About Dietmar

Dietmar Brinkmann portraitMy office at 4155 24th Street, San Francisco (Noe Valley, between Castro and Diamond Streets).  I am also available for virtual sessions by video-call or by phone.

As a licensed psychotherapist (LMFT License #52562) in private practice, I help adults with developing a confident, resilient self and nurturing, vibrant relationships.  My therapy style is best described as engaging, heart-centered and grounded in the present moment.

I have many years of experience working with psychotherapy clients.  I have seen individuals and couples since 2007 and first worked in a mental health setting in 2000.  I received a Masters in Counseling Psychology from Sonoma State University.

Here are some of the experiences and resources I bring to my practice:

Specialized training in the treatment of trauma – I have in-depth training in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, an integration of traditional (talk) psychotherapy and mindfulness-based mind/body therapy. I am also trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing). Both are among the most well-respected approaches in the field of trauma treatment.

Communication and leadership expertise – At the Stanford Graduate School of Business,  I facilitated for 14 years groups of MBA students  as part of a class called “Interpersonal Dynamics”.  Students increase their self-awareness, emotional resilience and self-management. They develop interpersonal competencies such as effective communication, addressing conflict, and managing diversity.

Trained couples therapist – In addition to my training as psychotherapist, I trained with Dr. Sue Johnson, the founder of Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples (EFT).

Experience in drug and alcohol rehabilitation – I developed a somatic therapy program for alcohol addiction recovery at Klinikum Spandau in Berlin, Germany.

Grounded in mind/body practices –For my integrative mind/body approach I draw from over 20 years of practice in mindfulness meditation and somatic practices such as Continuum Movement, Qigong, and Aikido. I provided Zen Shiatsu and integrative bodywork, in private practice and for six years at UCSF Medical Center.

Background in the arts and creativity – I have in-depth experience with unblocking creativity and using the arts for healing and change. I received an MFA in visual arts and photography from FH Bielefeld in Germany. I also taught movement-based theater improvisation for artistic and personal development in Europe and the Bay Area. I am a certified expressive arts practitioner trained at the Tamalpa Institute, a leading program for movement-based expressive arts for therapy, education and social change.

Experience working with a diverse clientele – I work with people from a wide range of cultural, racial, religious and socio-economic backgrounds, including LGBTQ, cross-cultural partnerships, first- and second-generation immigrants and clients with multi-racial identity. My pronouns are he/him/his.

Clinical supervisor – I supervised psychotherapy associates for the Marina Counseling Center.

Fluent in English and German – I am a German native who has lived in the Bay Area for more than 20 years.

Contact me for a free 20-minute consultation to discuss how I may be of assistance to you.

I can be reached at (415) 425-0164 or to email  please go to “Contact” page.