Profile image of Ryan Thurwachter

Ryan Thurwachter, LCSW, MSW(He/Him/His)

(He/Him/His)
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW
CaliforniaNew Jersey
Anxiety - Loss, grief, and bereavement-Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)- Trauma-Burnout-Imposter syndrome-

Many health insurance plans reimburse 50-80% of session fees with out-of-network therapists. Learn if your plan qualifies.

AboutSpecialtiesLocationsInsurance & Fees

Professional statement

Ryan Thurwachter is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Menlo Park, California who works with professionals whose lives look successful from the outside and feel unsettled from the inside. His clients are often intelligent, self-aware people who have spent years trying to think their way through anxiety, a voice that tells them they're not as good as people think, or patterns in their relationships that keep repeating. Many have seen other therapists before, good ones, where something was missing and they couldn't name exactly what.

Ryan specializes in Internal Family Systems therapy, a model that understands the mind as made up of multiple parts, each shaped by its own history and its own way of trying to protect the person. IFS treats the anxiety that won't quiet down, the voice that says nothing you do is quite good enough, and the way you shut down when conversations matter most as parts that developed for good reasons and respond very differently when they feel understood than when they're pushed past. Clients consistently describe understanding themselves in a way they haven't before.

Ryan is a Level 2 trained IFS therapist through the IFS Institute and holds specialized training in grief through the Columbia Center for Prolonged Grief. His clinical work also addresses trauma, burnout, and imposter syndrome.

Ryan sees clients at his Menlo Park office near the Palo Alto border, and virtually across California and New Jersey. His fee is $250 per session, with a free 15-minute consultation for new clients.


Message to clients

If you've spent a long time trying to figure yourself out and still feel stuck, that's not a failure of effort or intelligence. The anxiety that won't quiet down and the way you shut down when it matters most both started as ways to protect you, and neither has been given a reason to stand down yet. They're not problems you've failed to solve. They're parts of you that took on protective roles early in your life and are still doing the job they were assigned.

What I've found, after years of doing this work, is that the clients who change the most are the ones who get curious about why they operate the way they do, rather than trying harder to fix themselves. That curiosity is something I can help you develop, and it tends to change things that insight and willpower alone never could. Clients consistently tell me the inner critic gets quieter, and that they start to understand themselves in a way they haven't before.

The early sessions are usually more about understanding the terrain together than about immediate relief, but that's not the same as slow. What I find consistently is that once the right parts of the picture come into focus, things start shifting in ways clients didn't expect, and sometimes faster than they thought possible. If you're ready to understand what's actually driving things rather than manage them, that's the work I do.


Work and Education

Years of Experience: 8 years

Self-Employed, Psychotherapist, 2021 - Present
Foresight Mental Health, Psychotherapist, 2021 - 2022
Momentum for Health, Clinician, 2018 - 2021

San Jose State University, Master of Social Work (MSW), 2018
University of Santa Cruz, Bachelor of Arts, Community Studies, 2013

Licensure

California: 100577 - New Jersey: 44SC06030200

Languages

English

Specialties

Anxiety - Coping with excessive worry, nervousness, or stress; intense discomfort in social settings (social anxiety); sudden and intense feelings of panic (panic disorder)

Loss, grief, and bereavement - Emotionally preparing for the anticipated passing of a loved one; managing feelings and reactions to a death or loss of significance; support during the process of healing and acceptance

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - Healing painful experiences and memories from the past

Trauma - Coping and healing after threatening or scary events, such as witnessing accidents or experiencing sexual, verbal, emotional, or physical abuse

Burnout - Managing and recovering from stressors that lead to feelings of decreased motivation and disconnection from the self; practicing effective self-care and finding ways to relax both physically and mentally

Imposter syndrome - Learning how to identify instances of imposter syndrome and combatting any beliefs that one is not enough or does not deserve good things; practicing assertiveness and developing confidence




Clientele

  • Adults (24+)
  • Young adults (18-24)

Locations & Hours


Insurance

Ryan Thurwachter is not in-network with any insurances.

Read about the benefits of seeing an out-of-network provider here.


Out-of-pocket fees

Get reimbursed for sessions with Ryan Thurwachter

Many health insurance plans reimburse 50-80% of session fees with out-of-network therapists. Learn if your health insurance plan qualifies.

  • Individual sessions:$250 (50min)

Book a Free Initial Consultation

The practice will call you for a free 10 minute phone call to discuss your needs and ensure a match!

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