Troy Piwowarski, PsyD, CGP

Much of our emotional lives exist beneath the surface of words, quietly shaping how we experience ourselves, our relationships, and the world around us. I help people explore their hidden inner world, especially those who have found healing elusive, even after years of therapy.

I've been practicing as a psychologist for 20 years, specializing in developmental and attachment trauma, with a particular passion for helping men navigate the complexities of intimacy, vulnerability, and authentic connection. My work is informed by over two decades of my own inner work, along with extensive training in somatic, relational, and experiential approaches to healing.

At the heart of my approach is a belief that some of our deepest wounds can only heal when we are willing to venture into the shadowy corners of the psyche, accompanied by someone who can help us be with and accept what we find there. Many of the patterns that keep us stuck began as necessary ways of protecting ourselves, long before we had the capacity to understand and choose for ourselves. I believe that healing emerges through deep accompaniment, attunement, and the gradual discovery of parts of ourselves that have remained hidden, misunderstood, and alone.

My roots are in psychodynamic and Existential-Humanistic psychotherapy, approaches that recognize the complexity of being human and the importance of an attuned witness in illuminating the less obvious layers of our experience. For ten years, I taught, consulted, and served in leadership at the Existential-Humanistic Institute, including three years as Clinical Training Director, where I trained fellow therapists in the art of relational psychotherapy. I am a Certified Group Psychotherapist through the American Group Psychotherapy Association and was EMDR certified in 2012. My work today integrates PSIP, developmentally informed psychodynamic therapy, dream work, and Internal Family Systems.

Alongside individual PSIP work, I lead long-term men's therapy groups, a practice close to my heart because of my own transformative experiences in groups. I believe that many of our deepest relational wounds heal best through authentic connection with others. I'm also deeply drawn to the symbolic life of the psyche and have completed a year-long training through This Jungian Life Dream School. Dreamwork continues to deepen my appreciation for the unconscious and the surprising ways it guides us toward greater wholeness.

I live in West Marin, California, where I enjoy the natural splendor of redwoods and open sky, tending my backyard garden, and following the mysteries that emerge in my dream life.