What am I like as
a therapist?
I’ve been described as generous, independent, and determined.
I am extremely sensitive, a compassionate learner, and a critical thinker.
I appreciate sharing the world with others, and I tend to build a high level of trust with my clients. I’m both structured and flexible in the way I work.
I’m committed to understanding you, including your culture. I work with people from a variety of backgrounds including race, ethnicity, nationality, socioeconomic status, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
In therapy, you have a new experience of yourself or your partner, and that opens you up to a fuller, richer life.
In therapy with me, you move inward and finally claim your voice, reuniting with an amazing person who has been waiting to emerge: YOU. There truly is beauty waiting in the shadows, if only we have the courage to look.
I help you become an expert in YOU.
When you understand yourself better, you have more freedom and more choices. I help you understand how your past is affecting your present. Then rather than repeating patterns on autopilot, you can make real changes.
If you are looking for a quick fix, I may not be the therapist for you. I use psychodynamic psychotherapy, a method that emphasizes long term, meaningful change rather than short-term solutions. The psychodynamic approach might be the right approach for you if you want to make sense of your experiences, if you are curious about how your mind works, and if you want to deal with your problems at their root. It could be right for you if you want relief in the short-term, yes, but also if you want to make changes that last—and you know the difference between the two.
My guiding principle: once you’re aware what influences your current behaviors, you can develop the power to handle the challenges and obstacles in your life.
My experience:
I’m a licensed psychologist. My professional life started in Italy. I permanently relocated to San Francisco in 2011.
In Italy:
For over eleven years, I worked as a psychotherapist in a variety of settings, including nonprofit agencies, mental health facilities and in my own private practice. During my time in Italy, my clients included adolescents and adults in outpatient, educational, day treatment, and inpatient settings. My clinical experience has included individual, couples, family and group therapy. In addition, I have also worked with those seeking supportive services for substance abuse.
In San Francisco:
Since moving to San Francisco, I have had the fortunate opportunity to volunteer at the Progress Foundation serving those with disabilities related to mental illness. My work with these individuals has prioritized various treatment alternatives in lieu of institutional placement. I was also employed as a psychological assistant at Queer Lifespace, a nonprofit counseling agency that seeks to bring mental health and substance abuse services to the LGBTQQI community.
In addition to this therapy practice, I am currently working with Sharper Future, a privatesector mental health service provider specializing in the assessment and treatment of forensic populations and others with behavioral and mental health issues. My goal is to incorporate into my practice all the work and life experiences I have encountered in Europe and the United States.
Why am I a psychotherapist?
There’s simply nothing else I’d rather do with my life.
I love being a psychotherapist because I have found no better way to do work that is meaningful and transformative for others while simultaneously transforming, supporting and facilitating my own personal growth.
I find it to be a singular honor and privilege to play a part in the stories of my clients. I cannot think of a more rewarding career, one that is designed solely to decrease suffering and improve quality of life.
I celebrate those moments where I see hope in the eyes of a client, a recognition of her/his own greatness, or a long abandoned hearty laugh.
I love helping people to look at the factors affecting their behavior and helping them to respond in different ways. Then, we go back and look at the how those factors change. We get things figured out and watch what happens.
I feel amazed and humbled when a client says: “I’ve never told anyone this before, but...” At that moment, we enter sacred territory. The requisite trust and rapport have been built and now it’s time to take things to a level never before experienced. I essentially earn my living watching stories of strength and perseverance unfold before me. We share the obstacles and successes together.