Welcome. I’m Chandra Rai, a psychotherapist and psychoanalyst serving the San Jose, Sunnyvale, Campbell, and greater Bay Area communities. My journey into this field is deeply rooted in a belief that true healing and lasting transformation come from understanding the deeper layers of ourselves, rather than just addressing surface-level symptoms.

I’m passionate about guiding individuals in Silicon Valley and beyond through a process of self-exploration, helping them uncover who they truly are and what they genuinely want from life.

Code to Couch: A Journey into Psychoanalysis

My path to becoming a psychotherapist is unique. For 15 years, I worked in Silicon Valley’s technology sector, in both engineering and management roles. This experience gave me an understanding of the pressures, the pace of innovation, and the challenges of building and leading in tech.

“My journey from engineer to psychoanalyst revealed a key insight: innovation—whether in technology or in life—comes from understanding and integrating all parts of ourselves, not just the analytical mind.“

I observed and personally navigated how high-performance environments affect well-being and relationships. I saw professionals dealing with imposter syndrome, leaders facing isolation, and teams experiencing burnout and disconnection. Despite external success, something often felt missing.

A New Direction

This led me to explore human dynamics, recognizing the same rigor applied to complex tech systems could illuminate the human psyche. This insight sparked a new calling: helping others, particularly those in demanding professional settings. The transition was difficult; leaving a successful career for extensive psychoanalytic training required resolve.

Today, this background is a core asset in my practice. When I work with a technology executive facing work-life imbalance, or a founder dealing with leadership, my understanding comes not just from training, but from lived experience. I understand what it’s like to be valued primarily for analytical capabilities while seeking deeper emotional connection.

Why the Unconscious Matters

At the heart of my philosophy is the understanding that we are often motivated by unrecognized wishes and desires that originate in our unconscious. My work aims to gently bring these hidden forces into conscious awareness, illuminating the drivers of our behavior, emotions, and relational patterns.

I believe that early childhood experiences significantly shape our sense of self, acting as a “blueprint” for how we navigate love, work, and meaning throughout our lives. Much of what we come to believe about ourselves is often constructed from our attempts to make sense of these early, sometimes troubling or confusing, relationships.

“The past is ever-present in our daily lives, with our relationships from childhood carrying forward into adulthood and shaping how we experience ourselves today.”

Professional Training & Affiliations

My commitment to psychoanalytic practice is underscored by extensive training and active involvement in leading professional organizations and academic institutions.

Training & Credentials

Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology, Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy – John F. Kennedy University
Certified in Psychodynamic Psychoanalytic Therapy – Palo Alto Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Training Program
Psychoanalytic Training – San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis

Professional Affiliations

Clinical Adjunct Instructor, Stanford University School of Medicine
Clinical Supervisor, Access Institute for Psychological Services, San Francisco
Analyst Member, San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis
Analyst Member, International Psychoanalytic Association
Clinical Member, California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)
Clinical Member, Santa Clara Valley Chapter of CAMFT
Manuscript Review Team Member, International Journal of Psychoanalysis (IPA)

This comprehensive foundation in psychoanalytic theory and practice, coupled with these professional affiliations, allows me to remain at the forefront of the field. I am also dedicated to contributing to the education and development of new mental health professionals.

Throughout my work, a consistent theme is the pursuit of integration: helping clients find synergy and coherence within their complex identities, fostering a more complete and authentic self.

My Invitation

My therapeutic work is, in essence, an investment in understanding your true self beneath societal roles and defenses. I combine the rigor of psychoanalytic training with genuine warmth and curiosity, aiming to create conditions for you to discover not only what you may have been avoiding but also what you are genuinely moving towards.

This journey, I believe, culminates in a life where you can feel deeply connected to yourself and others, fostering profound self-awareness, authentic agency, and meaningful relational engagement.

It is a philosophy that champions courage in self-discovery, recognizing that the most enduring changes often spring from the deepest wells of personal truth.

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