Stanley E. Wipfli, LCSW, MAC - Licensed Therapist specializing in Trauma and PTSD

Expert Therapy for Trauma, PTSD, Anxiety and related symptoms.
Located in downtown San Francisco, California. Virtual Counseling available for CA residents.

Stanley E. Wipfli Therapist headshot

My Story: From a Successful Entrepreneur to an Accomplished Therapist

My first career was running a prosperous business, which I had for 10 years.

I worked hard and eventually became stressed and fatigued.

One day I told a friend, “I feel stuck at work, and it’s beginning to feel toxic.” He responded, “Everyone feels stuck in their jobs” and suggested that I just “ride it out.”

At that moment, I realized that I’d lost my purpose and had to make a change. If I didn’t take a risk to try something new, I’d continue to be unhappy and exhausted.

I started seeing a therapist to help me with my discontent and began searching for a career that would fulfill me.

I wanted a job where I could give back to the world in a more meaningful way.

I had great interest in the areas of psychology and therapy, so I headed back to school to study these disciplines.

I completed a BA in psychology and a Masters Degree in Social Work in my 50’s. Now, here I am - a fulfilled and successful therapist who is passionate about my life and my work!

I continue to grow and evolve as a person and a professional as I enhance my skills in the treatments I use.

Key Skills and Attributes

I’m a confident, careful and thoughtful therapist. Trained in evidence-based methods of therapy, I have extensive experience and knowledge.

My clients’ well-being are of the utmost importance. My empathy is grounded in experience - it’s based on being a client of mental health professionals over the years.

I go the distance to ensure that I provide the highest quality of care to my clients.

Extensive Trauma and PTSD Therapy Training

I’m a trauma expert with over 10 years of experience. I trained at the Triage Unit at the Los Angeles Department of Mental Health and completed an internship at the Department of Veterans Affairs in West Los Angeles.

I further completed a one-year Cognitive Process Therapy (CPT) training with the Department of Defense, specializing in working with people who experienced multiple and severe traumas as well as PTSD.

My training in CPT included one year of weekly supervision sessions to ensure I offered the most efficacious treatment.

I have completed extensive training in Prolonged Exposere Therapy (PET) including a nine month training at Univ. Pennsylvania School of Psychiatry Center for the treatment and study of Anxiety (CTSA) which included weekly supervision by experts in the field.

The populations I served included survivors of sexual and physical assault; family violence; emotional, physical and sexual childhood abuse; natural and human-made disasters; veterans; first responders and other traumatized people.

At the above organizations, I also treated many who were homeless and had severe, persistent mental illnesses and addictions, depression, and anxiety.

Education, Designations and Memberships

  • Masters of Social Work, University of Southern California
  • Evidence-Based Practice Field Unit/Evidenced Based Scholar
  • Bachelor of Art, Psychology, University of Southern California
  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
  • Master Addiction Counselor (6000 supervised hours to achieve MAC - certification from NAADAC)
  • Cognitive Process Therapist (CPT) provider for PTSD (This program is nationally recognized by CPT researchers. I’m one of only two trained CPT therapists in San Francisco)
  • Prolonged Exposure Therapy, Certified by Center of the Treatment and Study of Anxiety at Univ. of Pennsylvania
  • Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Clinician
  • Motivational Interviewing
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapist

Professional Memberships

  • National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
  • Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS)
  • Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC)

What I’m Passionate About

I’m enjoying sailing on San Franciso Bay, kayaking, traveling, fantasy novels, movies, and visiting islands.

I love teaching others about trauma work and am very concerned about and involved in homelessness issues.

If you resonate with me and my work, contact me to set up a free 15-minute consultation.

You can tell me about your issues and ask me any questions you have about working with me.

“Mr. Wipfli always exhibited patience, perseverance, and dedication to his clients.  His level of expertise went beyond understanding of theory, principle and modality but, more to point, went to his natural ability to guide our clients to place where they felt safe, respected and were never judged and as a result, came out of treatment less symptomatic. This occurred regularly. While our clients had complex mental health disorders. Weekly sessions would occur with our shared clients and I would witness a measurable and consistent alleviation of PTSD symptoms due mostly to the CPT Sessions conducted by Mr. Wipfli.”

- Dr. A, Staff Psychiatrist at West Los Angeles, VA