LGBT therapists in San Mateo, CA

I enjoy bringing humor and kindness to my sessions I want to know what you need and will do my best with helping you get there

Anxiety and perfectionism have turned your mind into a battleground. Your inner critic nitpicks every interaction, leaving you exhausted by thoughts of “Damnit, why can’t I just be better!” Painful memories get louder, no matter how hard you try to ignore them. Daily invalidations of your Latina, queer, or immigrant identity sting, and you feel isolated as you keep your suffering to yourself. You’ve tried everything: doom scrolling, drinking, and self-help books, but nothing has worked. You're left feeling hopeless and weighed down.

For the past 20 years, I've worked across private practices, youth development centers, schools, and mental health clinics. My passion is to work with adults navigating major life transitions. Whether you are a college student or approaching retirement, my hope is to walk alongside you during this time of change and uncertainty; to help create the conditions for you to reconnect with your authentic self and remember what lights you up. We can explore ways to recognize and acknowledge your anxiety that moves beyond words. Incorporating expressive arts, guided imagery, and embodied exercises to help you strengthen your awareness with your emotions and rewrite old narratives.

I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (NY & CA) with an MSW from NYU and a BA in Communications from Northwestern. With 14 years as a professional actor and teaching artist, I incorporate creativity into my eclectic therapeutic approach, which includes CBT, mindfulness, expressive arts, and psychodynamics. I specialize in supporting clients with anxiety, depression, identity exploration, relational challenges, and personal growth.

I have had over ten years of training in a variety of somatic therapy approaches. I received my BA in Anthropology at the University of Georgia, and a MA in Counseling Psychotherapy from California Institute of Integral Studies. I've published and presented internationally on themes of embodiment, culture, ancestral memory, and gender. My research on embodiment and culture was published in in the volume Moveable Gardens: Itineraries and Sanctuaries of Remembrance in 2021.

I'm an interactive bi-cultural somatic expressive arts therapist who brings a lot of joy to the work she does, creating safety to address challenges people face. I offer a unique blend of person-centered, humanistic, transpersonal-oriented somatic-based Expressive Arts therapy and energy practices in German and English. I welcome a variety of clients across cultures, ages, lifestyles, and sexual/gender orientations.

Shara Ally, DNP, PMHNP-BC, is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner providing evidence-based medication management for adults (18+) via telehealth. As an author and TEDx speaker, she translates complex research into clear, practical care plans that help patients feel informed and supported.

Shara specializes in mood and anxiety disorders, trauma-related conditions (PTSD), adult ADHD, OCD, bipolar spectrum disorders, and women's mental health across the reproductive lifespan—including perinatal and postpartum mood disorders, PMDD, and menopausal transitions. Her practice is medication-focused and highly collaborative, with education, skills coaching, and supportive check-ins integrated into visits. She coordinates closely with therapists, primary care providers, OB-GYNs, and other clinicians to ensure cohesive treatment.

Patients can expect a comprehensive evaluation reviewing history, symptoms, prior treatments, and goals. Shara practices thoughtful prescribing with transparent discussion of options, benefits, and side effects so decisions are truly shared. She uses measurement-based care—structured symptom tracking—to guide adjustments and reduce trial-and-error. Her whole-person approach integrates sleep, nutrition, movement, and stress management when relevant, with streamlined access through secure telehealth and clear after-visit summaries.

Shara's style is warm, direct, and person-centered, grounded in shared decision-making. Her care is trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and rooted in current clinical evidence. Beyond clinical practice, she serves as a nurse educator and academic mentor, shaping future psychiatric clinicians through evidence-based teaching. An international fellowship in India enriched her global perspective through research and teaching in hospital and university settings.

For up-to-date availability, please visit us or call/text us at 415-968-6515.

I offer a grounded, practical, and collaborative space to help you heal, grow, and move forward with clarity. If you're feeling stuck in old patterns or seeking a deeper sense of direction, we will work together to make sense of your story and build a path toward lasting independence.

Reach out today to begin.

I'm Stephanie Patrick-Calvillo, a Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with a genuine passion for helping people navigate their mental health journeys. I've spent over 15 years in healthcare, and what drives me every day is knowing that mental health challenges don't define you—they're just something we work through together.

My background includes treating adults and adolescents across various settings, from crisis care to long-term recovery programs. I've worked with individuals facing serious mental illness, mood and anxiety disorders, ADHD, eating disorders, substance use concerns, and personality disorders. I also have specialized training in geriatric mental health and dementia-related behavioral changes.

What makes my approach unique is my extensive leadership experience overseeing psychiatric services across multiple facilities. This has taught me not just how to prescribe medication, but how to truly understand the whole person—your daily struggles, your support system, and your goals for feeling better. I take time to explore what's worked before, what hasn't, and why, because effective treatment is never one-size-fits-all.

I'm committed to evidence-based care while recognizing that healing happens differently for everyone. Some people benefit most from medication management, others from therapy integration, and many from a combination approach. I stay current with the latest research and treatment modalities, but I never lose sight of the fact that you're the expert on your own experience.

I believe everyone deserves compassionate, judgment-free care. Whether you're seeking help for the first time or you've been struggling to find the right treatment, I'm here to listen, understand your unique situation, and work collaboratively with you to find solutions that fit your life. My goal is to help you feel heard, supported, and hopeful about your path forward.