About Chiara - My Story

For over a decade, I lived with invisible disability and have been on my own spiritual wellness journey to heal chronic illness, both physical and psychological. Yet I didn't always know that I wanted to be a psychotherapist. My journey into the mental health field is a very circuitous and non-linear one, much like the healing process itself.

Along my path, I have learned about countless healing modalities and have attended dozens of retreats, workshops, trainings, and conferences. Working with a diverse array of gifted transpersonal healers, mentors, therapists, and coaches has deepened my passion for inner transformation work as well as guiding others on their own healing journeys. I've taken what I've learned from my therapists and coaches and apply this to my work with my psychotherapy clients. 

I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Community Studies (Social Justice) from UC Santa Cruz in 2011. Following graduation, I worked with various human rights, social justice, and environmental conservation nonprofit organizations in the U.S. and abroad (i.e. Monteverde, Costa Rica). I was passionate about their noble missions and the causes were close to my heart. I couldn't imagine doing anything else with my life as an activist and global citizen. 

Until I kept getting sick in part due to trauma and chronic stress. I was burned out. I knew that if I kept going the way I was, I would continue to spiral and land myself in the hospital. So I quit my demanding nonprofit job and checked myself into an alternative and holistic health center.

When I returned home after 6 weeks, I felt lost with no direction. What was I going to do with my life now? Then one night, I heard a voice inside me whisper: "Chiara, become a therapist." So I listened and responded to this call because it excited my spirit. I had found my newfound purpose in life. It was at this time when I realized that in order to heal the world, I must first heal myself. 

I have a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Global (formerly Brandman University). I am trained in the trauma treatment models *CRM® and EMDR, and am a *BBS-registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT # 131403), where I started working with therapy clients in March 2021. 

My concern for social justice, human rights, and Mother Earth continues to play a major role in my therapy work with clients. As a White privileged heterosexual cisgender woman who is part of the majority, I am committed to my personal work of examining my own unconscious internal biases in an effort to decolonize therapy and acknowledge systemic racism. I strive to be anti-oppressive, anti-ableist, and a mindful ally and active anti-racist. 

I'm grateful to have had the experience of working closely with Sudanese, Burmese, Congolese, Latinos, Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, and countless others in my professional journey thus far, and I'm excited to continue holding sacred space for clients with different gender, sexual, racial, ethnic, class, and ability identities.

I’m honored to be of service to the world in this way and it brings my heart so much joy to see my clients bloom and rise like a lotus flower from the mud of life! If you are interested in working with me, I'd love to hear from you.

*CRM® - Comprehensive Resource Model. Learn more about this trauma treatment model here.

*BBS - Board of Behavioral Sciences