Lane Ratchford, Psychotherapist in San Francisco, 94123

Lane Ratchford, MA

Profession(s):
Psychotherapy, Marriage & Family Therapy
License Status:
I'm an intern under supervision
Primary License:
IMF - 58966

My Approach to Helping

I learned from an ecologist in southwestern Colorado something that surprised me: trees that have been struck by lightning are the strongest and most resilient in the forest. This is because, when wounded, they begin a natural healing process. They stop growing upward, and direct their resources to the site of the lightning strike. They take time. They fortify with sap and nutrients. They heal. When the process is complete, they return to growing upward, but their core is now stronger than before the weather struck them. They can support more weight and more life around them.

I like this metaphor for psychotherapy. We each have within us a natural wisdom - we are born with it - we know how to heal. Psychotherapy aims to help each individual unlock this inborn capacity. My goal as a therapist is to support each individual's unique healing process.

It is so common to reach an impasse in life and need support. Many come into therapy feeling anxious, alone, sad, worried about the future or the past, blocked or dissatisfied. They feel stuck or "struck", with old problems or brand new ones. They want relief from these distressing states of being; they want to move forward to a happier and sturdier future - in career, relationships, and creative paths.

Therapy offers a place to turn in and explore these impasses, with the ground of a secure and reliable relationship beneath you. I engage compassionately and interactively with you and together, we come to discover the sources of your dissatisfaction, making it possible for you to move forward, extend your canopy and flower into your full potential.

I particularly specialize in working with issues of shyness and social anxiety, creativity, self-esteem, issues in building and maintaining relationships, loss and grief, developmental trauma and family-of-origin issues, and major life/career/spiritual transitions. When desired by the individual person, I offer work with dreams, sandplay, drawing, and active imagination to nurture non-verbal and/or alternative ways of exploring your inner landscape. I also have experience in helping people cope with chronic autoimmune conditions such as Lupus, RA, MS, fibromyalgia, etc.

In addition to my work with adults, I offer Sandplay, play therapy, and talk therapy for children (ages 5-18). I help children with issues of shyness, social adaptation, communication, creativity, anxiety, grief and loss, anger/bullying, and attachment-related trauma.

More Info About My Practice

I offer a free initial consultation, with no obligation, designed for us to meet and assess whether we are a "good fit" in working together. You may schedule an initial consultation using the scheduling app in the top right corner of this page. I will then email or call you to confirm our meeting.

My fees are determined according to a sliding scale based on your income. I do not accept insurance, but can provide you with an invoice of your session fees which you submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.

I am also happy to answer any questions you have about my practice by phone or email. Please don't hesitate to ask.

Services I Provide

Individual Therapy & Counseling
Marriage, Couples, or Relationship Counseling
Family Therapy
Group Therapy
Online Counseling / Phone Therapy

Ages I Work With

Children
Teens
Adults
Elders

Languages I Speak

English

Groups I Work With

Additionally I specialize in helping sufferers of autoimmune diseases, such as Lupus, MS, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, etc., cope and thrive with their diagnoses.