Therapist in Burlingame, CA | Anxiety & Relationship counseling
Many of the women I work with here have built lives that look effortlessly polished, a beautiful home, an active social calendar, children enrolled in the right programs. Yet privately they feel anxious, quietly depleted, and unsure how to admit that keeping up appearances has become its own exhausting job. I work with women ready to set the image down and start attending to what is happening beneath it.
Along the boutique lined blocks of Burlingame Avenue, past the eucalyptus trees that shade so many of the residential streets, and out toward the marina where the bay meets the edge of the airport's flight path, this city carries a quiet, curated elegance. Many clients here balance a demanding household with a full calendar of school events and social obligations, often commuting along El Camino Real or the 101 corridor toward the city or the Peninsula's tech companies. The polish that defines so much of daily life here can make private struggle feel even more isolating.
In a place where everything is expected to look effortless, admitting exhaustion can feel like breaking an unspoken rule. My virtual practice offers a space where the curated version of your life can be set aside entirely. Here, beneath the polish, there is finally room to feel, to rest, and to come home to yourself.

How it works

Setting the Foundation

We begin by slowing down enough to notice what is happening beneath the polished, put together exterior many of my Burlingame clients bring into the world. Rather than rushing toward the next obligation, we take time to understand the perfectionism and image management that keep your nervous system on alert. This unhurried pace becomes the foundation for everything that follows.

Building Awareness and Understanding

From there, we begin naming what has quietly been building beneath the surface, the invisible pressure, the guilt, the exhaustion of maintaining an image that rarely matches how you actually feel. This stage favors noticing over fixing, learning to catch old patterns as they arise instead of pushing past them. Awareness becomes the turning point where real change starts to feel possible.

Creating Change and Cultivating Growth

As that awareness deepens, we shift toward practicing new ways of responding rooted in authenticity instead of appearance. Many women find they need less energy to maintain the image and have more left for what actually matters to them. This is ongoing, unhurried work that continues shaping your life well beyond our sessions.

Explore my therapy services and specialization

Many of the women who find their way here have built beautifully curated lives, a lovely home, an active calendar, a family that looks picture perfect from the outside, while privately feeling anxious, overstimulated, and unseen underneath it all. Together we explore what sits beneath that polished exterior: the resentment, the guilt, the quiet exhaustion of upholding an image. Many women describe finally feeling room to breathe as our work continues. Sessions happen virtually, fitting around a full Burlingame schedule, and this work is never about doing more. It is about finally coming home to yourself.
For many women here, anxiety hides behind a perfectly curated life, the home immaculate, the calendar full of the right activities, while quietly cycling through worst case scenarios underneath. That polish often masks a nervous system that rarely gets to rest. We create space to notice these patterns without judgment, gradually loosening the grip anxious thoughts hold over daily decisions. Rather than trying to manage the anxiety behind a smile, we explore what your nervous system has been trying to protect you from. Offered virtually around a full social schedule, this work helps quiet the internal noise even while your responsibilities stay just as full.
Maintaining a picture perfect household often leaves little energy for authentic connection with a partner. Many women feel quietly disconnected at home, even while everyone else assumes the marriage is thriving. Together we examine the patterns that keep conversations circling, the resentment that builds when needs go unspoken, and the walls that form from sheer exhaustion. This is honest work aimed at reconnection, not blame. Available virtually for individuals and partners, this support helps rebuild real closeness beneath the surface image.
Stress builds quietly here, one social obligation or school event at a time, until even small tasks start to feel disproportionately heavy. Many clients keep performing well outwardly while feeling foggy and depleted within. We slow down together to understand what your mind and body have actually been holding, rather than adding one more commitment to manage. This work is about restoring ease and choice, not keeping up appearances even harder. A steady, unhurried weekly space becomes its own form of relief, helping you meet daily demands with more clarity and considerably less internal noise.
A new home, a shifting marriage, a child starting school, or a new chapter of motherhood often stirs up far more than logistics. Many women feel a quiet grief or uncertainty beneath the practical decisions, even while appearing entirely in control to neighbors and friends. We use this time to understand what is actually shifting inside you rather than rushing to have it all figured out. There is room here for excitement and loss to exist side by side. This work is offered virtually, meeting you wherever this season finds you, helping you move through change with more steadiness and self trust.
Early motherhood can bring a heaviness that catches many polished, capable women off guard. Even while loving her baby deeply, a woman might carry worry, numbness, or constant tension that never quite lets go. Here we make space for intrusive thoughts and exhaustion that rarely get spoken about honestly. Together we explore what your mind and body are trying to communicate beneath the fog. This support is available virtually, fitting around feeding schedules and unpredictable naps, oriented toward helping you feel steadier and more like yourself, one gentle step at a time.
Pregnancy brings enormous physical and emotional change, and for many women it also brings anxiety and identity questions that feel confusing rather than celebrated. Even amid excitement, an undercurrent of fear can quietly take hold. Together we make space for what is shifting inside you emotionally and physically, including fears about birth and motherhood that do not fit into a tidy conversation with friends or family. This is grounded space to feel supported, not simply informed. Sessions are offered virtually throughout pregnancy, helping you feel connected and steady as you prepare for the next chapter.
Sometimes the heaviest moments come not from what is actually happening but from the loop of thoughts about what people might think if the image slips. Many women know logically a fear is unlikely, yet the feeling of it stays lodged in the body regardless. This work is about changing your relationship to those thoughts rather than fighting to manage them away. We practice noticing a difficult thought as simply a thought, so it gradually loses its grip on your day. Offered virtually, this approach frees up energy spent trying to control every feeling, helping you build a life that feels genuinely yours, worry included.

I provide therapy in Burlingame and nearby areas

I offer virtual therapy to women throughout Burlingame, from the boutiques along Burlingame Avenue to the eucalyptus lined residential streets and the marina near the bay. Whether your days move between school events, a commute along El Camino Real, or a full social calendar, this is a steady space to explore your emotional world with care. Support is available for the polish, exhaustion, and quiet overwhelm that so often live just beneath a picture perfect surface.

Testimonials

"Tamara is an engaged and nurturing therapist. Her style is warm, nonjudgemental and welcoming. Tamara helps her clients feel heard, accepted and understood so that they can feel empowered to move forward towards their goals and dreams. I highly recommend working with her! "

Therese Yrani LMFT

"Tamara is an outstanding therapist. She has been a trusted colleague for many years- I trust and value her insights and clinical skills. She is an exceptionally caring and attuned therapist who I couldn't recommend more! "

Christine Treski LMFT

"Tamara's compassionate approach and deep expertise in women's mental health make her an exceptional therapist. As a former colleague, I witnessed her unique ability to create a safe space where clients feel truly heard and supported."

Janny Condie LMFT

Hello, I'm Tamara Pancoe, therapist serving Burlingame
I'm Tamara Pancoe, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Perinatal Mental Health Certified clinician supporting women throughout Burlingame and the greater Bay Area. My own healing journey taught me what it means to finally be seen and validated, and that experience shapes every session I hold today. I created this virtual practice as a steady, unhurried space for women who look like they have it together but feel anxious and depleted beneath the surface. This is a soft place to land, a place to exhale, a place to come home to yourself.
Smiling woman in a black top and jeans sitting on a couch, holding a mug by a window with mountain views

Frequently asked questions

  • Do you accept insurance?

    I’m considered an out-of-network provider, which means you pay for sessions directly and can request reimbursement from your insurance company. If you have out-of-network benefits, I can provide a superbill (an itemized receipt) each month that you can submit to your insurance for potential reimbursement.


    Please note that insurance companies require a mental health diagnosis to process claims. This means that you will first need to qualify for a mental health diagnosis before I can provide a superbill. 


    To check your out-of-network benefits, you can call your insurance provider and ask:

    • Do I have out-of-network mental health coverage?
    • What is my deductible and have I met it?
    • What percentage of my session fee will be reimbursed?
    • Do I need pre-authorization for therapy?

    Many clients find that their insurance reimburses a portion of their session fees, making therapy more affordable.

  • What if I don’t want a diagnosis shared with my insurance?

    That’s completely okay. If you prefer not to submit claims for reimbursement, your diagnosis will remain private and will not be shared with anyone outside of our work together. Many clients choose to pay privately for this reason, as it allows for complete confidentiality and freedom from insurance requirements.

  • How does virtual therapy work?

    Virtual therapy allows us to meet from the comfort and privacy of your own space. Sessions take place on a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform designed specifically for therapy. 


    All you need is a stable internet connection and a quiet, comfortable space where you can talk freely. Many clients find that meeting virtually makes it easier to stay consistent with therapy, without the added stress of travel or scheduling. 

  • Session Fees and Payment

    Each therapy session is 50 minutes and billed at a rate of $200 per session. Payment is due at the time of each session and can be made by credit card, debit card, or HSA/FSA card through a secure online system.


    If you ever need to adjust your schedule, please provide at least 24 hours’ notice to avoid a late cancellation fee.

  • Still Have Questions?

    If you have any other questions about fees, scheduling, or what to expect, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m happy to answer your questions before we begin so you can feel informed, comfortable, and confident about starting therapy.