Andrea Rubenstein, PsyD

There are many aspects of my history and personality that lead me to become a psychologist. Growing up in Costa Rica in a blended family, I was naturally inclined to notice similarities and differences, continuously finding myself on the upside or downside of power differentials depending on what part of my identity I was identifying with in the moment. I was able to witness two different cultures as a traveled to the United States to visit family. I eventually migrated to the U.S. in my early adolescence. As a teenager, I suddenly lost so many connections due to the move. Since this developmental stage is already a challenging one, this event made this time-period particularly difficult for me. This was my first experience participating in my own therapy. I quickly recognized the value of the therapeutic space and therapeutic relationship in helping me explore different aspects of myself, reflect on the difficulties in my life, and brainstorm how to improve or cope with my situation. It wasn’t until after I experienced loss and tragedy in my life that choosing to become a therapist for my career became the clear path for me. I completed my graduate studies at Alliant University, California School of Professional Psychology, San Francisco Campus. I have been practicing psychology since 2013 and have worked with children, adults, families, and couples with a wide range of presenting problems and backgrounds. I am rooted in attachment and relational psychodynamic theory to help develop insight, uncover obstacles towards change, and explore and label emotions. This is a collaborative process that often parallels other relationships or interactions outside the therapeutic room. I also incorporate behavioral approaches to generate strategies and help clients gain coping skills when they are too overwhelmed and need to decrease stress before being able to begin exploring patterns in their relationship with self and others. I have had the opportunity of supporting people with different areas of needs such as anxiety, depression, stress associated with job/life balance, parenting difficulties, relationship/communication struggles, increasing self-esteem/self-awareness, stage of life challenges, trauma/PTSD, and child-parent relationship difficulties to name a few. My own background and area of interest also allows me to work with blended families and families that identify as being multicultural/multiethnic. Please contact me to explore if I am the best fit in supporting you in this journey.