ABOUT
hiii i'm
LCSW
LICSW
LCSW-C
I'm so glad you're here! Connecting with a therapist can be hard. Here's a little about me to help you get a picture of who I am and how I work:
I'm a mixed latine licensed psychotherapist and big feeler. I live in Bozeman, Montana where I not only get to help folks with their mental health but I also get to play outside in the mountains and the stunning landscape of the Northern Rockies for my own self-care, too.
I consider myself to be an intersectional and culturally-affirming feminist, an empath, and slow morning lover.
I'm a huge advocate of destigmatizing mental health, helping you feel your feelings, uncover your needs, let go of shame and fear, and reclaim your inherent sense of self-worth.
As a human and being with my own struggles and personal experiences in therapy—both past and present—I recognize that talking about the hard stuff is not always easy. It can feel raw, exposing, and vulnerable. I hope to make the therapy space with me open, inviting, safe, and valuable for you and all that you may come to therapy with and for.
joanna
acknowledgement
My practice is based in what is now considered "Bozeman" which was the traditional homeland and common hunting grounds of several Indigenous peoples, including the Apsáalooke (Crow), Niimiipuu (Nez Perce), Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Lakota), Piikani (Blackfeet), Seliš (Salish), Shoshone, and Tsétsêhéstâhese (Northern Cheyenne).
The legacies of colonialism continue to be emotionally, culturally, and physiologically relevant today. While I believe that land acknowledgements are a start, they're often not enough.
My values in justice for all bodies and identities informs my work and I will continue to hold space for conversations and learning in and out of the therapy room on the role and impact of oppressive and harmful social systems on us all. I make mistakes in my allyship and will continue to learn, unlearn, and relearn with you, too.
THERAPEUTIC
approach + lens
Therapy is a relationship.
I believe that the connection between therapist and therapy seeker is of utmost importace. As a relational therapist, I bring empathy, warmth, curiosity, honesty, and my true self to your therapy.
A few psychological models and therapeutic lenses that I align with include strengths-based, humanistic, social-justice, compassion-focused, internal family systems, psychodynamic, polyvagal, and feminist perspectives.
I'll support you in connecting with your feelings, exploring your beliefs, and learning how to be in relationship with yourself. You just have to show up for yourself, get cozy with your unconscious, trust the process, and do the work. I will guide you through it all.
Is therapy easy? Hell no. But I do believe that putting in the energy towards therapy, introspection, and healing is worth it 100% of the time.
My space is welcoming to people of all races, ethnicities, gender identities and sexual orientations, countries of origin, abilities and body sizes.
Note: If you're looking for support with disordered eating and recovery, I practice from an anti-diet culture, health-at-every-size informed, and weight-neutral approach and will use a gentle yet research-based lens for topics related to self-worth + body image, and in encouraging health behaviors without a focus on weight or body size.
outside of the therapy space
WHEN I'M NOT
IN SESSION
I enjoy hiking, camping, climbing, playing in the kitchen, tending to
my plant babies, and cozying up with a good book.
mental
health is complex
The more we know, the more we talk about it, the more we understand it, the more we address it, the more we normalize it, the better the mental health outcomes are for all of us.
Take your pick from one of the blogs below to read my thoughts and on various topics related to mental wellness.