Roger Sideman, LCSW

Clinical Intake Coordinator
415.886.7249
roger@holosinstitute.net

I view therapy as the process of restoring our natural drive towards growth and well-being, a way of freeing oneself from the conflicts, wounds and disconnection that impedes these drives.

Therapy exists to help unlock a person’s capacity for change as we confront the usual and unusual problems of life. I draw on a range of approaches as we collaborate on what works in therapy and in life itself. I believe everyone has the capacity to understand his or her own situation, even in the face of unconscious forces, or unwanted thoughts and emotions.

My training includes a full-time internship working with Veterans in the PTSD/Substance Use Clinic at the San Francisco VA Medical Center, comprised of individual and group psychotherapy. At the VA, I conducted numerous sessions with clients outdoors, utilizing the hospital’s beautiful natural setting to promote an atmosphere of safety and non-judgement, and to tune awareness into the present moment, thereby deepening the therapeutic process. I led groups including Anger Management and Seeking Safety, a cognitive-behavioral program for treating co-occurring PTSD and substance abuse. Previous training includes work at Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness Center, a clinic serving men, women, and transgender clients with HIV/AIDS; and San Francisco Suicide Prevention. Over the past decade I have participated in numerous conferences and workshops exploring the relationship between nature and psyche, including several programs with my mentor, psychologist Robert Greenway. I received my Master’s in Social Work from the Smith College School for Social Work.