Portrait of therapist Adam Brown smiling against a gray background

Hello!

I’m Adam Brown (he/him), a psychotherapist based in San Francisco, California (LMFT#146387). I’ve lived with type 1 diabetes for 25 years and worked for a decade as a journalist, author, and patient advocate. I’m honored to now work as a therapist, helping people of all ages cope with difficult things. My approach is grounded in kindness, presence, curiosity, and creativity.

I specialize in:

  • Diabetes (type 1, type 2, prediabetes)

New diagnosis, distress, burnout, fear of highs, fear of lows, overwhelm, coping with emotions and thoughts, technology, family stress, and more.

  • Anxiety, stress, worry, rumination, and overthinking

  • Chronic health conditions, chronic illness, and disability

  • Trauma

  • Grief and loss

  • Self-Criticism and perfectionism

  • Burnout and career transitions

  • Eating disorders and concerns with food, weight, and body image

WAITLIST FOR NEW CLIENTS

I offer in-person individual and family therapy at my office in The Presidio, as well as virtual therapy to select clients in California.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

 FAQs

  • I aim to be creative, kind, and transparent as we explore the financial options available. I want to make therapy accessible, and I also need to run a sustainable practice in the Bay Area. It's a tough balance!

    Using Insurance

    • I'm in-network with Aetna and Quest Behavioral Health, which means you will typically have a copay to meet with me. Check your benefits here.

    • For all other insurers, I can provide you with a Superbill if you have out-of-network benefits (typically a PPO plan). 

    Private Pay

    • My fee is $235 for a 50-minute session.

    • I offer lower-fee (sliding scale) spots for those facing financial hardships or constraints. Please don't hesitate to ask!

    We can talk more about all of this in a free consultation.

  • If my approach feels like a good fit but something you’re struggling with is not listed above, I'd still encourage you to reach out. I use a process-oriented approach tailored to each individual, rather than a diagnosis-driven model.

    Serving my clients matters to me, and I take this responsibility seriously. I will be honest if I feel that I don’t have the expertise to help you.

  • Read more here.

  • I have lived with diabetes for 20+ years. I spent the first decade of my career working as a journalist at two mission-driven diabetes publications: Close Concerns, covering the latest in diabetes technology, research, and care; and diaTribe.org, where I served as Senior Editor and wrote a personal column about living with diabetes (Adam's Corner). In 2017, I published my first book, Bright Spots & Landmines: The Diabetes Guide I Wish Someone Had Handed Me. A special part of my job was advocating on behalf of patients at places like the FDA, NIH, and international scientific and industry conferences.

    It was a gift to help people with diabetes through writing and speaking. Feeling more informed and less alone is powerful for coping with a demanding chronic disease. I treasured connecting with other patients, understanding different perspectives and stories, and learning about the tight connection between physical health and mental health. In the process, I felt less alone with my own diabetes.

    I went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from The Wright Institute in 2021. I co-led the Disability Inclusion Group, offering a space for students with disabilities to connect - especially during the isolating COVID-19 pandemic. I served as a mentor to first-year students and helped them navigate the daunting shift to graduate school and becoming a therapist.

    Following graduate school, I completed my 3,000+ hours of supervised therapy experience at The Healthy Teen Project, a Partial Hospitalization/Intensive Outpatient Program for teens with eating disorders. I worked alongside an incredible multidisciplinary team that included dietitians, nurses, and psychiatric/medical providers. I offered individual, family, and group therapy for anorexia, ARFID, and bulimia, which were often intertwined with traumatic experiences and PTSD, anxiety, depression, OCD, suicidality, self-harm, substance use, chronic medical conditions, ADHD and neurodivergence, gender identity, learning differences, family conflict, and relationship stress.

    I have extensive training in Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Sandtray Therapy, as well as a long personal history of mindfulness practice and love of the outdoors.

    I am a professional member of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science and the California Association for Marriage and Family Therapists.

Human diversity makes our world a better, kinder, and more interesting place.

I welcome the full range of human experience – age, disability, neurodivergence, religion, ethnicity, race, culture, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin & language, and beyond.

Let’s connect!

Schedule a Free Phone Consultation

OR

complete the form below and I’ll be in touch!