consultation
Start by filling out our contact form. We’ll set up a brief call to learn what is bringing you to therapy, answer questions about scheduling and fees, and help you determine which Stillpoint therapist may be the best fit.
Step 2: Meet your therapist for a first session
Your first session is a chance to get to know each other and talk about what has been feeling difficult. You don’t need to arrive with clear goals or the “right” way to explain things; we can figure that out together.
Step 3: Settle into a rhythm and adjust as you go
Most clients meet with their therapist weekly so there’s time and consistency for deeper work to unfold. As therapy continues, we’ll check in on what is helping and adjust the process as your creative life, relationships, and needs change.
Frequently Asked Questions About Therapy for Creatives
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Therapy for creatives is therapy with clinicians who understand that creative work can be closely connected to your identity, livelihood, relationships, and sense of purpose. We make room for concerns like creative blocks, rejection, perfectionism, burnout, comparison, and financial uncertainty without treating your creative life like something that needs to be explained or justified.
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Yes, therapy can help you understand what may be underneath a creative block rather than simply trying to force your way through it. Perfectionism, fear of judgment, burnout, anxiety, or past experiences can all make creating feel harder. Together, we can get curious about what is happening and help you find a more sustainable way back to your work.
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No. Therapy isn’t about dulling your sensitivity, imagination, or emotional depth. Instead, it can help you develop a different relationship with the intensity that often comes with creative work. The goal is to help you keep what makes your perspective uniquely yours while reducing the patterns that leave you depleted, stuck, or overwhelmed.
Our work is informed by Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Somatic Experiencing, polyvagal theory, parts work, attachment theory, trauma-informed practices, and neuroscience. We aim to create a space where you can safely explore what’s happening in your body, build awareness of your patterns and release those that no longer serve you, and build a felt sense of safety and aliveness.
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Not at all. We provide therapy for performing artists, artists, writers, musicians, designers, and other creative people at many different stages. Some of our clients make a living through their work, while others create alongside a full-time job, school, or caregiving. If creativity matters to you, you do not need a particular title, income, or level of experience to belong here.
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Many insurance plans cover therapy depending on whether you meet the criteria set by your insurance provider. However, Stillpoint Therapy Collective is an out-of-network practice, so we do not accept insurance directly. If you have out-of-network benefits, we can provide superbills that you may submit to your insurance company for possible partial reimbursement. Coverage varies by plan, so we recommend checking your out-of-network mental health benefits to understand what your insurance may reimburse.