Hi! My name is Chiara (pronounced Key-ah-rrrah) and I’m an AMFT #131403. I graduated with a BA in Community Studies (Social Justice) from UC Santa Cruz and I have an MA in Counseling Psychology from UMass Global. My journey into the mental health field is a very circuitous and non-linear one, much like the healing process itself. I remember the moment I decided to become a therapist. Following graduation, I worked with various nonprofit organizations until I kept getting sick due to trauma and chronic stress. The burn out and chronic illness led me to quitting my job and checking myself into a health center. When I returned home, I felt lost. Then I thought about my own healing journey and all of the amazing therapists who had helped me along the way. That night, I heard my inner voice say: "Chiara, become a therapist." So I answered the call. When I’m not seeing clients, I love to hike, forest bathe, cook vegan food, practice yoga, pet cows, and dance to Shakira. Fun fact: my dream pet is a “mini” Vietnamese pot-bellied pig! Do you feel crippled by anxiety and depression? Maybe you feel stuck, afraid, lost, and alone. I’ve been where you are and know what it’s like to feel disconnected from yourself and from those around you. Seeking therapy is the beginning of you blooming into a lotus flower. I approach therapy by recognizing the complex and unique being you are and honoring your resilience that has brought you here. I am trained in the somatic trauma treatment models called the Comprehensive Resource Model ® (CRM) and EMDR. My work is a blend of somatic trauma therapy, breathwork, shamanic journeying, inner child healing, and mindfulness and compassion. Therapy with me is person-centered, emotionally-focused, and attachment-based. Together, we can explore and process your deeper emotions and feelings, allow what is arising to be there, and identify what is holding you back from living as your empowered Higher Self.