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Therapy & Support

  • Individual Therapy

    I work with individuals navigating stress, life transitions, career shifts, parenting challenges, anxiety, depression, and trauma. Our work may also focus on reconnecting with your sense of purpose, building resilience, and making meaningful behavior changes that support your well-being.

  • Resilience Training & Biofeedback

    If it is right for your needs, we can incorporate real-time Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback (HRVB) to improve stress-resilience. I typically integrate biofeedback with talk therapy to help identify therapeutic targets, assess how you’re responding to different approaches, and track progress over time. Home practice during the week is available.

  • Brief Career Coaching

    I also offer short-term career coaching—typically 3 to 6 sessions—to help you manage work-related stress and build skills for burnout resilience and interpersonal effectiveness. The hourly rate is the same as for therapy sessions. These coaching sessions are skills-focused and do not address deeper therapeutic concerns or involve diagnosis or treatment of mental health conditions.


It’s okay to wonder if therapy will be the right fit. If we choose to work together, I’ll bring empirically-supported techniques, practical skill-building, and a safe, supportive space for transformation.

I integrate technology gently - as a mind-body tool - to help you understand yourself more deeply, train your nervous system and build stress-resilience.

I’m a PhD-level licensed Clinical Psychologist (CA PSY26005), HRV Biofeedback Practitioner, and former Associate Professor at UCSF, with over 20 years of experience in psychotherapy and mind-body research (Learn more about my background).

Get the SUpport you Need

Free Consultation
Kirstin Aschbacher, PhD

How it works

  • We’ll start with a free 15-minute phone call to connect and talk about what’s bringing you to therapy.

    This is a chance for you to ask questions and for us to get a sense of whether working together feels like a good fit.  I will also ask you some questions to determine whether your needs fall outside my areas of focus or availability.  If they do, I’ll let you know and may offer other trusted referrals.

  • If we decide to move forward, we’ll schedule your first session. Ongoing sessions are 50-minutes long and typically occur once a week, but we may decide to meet more or less frequently depending on your needs.  

    Your first session will be 60-minutes, giving us extra time to understand your goals and discover how we can work together to address them. I will also ask you some questions to help guide our approach.  Most importantly, this session is your space to see how it feels to begin.

  • I offer therapy both in person—at a centrally located office in San Francisco—and online for those who prefer the flexibility of virtual care.

    If you're interested in Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback (HRVB) training, we can do that remotely as well. You'll just need a compatible device, which you can purchase through me or on your own from a curated list of options. I’ll help you find what works best for your needs.

  • During individual sessions, I will provide all the needed equipment for biofeedback integration. In my practice, biofeedback is focused on emotional wellness and performance enhancement; I do not diagnose or explicitly treat medical conditions.

    While it is not required, many patients get more benefit if they also purchase a small device for daily home practice. If desired, I can provide recommendations for devices you can purchase from 3rd party vendors.

  • Fees

    Sessions are $300, with payment due before each appointment.

    Insurance

    I do not accept insurance; however, I can provide you with a monthly superbill, if you’d like to submit claims for out-of-network reimbursement.

    Cancellation Policy

    Session times are reserved exclusively for you. If you need to cancel or reschedule, please provide at least 48 hours’ notice.

    • Cancellations with less than 48 hours’ notice, or missed sessions, will be charged at the full session fee.

    • Rarely, exceptions may be made in the case of genuine emergencies.

    • If you come to session with a mild cold, kindly let me know so that I can take steps to minimize exposure for others.

    This policy helps me maintain consistency in my practice and ensures that your reserved time is available for you each week.

  • In accordance with the No Surprises Act, you have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate of expected charges for therapy services. Since I do not accept insurance, I will provide this estimate to all self-pay clients in advance. My session fees are listed clearly on this website and are also outlined in the consent form and paperwork you’ll receive before your first session. The estimate will reflect the agreed-upon fee and a general range for the potential number of sessions, depending on your needs and goals. However, this is only a best estimate, and the final number of sessions will depend on your preferences and treatment needs.

Free Consultation

“The paradox of trauma is that it has both the power to destroy and the power to transform and resurrect.”

~ Peter A. Levine