Have you ever been in therapy with a therapist where you didn’t “click”? Or had a phone consultation with a therapist who seemed like a less-than-ideal fit but you felt pressured to start therapy with them? If so, you are not alone. Unfortunately, these are common experiences.

It can be challenging and time-consuming to find a therapist with availability, nonetheless one that you connect with. Often, it feels like really expensive speed-dating, in a time when you should just be able to focus on your mental health.

What’s more, according to research conducted by Norcross and Lambert in 2011 on Evidence-Based Therapy Relationships, individual’s outcomes in therapy are enhanced by a strong therapeutic alliance with their therapist. This research serves as a guiding principle for us at Two Chairs, and we pay a lot of attention to making sure this relationship is set up for success from the outset.

We accomplish this by building out a team of therapists with diverse backgrounds and clinical expertise, and constantly refining our client-therapist matching system.

After an initial consult appointment with us, we match you to one of our therapists considering considering the following factors (among others):

• Symptoms: Current symptoms and severity
• Goals: Your goals for treatment.
• Personality: Coping and communication style.
• Background: Age, gender, identity, ethnicity and language.
• Past treatment: Treatment type, length and outcome.
• Medical history: Health conditions and medications.
• Family history: Mental and physical health.
• Logistics: Schedule availability and location preference.

No matter what, a good therapist should:

• Build trust, understanding, and belief with you.
• Focus on the alliance with you.
• Have a treatment plan and allows it to be flexible.
• Monitor your progress.
• Rely on best research evidence. (Norcross & Wampold, 2019)

With that in mind, we’re excited to introduce you to some of the therapists that make up our clinical team across the San Francisco Bay Area. They share about why they got into the field of psychology, what gets them excited about working with clients every day, and what mental wellness means to them.

Stephanie Noble-King, LMFT

111 N Market St., San Jose

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What sparked your interest in the field of mental health?

I lived overseas for most of my developmental years, and despite the many differences in culture, belief systems, language and community structure, I found that fundamentally people all long for the same securities. We strive for interpersonal connection, love, acceptance, and for our lives to have purpose and meaning.

Most of us wear a 'mask' that we use to emotionally protect ourselves in daily life, and I wanted to create more spaces in the world where people could feel safe exploring who they are underneath. I felt that if the therapeutic experience could help just one person find greater peace with themselves, then they may one day afford that opportunity to another, and to another, and so on.

What do you love most about delivering care to your clients?

I find myself loving the little things—the way a client's eyes light up as they find meaning behind a phrase, the way a body will unfurl when it feels truly accepted, the subtle shifts from early-session-frowns to later-session-smiles. I love being there to witness and help support these moments.

What is your personal definition of mental health?

I don't know that mental health will ever have a definition that works for everyone, as I have found the state of 'mental health' to be incredibly unique to each person. But for me, it is a feeling of peace. For example, ask yourself: what does it even mean to be happy? And not just the easy signs like smiling or enjoying little moments of your day. How do you know you are happy when you sit in silence, alone in a room? How does your body feel? What thoughts, or lack of thoughts, roll by in your mind? I know I am happy and in a good state of mental health when I feel at peace, when thoughts about the past or the future are simply thoughts, and I feel little to no anxiety about the idea of impending change.

What do you do to cultivate your own mental wellbeing, especially in times like this?

I allow. I know that sounds frustratingly simplistic, but I allow myself to feel like doing nothing, or to paint, or to run, or to stretch. I allow myself to eat the chocolate, or to garden, or to sleep in a little longer, with some obvious constraints per my work hours. I think now is the time for allowing yourself to be, whether it is exploring something new, or even exploring how it feels to not be okay. Goodness, if we allowed ourselves the opportunity to be non-judgmentally curious about ourselves the way in which we are curious about a stranger, what might we learn?

Justin D’Avella, PsyD

409 13th St., Oakland

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What sparked your interest in the field of mental health?

I've always been very curious about people, and love hearing the stories they have to tell. Clinical psychology is a field where I can lean into this curiosity and help others navigate periods of high stress and difficulty to find deeper emotional stability.

What do you love most about delivering care to your clients?

It’s fulfilling to make intimate human connections, witness my clients' courage in taking chances and finding newly discovered, strong places within themselves. Being an agent for growth and healing is what gets me excited about showing up for this work every day.

What is your personal definition of mental health?

For me, mental health encompasses so many important aspects of living a full life:

• Experiencing a wider, richer range of emotions
• Learning how to surf the waves of experience
• Finding strength in my vulnerability
• Becoming grounded in my body and orienting toward growth and healing

What do you do to cultivate your own mental wellbeing, especially in times like this?

The activities I’ve been doing to stay balanced while sheltering in place are things I try to prioritize no matter what’s going on in the outside world—getting enough rest, staying true to my routine, running, listening to new music, and taking delight in time spent with my family.

Lindsey Luebe, LCSW

311 California St., San Francisco

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What sparked your interest in the field of mental health?

Throughout my childhood I had always been inspired by the helpers—teachers, counselors and coaches. My first job out of college was working for a group home with youth which opened my eyes to all new types of helping roles. After working there as a residential counselor for 4 years I decided to take the leap and continue in Social Work, a field that allowed me flexibility to take on a variety of helping roles, from crisis management to clinician.

What do you love most about delivering care to your clients?

It has been so exciting and inspiring to be the first touchpoint in a client's mental health journey. I am honored to sit with clients as they share their experiences, sometimes for the first time and to work alongside them as we unravel tangled thoughts together. It's incredible to witness the bravery clients display in the room.

What is your personal definition of mental health?

I believe mental health is a state of psychological and social wellness that looks different to each of us. When we are operating out of a place of wellness we are able to maximize our potential, effectively and authentically engage in relationships, and manage stressors proactively as they come. Over time, I have come to recognize that this is not a stagnant state that can be "achieved," rather one that evolves with different contexts.

What do you do to cultivate your own mental wellbeing, especially in times like this?

In many ways, nature has been a constant in my life when nothing else seems to make sense. Paying attention to the changing seasons, weather patterns and growth of plants is so grounding to me. When I have the time to get outside I will often try to pick a plant or single leaf to focus in on and notice all its tiny details, from the way it looks while waving in the breeze, to the way it smells or how it feels in my fingertips. This helps me to focus on the present moment and consciously choose to take joy in noticing the little things.

Baaba Hawthorne, LMFT

220 Sansome St., San Francisco

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What sparked your interest in the field of mental health?

I have a vivid memory of a friend in high school whose parents were going through a divorce and watching the decline of their mental health. I saw first hand how external factors can influence a person’s internal experience. Shortly thereafter, I got the chance to experience what it was like to peak behind the curtain of the sacred therapy room and find the magic that is the therapeutic process. Seeing a friend benefit from mental health support and also experiencing it myself, I promised to cherish the gift of awareness and insight that I had received by being of service to others.

What do you love most about delivering care to your clients?

It sounds cheesy but the best part is being able to witness their courage. Our society doesn't always do a great job at showcasing the courage it takes to ask for help. Being able to not only witness but support client's through their journey is such a humbling experience and also a great privilege that I do not take for granted.

What is your personal definition of mental health?

Mental health refers to everything that goes on in your internal, cognitive world—your thoughts, emotions, and your physiological responses to those thoughts and emotions. My definition has evolved over time as I continue to learn the various factors that can contribute to and influence our internal experiences.

What do you do to cultivate your own mental wellbeing, especially in times like this?

Especially considering how others are suffering, I often find myself thinking, "but others have it worse so I can't complain". While that might be the case, I still need to be able to support myself regardless of how much better or worse I think I’m doing. Ultimately, the way I’m taking care of myself is by practicing self-kindness and self-compassion.

Anshu Sharma Prunet, LMFT

311 California St., San Francisco

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What sparked your interest in the field of mental health?

I worked in corporate marketing for many years and I enjoyed it very much. However, in my mid 40's, I had a breakthrough—a spiritual awakening that allowed me to discover that I wanted to be a healer in the second part of my life.

What do you love most about delivering care to your clients?

I particularly enjoy the distinct individuality of each client and their stories. Over time, the joy is in the connection with my clients, and seeing our relationships ebb and flow.

What is your personal definition of mental health?

Mental health is the cornerstone of health itself. While it is important to seek help when in crisis, I believe it should be considered a preventive measure, much as an annual check up or exercise are. Difficulties are inevitable but our mental strength to deal with them depends on the tools we have acquired while we are not in crisis.

What do you do to cultivate your own mental wellbeing, especially in times like this?

I have a checklist in my journal and hold myself accountable to 4 tasks every day:

1. Moderate exercise
2. Meditation
3. Connection with a loved one
4. Sufficient sleep

Payton Somers, LPCC

220 Sansome St., San Francisco

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What sparked your interest in the field of mental health?

I believe that it is a uniquely human experience to desire connection and recognition, and to utilize self-awareness to make meaningful change in one's life. As a mental health therapist, I am an integral part of an individual's support system in their pursuit of mental wellness. I feel privileged to bear witness to the resilience and strength in each of my clients every week.

What do you love most about delivering care to your clients?

I cherish the opportunity to walk through difficult times with my clients, supporting them in finding what brings them joy and fulfillment in their lives. I practice in a strengths-based framework that relies heavily on the relationship that I form with each of my clients. In this way, while clients are learning from me, I too am constantly learning them.

What is your personal definition of mental health?

I believe that mental health is defined differently by everyone. Discovering what mental health looks like for each of my clients is so important because this process inherently allows the client to reflect and reclaim their vision of what is possible for themselves by setting their own terms. The work comes in both defining what it means to them and building the tools necessary to realize it. I also believe that mental health is an ever-evolving goal that requires clients to consistently check in with themselves over time and adjust as needed.

What do you do to cultivate your own mental wellbeing, especially in times like this?

During these particularly distressing times, I have found that keeping to a consistent sleep/wake routine as much as possible and adding movement in some form to my everyday has kept my spirits high and outlook positive. Also, connecting with my loved ones is a big part of what brings me joy, and finding little moments of gratitude has been invaluable.

Get to know more members of our team here!

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If you or someone you know is seeking mental health care, you can reach out to our Care Coordination team at support@twochairs.com or by phone at (415) 202-5159.

If you or someone you know is experiencing an emergency or crisis and needs immediate help, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. Additional resources can be found here.

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