About Michael Lowenstein, M.D.
Hi! My name is Dr. Michael Lowenstein, and I’m a board certified psychiatrist (License #G59574) and mental health therapist with over 25 years of experience providing a wide range of psychotherapy and medication treatments for adults and adolescents who live in California.
While the focus of my work is helping people like you work through and overcome whatever kind of relationship issues or psychological pain they’re experiencing, a lot of clients want to know a little about me and why I do this work.
So, in case you’re curious …
My Professional Background
While I’m an expert in the integration of psychotherapeutic techniques with pharmacological interventions and have had a strong interest in psychotherapy throughout my career, I didn’t initially plan on practicing psychotherapy.
My interest in psychopharmacology has its roots in my training in chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Chicago. While there, I participated in various research projects with a psychopharmacologic focus, and this all led me to pursue a career as a psychiatrist.
However, I was largely clueless about the importance of being in touch with, and expressing, my feelings, at least until I went through an extremely powerful, life changing experience in a psych emergency room one night during my psychiatry clerkship.
The way a couple of psychotherapists helped me work through and process this experience led me to decide that I wanted to do the same kind of powerful, transformative work to help others.
So, after completing my psychiatric residency at University of California San Francisco (UCSF), I joined the faculty there and opened a private psychiatry and psychotherapy practice in 1989.
I’ve also worked in a variety of other settings, including providing psychiatric crisis counseling at San Francisco General Hospital, inpatient psychiatry at UCSF, and outpatient psychotherapy at an adolescent day treatment center.
Additionally, I’ve received extensive training as a psychoanalyst at the San Francisco Psychoanalytic Institute and in Control Mastery theory.
And I’ve taught … a LOT!
As a member of the San Francisco Psychotherapy Research Group for over 25 years, I’ve taught quite a few seminars on a variety of psychotherapeutic techniques and have participated in numerous research projects.
And I’ve taught countless psychotherapy courses at UCSF over the past three decades, for which I’ve won numerous awards.
I’ve also taught a lot about Control Mastery theory to other professionals in UCSF’s Residency Program and at the San Francisco Psychoanalytic Institute.
Lastly, I’ve done a ton of supervision work over the years (offering oversight and support to mental health professionals in training), and continue to provide clinical supervision today.
How I Work with Clients
As relational beings, most, if not all, of our emotional wounds occur in our relationships with others.
Some of our emotional pain may be traced back to childhood, while other issues involve our present relationships with partners, children, co-workers, family members, and friends.
But, regardless of whether the pain occurred years ago or yesterday, since our emotional wounds occur in relationships, healing also needs to occur in relationships.
And this is precisely what professional counseling and psychotherapy are all about!
Accordingly, while I do prescribe medications to those who need them to deal with severe symptoms of anxiety, depression, and ADHD, the focus of my work is creating a compassionate, non-judgmental, trusting relationship with you, so you can be open enough to explore who you really are and do the deep work necessary to create true healing and growth.
And since the focus of my work is on the unique healing relationship each of my clients and I create together, my approach is highly individualized and tailored to each client’s needs and goals.
In other words, I don’t provide “cookie-cutter” therapy.
Additionally, while I am a certified psychiatrist and mental health therapist who’s trained in psychoanalysis, this doesn’t mean I’m just going to sit there and listen to your problems.
Don’t get me wrong. I will listen to anything and everything you have to say. But I’m also VERY interactive, and will actively provide feedback, guidance, and support.
A Little More about Me
Outside of my work with clients, I enjoy spending time with my wife and three grown boys.
In fact, I’ve put a lot of time, thought, and energy into how I’ve raised my own children, which is one of the reasons I focus on providing parent counseling, as I love helping other parents do the same.
And after having lived in the San Francisco East Bay Area for over 30 years, I’m now enjoying exploring and getting to know my new home in the Los Angeles area.
But my greatest passion is the work I get to do each day.
I feel privileged to be able to help people work through whatever issues they’re facing, and heal and transform their relationships and lives. I love my relationships and my life, and my goal is to help you feel the same way!
Please don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment, learn more about the mental health counseling services I offer, ask any questions you have, and find out whether or not we’d be a good fit for working together. I look forward to connecting with you and helping in any way I can.