Hi, I’m Mikayla.
Before becoming a therapist, I spent nearly a decade studying how people thrive in the workplace. As an Industrial-Organizational psychologist, I supported tech companies by designing leadership training, facilitating team workshops, and helping HR build sustainable hiring, retention, and people development strategies.
I loved that work, but I kept wishing for a smaller room and a slower clock. I wanted the space to work one-on-one or in intimate groups, and to trade the broad strokes of organizational design for the meticulous, quiet work of human depth.
I trained in Somatic Psychotherapy after my own experience learning that the body often knew things the mind was still reaching for. I offer virtual and in-person sessions for individuals and couples at The Marina Counseling Center in San Francisco.
How I Work
In therapy, you have the opportunity to become deeply familiar with yourself. Both the stories you tell, and the lived experience of your own nervous system become terrain to explore. Whether it’s the parts of you that you’re proud of or the parts you’ve learned to hide, every layer is welcome here. My role is to listen deeply and offer a space where you can gently untangle the knots that no longer serve you, making room for a more expansive way of living.
Beyond Talk Therapy
Traditional therapy often stops at thoughts and emotions. My work goes further, treating the body as a doorway to the unconscious. By noticing subtle cues - tension, breath, and posture - we can access deeper patterns that "talking it out" alone often misses.
Our sessions become a bridge between your mind and your body. We look at how your nervous system responds to the world in real-time, allowing you to move out of old, automatic loops and regain a genuine sense of choice in how you show up.
Patterns are Strategies, Not Flaws
Humans are wired for connection and safety. From a young age, we adapt to our environment by masking, shrinking, overachieving, or numbing. These were your body’s brilliant survival strategies that no longer work for the life you’re trying to live.
Over time, these same strategies can turn into the "stuckness" of self-doubt, people-pleasing, or emotional exhaustion. Therapy helps loosen the grip of these patterns so you can speak without hesitation, rest without shame, and trust yourself without second-guessing.
A Partnership for Change
I am here to hold a compassionate space, but I am also here to help you make real change in your life. I will look for opportunities to gently challenge the stories that keep you restricted and help you hold yourself accountable to the life and relationships you actually want.
My approach is an integrated blend of Somatic Experiencing, Polyvagal Theory, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Jungian analysis. Together, we work to expand your range, moving you toward a life where you are no longer just reacting, but truly participating.
Clinical Training
& Professional Background
Education and Advanced Training
M.A. in Counseling Psychology, Specialization in Somatic Psychology
California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS)
M.S. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology
Lynn University
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR International Association (In Progress)
Perinatal Mental Health Certification (PMH-C)
Postpartum Support International (In Progress)
Integrative Health Coach Certificate
Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN)
Professional Affiliations & Memberships
CAMFT – California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
SFCAMFT – San Francisco Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
USABP – United States Association for Body Psychotherapy
Where We’ll Meet
I offer both in person and virtual sessions.
In person sessions are offered at The Marina Counseling Center in San Francisco. Virtual sessions are available to all California residents.
The Marina Counseling Center
1781 Union St
San Francisco, CA 94123
Phone
(415) 212-9042
