services

Soul-centered support through life-altering change.

for navigating the deep

The origin of the word psychology is rooted in the study of the soul.
My practice is centered here, in an existentially-oriented approach to navigating the challenges and possibilities of being human.

depth COACHING

professional mentorship

workshops & GROUPS

Adjusting to a New Diagnosis/Prognosis

Living with Illness/Disability

Facing the End of Life

Caring for Caregivers

Pregnancy & Child Loss

Bereavement

Areas of Specialization

Contact

DEPTH COACHING

I think of depth coaching as a practice of soulwork—exploring and tending to our inner landscape.

It’s distinct from psychotherapy in that there is nothing to be fixed or resolved. We’re not working toward clinically defined outcomes. We are navigating the experience of being human.

This includes having bodies and dealing with their limitations. Finding our way through losing who and what we love. Wanting to make meaning of our challenges and feel a sense of purpose in our lives. Attending to our need for connection. Facing what arises when we’re met with uncertainty. And recognizing that there is always more—to our inner lives, to our creativity, to what we have yet to learn.

Coaching sessions are provided virtually. I offer short and long-term individual support, as well as grief-focused consultations for couples experiencing perinatal loss and the illness or death of a child.

  • Making sense of and adjusting to a new reality

  • Exploring what you’ve lost and what remains

  • Finding freedom from difficult thoughts

  • Working with painful emotions

  • Learning practices that support well-being

  • Navigating changes in your identity or worldview

  • Trying on different perspectives

  • Turning toward new possibilities

  • Reconnecting with what matters most

Sessions may involve

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professional mentorship

I teach medical and mental health providers how to deepen their therapeutic skills and care for themselves as they care for others.

Sessions incorporate self-inquiry and reflective practice to gain insight into the intersection of yourself and your work. This may include expanding your capacity for being with loss and suffering, responding to vicarious trauma and burnout, finding meaning in the call to service, and holding space for healing.

*Group supervision packages are available upon request.

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workshops | GROUPS

through the wilderness of the soul

Exploring what it means to live fully and love wholly in the face of loss.

INQUIRE ABOUT CURRENT OFFERINGS

  • “When I began my work with Summer, I had worked with grieving children and families for many years. I was in my own state of deep grief and loss and knew that I needed a gifted navigator and guide to steer me through this tumultuous time. She's creative and collaborative in articulating the map, the territory, the peaks, and valleys, along with all the possibilities in healing.”

    —SE, cancer survivor

  • “We felt so held by Summer in our darkest, most raw moments. She is a deeply sensitive, knowledgeable, gifted practitioner who handles the most tender topics of illness, loss, and grief with the utmost care. She was foundational in our journey, and her wisdom is embedded in our lifelong processes of integrating our daughter’s memory. We are forever grateful...”

    —SK, bereaved parent

  • “As a physician who cares for many people as they navigate grief, loss, and the difficult process of adjusting to new realities and identities, I am always impressed by Dr. Segal. Her work is compassionate, wise, and deeply grounding. With an ability and willingness to be present in others’ experiences, she meets people exactly where they are, bringing both intellectual depth and practical support to the therapeutic process. Her blend of enlightened and enlightening insight, as well as pragmatic guidance, makes her an invaluable resource for patients facing profound transitions.”

    —RL, physician

  • “There are truly no words to fully capture what Summer has meant to me. After the sudden, tragic loss of my only child, I felt completely devastated and without hope. Summer guided me through the unthinkable, offering compassion, courage, and hope when I had none of my own. She opened my heart and mind to both traditional and alternative approaches to navigating grief in ways no other therapist or psychologist had. Her wisdom, kindness, and unwavering support gave me the strength to keep moving forward. I am forever grateful our paths crossed and cannot recommend Summer more highly to anyone facing the devastating loss of a loved one.”

    —SD, bereaved parent

  • “Dr. Segal has an unparalleled ability to see straight into the heart of the matter, through the noise, defenses, and presentation, right into the core of someone's humanity. I trust her implicitly as a colleague and consultant and feel confident in referring her to any individual struggling with the most difficult aspects of the human experience. She is an insightful guide that is not afraid to go with you into the hardest places and help you create softness and spaciousness there.”

    —AC, psychologist

  • “When my daughter passed away, I paid for a psychologist and a spiritual healer. Neither of those efforts worked, and I spiraled. From the very first conversation, Summer made me feel that my experience was something I could survive. Her listening, support, guidance, tools, and resources helped me find my path to healing.”

    —KQ, bereaved parent/perinatal loss

  • “Summer has a warm, insightful presence you can feel the moment you meet her.  She is a thoughtful and truly dedicated clinician—a gem!”

    —WP, psychologist

  • “Summer was simply the best counselor I worked with in over three decades at UCSF. She is an extraordinarily talented, empathic, and creative clinician, giving comfort to patients and families experiencing loss and grief.”

    —SP, physician