Psychotherapy Blog
Insights on Therapy, Relationships, and Emotional Life
I’m Andrea Crapanzano, Ph.D., a San Francisco psychologist and psychodynamic psychotherapist. Here I write about relationships, identity, men’s mental health, young adulthood, LGBTQ+ experiences, and the recurring emotional patterns that shape how we understand ourselves and connect with others.
Why Do I Feel Guilty When I Put Myself First?
Putting yourself first can feel surprisingly difficult, especially when someone you care about is disappointed. Sometimes guilt reflects more than the decision itself—it reveals longstanding expectations about love, responsibility, and independence.
Why Do I Still Feel Like a Child Around My Parents?
Why do you still feel like a child around your parents—even when you’re fully independent?
Why Work Feels Like Your Entire Identity
Does it feel like your career has become your entire identity?
Everyone Looks Ahead of You. So Why Do You Feel So Stuck?
Why does it feel like everyone around you is moving forward while you remain stuck questioning your career, relationships, identity, and future?
You’re Not Lazy — You’re Stuck: Why You Procrastinate (Even When It Matters)
Why do you avoid the very things that could move your life forward?
Feeling Lost in Your 20s? Why So Many Young Adults in San Francisco Struggle (Even When Life Looks Good)
Do you ever feel disconnected from yourself or unsure who you’re supposed to be—even while everyone else seems confident and put together?
Why Sex Feels So Complicated for Young Adults — And What Psychodynamic Therapy Can Reveal
Sex and intimacy can feel emotionally complex for young adults—therapy helps uncover the deeper patterns behind desire, distance, and difficult communication.
Why So Many Young Adults in San Francisco Feel Lost: What Therapy Reveals Beneath the Surface
Are you feeling lost or questioning who you are and what you want, like many young adults in San Francisco seeking psychotherapy?
How to Let Go of Who You “Should Be” and Embrace Who You Are
Do you ever feel like you’re living your life according to a script you didn’t actually write?
“I Should Have My Life Together by Now”: Why Young Adults Feel Behind—and Why You’re Not
Do you ever catch yourself thinking, “I should have my life together by now”?
Feeling Stuck at Work? A Psychodynamic Understanding of Career Dissatisfaction in Young Adulthood
Do you ever wake up dreading the day ahead, even though your job looks “good” on paper?
When Friendships Change: How to Cope When Your Social Circle Goes Through a Plot Twist
How to Navigate Friendship Breakups and Evolving Social Circles in Young Adulthood