Compassionate & Culturally Affirming Therapy for Adults and Couples

Asian American Psychologist in the San Francisco Bay Area

Offering Therapy Online in California & In-Person in San Francisco, CA

“You are the sky. Everything else is just the weather.”

Pema Chödrön

If you identify as…

  • A high-achiever struggling with stress, anxiety, and imposter fears, who’s convinced everyone else is capable but you’ll be exposed as a fraud

  • A pregnant or postpartum parent feeling overwhelmed, wondering how everyone else makes it look so easy when you feel like you’re drowning

  • An Asian American/child of an immigrant who’s caught in cycles of perfectionism and people-pleasing, fearing you will never have or be enough

  • Someone who feels disconnected from their partner and exhausted by having the same fights, wondering, “How did we get here?”

…and you’re looking for a social justice-oriented, Asian American therapist who truly gets you and can help give you the insight and tools to break these cycles, we could be a great match!

Hi, I’m Dr. Alexandra Thurston (she/her), a biracial Asian American licensed clinical psychologist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With 15 years of clinical experience, I specialize in supporting clients from the Asian American/AAPI community, biracial/multiracial individuals, children of immigrants, pregnant & postpartum parents, and high-achieving perfectionists in fields such as tech, law, and healthcare who want to finally quiet their inner critic, manage stress, anxiety, and burnout, feel more confident, and live an authentic life aligned with their values. I love working with couples, and have expertise supporting new or hopeful parents, intercultural/interracial couples, and couples where ADD/ADHD is present.

In addition to my graduate training at the PGSP-Stanford Psy.D. Consortium, I completed my postdoctoral fellowship at UC Berkeley and worked at UCSF for nearly a decade. I am a certified perinatal mental health provider, and have been intensively trained in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, which is considered the “gold-standard” therapy approach for couples.

Services

You’re the one everyone counts on, and you’ve spent your whole life trying to achieve more, do everything “right”, and make everyone proud. But no matter how much you do, it feels like it’s never enough. During the day, you doubt yourself constantly and worry you can’t keep up. At night, you lie awake feeling tense, replaying the same worries over again or berating yourself for making even the smallest mistake. Your usual way of powering through stress isn’t working like it used to - you feel disconnected from yourself and end up pushing away the people you care about most.

What if you could feel less anxious, stuck, and alone, and more balanced, empowered, and connected?

Imagine truly believing you are enough.

You don’t need to do it all, hold it all, or figure it all out on your own anymore. Let’s help you finally exhale, feel like yourself again, and find a new way forward.

My approach is deeply relational, active and collaborative, and evidence-based. Social justice values are at the heart of my work, and I strive to provide culturally affirming and inclusive care for people from all backgrounds and identities.

If you’re nervous about taking the first step to get support, that’s okay! Click below to learn more about my treatment approach and what to expect in our work together, so you can get your questions answered and put your mind at ease.

Together, let’s help you expand possibilities, and live a values-aligned life.

  • "Dr. Thurston is one of the most authentic, compassionate, warm, and talented clinicians that I have ever met over the course of my career. She matches evidence-based individual and relationship approaches with being intentional, culturally humble, and inclusive when meeting clients where they are at. She's a fantastic clinician and I would trust my own clients to her compassionate, expert care."

    Dr. Justin Gibson, Interim Executive Director and Mental Health Services Director, UCSF Student Mental Health & Wellbeing

  • "Dr. Thurston skillfully blends a deep emotional connection with her clients with amazing evidence-based skills: heart + expertise. She is my first go-to for referring clients. I can't recommend her more."

    Dr. Lindsey Brooks, Counseling Psychologist, Adjunct Professor at USF

  • "I have known and worked with Dr. Thurston for the past 8 years. She is compassionate, culturally attuned, authentic, and very invested in the well-being of her clients. I have referred a wide range of folks to her and always received excellent feedback. If you're considering therapy and want to work with a truly amazing person- you've found her!"

    Dr. Jeanne Stanford, Former Mental Health Services Director & Executive Director, UCSF Student Mental Health & Wellbeing

  • "Dr. Thurston is my go-to for couple referrals. She is a compassionate, warm, and down-to-earth therapist and human being! She is highly attuned to her clients and will skillfully journey with you wherever you may be."

    Dr. Jennifer Chen, Clinical Psychologist, Adjunct Professor at USF

  • "I've known Dr. Thurston for over 15 years and she is one of the warmest, most skilled providers I've ever encountered. I refer as many people as I can to her because I know they will get great care!"

    Dr. Katherine Taylor, Clinical Psychologist

  • "I highly recommend Dr. Alexandra Thurston to individuals and couples interested in transformative change. She is warm and demonstrates empathy across all aspects of her work with clients. Her clinical approach is collaborative, authentic, deeply attuned and culturally responsive."

    Diane Hayashino, PH.D., Staff Psychologist and former Training Director, CSU Long Beach Counseling and Psychological Services

  • "Alexandra brings deep expertise in perinatal mental health and intercultural couples work. She offers a warm space for clients navigating big life transitions, and is especially skilled at helping partners bridge cultural differences with care and clarity."

    Jessica Lan, LMFT

  • "Dr. Thurston is a highly skilled, kind, and deeply compassionate clinician. She provides culturally sensitive and affirming care for wherever you may be on your mental health journey."

    Rumpa Yeasin, Manager, UCSF Cope Well-being Program

  • "Dr. Alexandra Thurston continuously offers an empathetic approach that is both grounding and deeply supportive. She strives to center her clients and their experiences first, which allows for long-lasting relationship-building and healing with her clients."

    Dr. D’Anne Duncan, UCSF Assistant Dean for Diversity and Learner Success, Adjunct Assistant Professor

  • "Dr. Thurston is a compassionate and social justice-oriented clinician who provides culturally affirming therapy to diverse communities. Clients seek out Dr. Thurston because of how skillful she is in being able to co-create with them welcoming, warm, safe, and transformative healing spaces."

    Dr. Liliana Campos Ramales, Counseling Psychologist, UCSF Student Mental Health & Wellbeing

  • "I've worked along side Dr. Thurston in various settings and have always been in awe of her commitment to cross-cultural competence and nuance, her warmth, and her skill at helping her clients thrive. She will meet you where you're at. Highly recommend!"

    Dr. Samuel Tourek, Clinical Psychologist & Senior Staff at UC Berkeley Counseling and Psychological Services

  • "Dr. Thurston is compassionate, kind, and lends a sense of groundedness one can feel when sitting with. her. She is thoughtful, insightful, able to pick up on the details, and make valuable connections. Dr. Thurston is a skilled clinician and an excellent communicator. She is highly and warmly regarded by her clients."

    Cynthia T. Diwan, LMFT, UCSF Student Mental Health & Wellbeing

Together, let’s help you find a new way forward to make lasting change.

I offer a free 15-minute phone consultation to determine if we are a good match. Please complete the submission form on this page, and I will respond within 2 business days. I look forward to hearing from you!

Please note: If you are having a mental health emergency, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988, text the National Crisis Text Line at 741741, or go to the nearest emergency room. Do not use the form in this case.