Henry Ostendorf

I am Henry William Ostendorf, and my gender pronouns are he/him/his. I’m a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) in San Francisco, California, with over twenty years of experience counseling others to better cope with psychological and social distress.

My approach

I practice Client-Centered and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, known as CBT. This type of counseling has been clinically proven to provide positive therapeutic outcomes. With CBT, you may feel better, quicker, and with less financial investment than with other types of talk therapy. There is also evidence that CBT may be as effective as medication in treating anxiety and depression problems.

My focus

I limit my practice to male-identified adult clients, including cisgender and transgender males of any sexual orientation.

My communication style

I'm a helper by nature, and I consider myself to be respectful, kind, empathetic, and resourceful.

My journey to mental healthcare

In my career, I’ve specialized in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling and Pet Loss Grief Counseling. Vocational rehabilitation is a process that enables persons with functional, psychological, developmental, cognitive, and emotional impairments or health conditions to overcome barriers to accessing, maintaining, or returning to employment or other useful occupations. As a Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor with the California Department of Rehabilitation, I've assisted over 800 disabled job seekers on their path to employment. My clients have included those with mood disorders, depression, anxiety, alcohol, and other drug issues, traumatic brain injury, autism spectrum disorders, learning disorders, carpal tunnel and other repetitive strain disorders, and developmental issues. Many of my clients have come from the LGBT+ community. For over five years, I've facilitated a monthly pet loss support group for the Peninsula Humane Society in Burlingame, CA. The loss of a pet is often disenfranchised grief. Family, friends, and coworkers often don't understand the depth of loss experienced when a pet dies. The inability of others to hear and understand one's grief can prolong or stunt the healing process. I understand and work to provide space to vent this sorrow and express the deep love one has for their lost loved one.

My goals for you

Our work starts with identifying your goals, examining and understanding the barriers you face (which may be physical, social, and/or psychological), and developing a realistic plan to move forward. This often requires changing old patterns of behavior that no longer work for you and reevaluating our plan as new information comes forward. An action-oriented focus does not, however, preclude us from taking the smallest of steps, especially as we begin our work together.

My first session with you

My counseling techniques include: Empathy, Sympathetic Listening, Confiding Relationship, Ventilation and Expression of Emotional Material, Encouragement, Opportunities for Corrections, Explanation and Education, Appropriate Reassurance, Guidance, Practical Help, Behavior Modification. Please note that my schedule may allow for follow-up sessions at times other than what is listed. After our initial visit, if you prefer a different day or time, just let me know. We can try to find a mutually convenient time as life allows. I understand the importance of flexibility and kindly ask for it in return.