Hello & Welcome!

I’m Vanessa and I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I use she/her pronouns, identify as Latina and was born in El Salvador. I’m also a therapist who’s been in therapy before and I know what it’s like to be on the other side of the couch.

Ever since I discovered the positive impact therapy can have, I became passionate about supporting others through their journey. Working on your mental health is a lifetime process. That’s because over time, you change and continuously go through different experiences. And some of these can even have long lasting effects on your emotional and mental health.

Therapy can offer you a safe space to process these experiences, discover more about yourself and how you navigate the world, learn techniques & coping skills and dedicate time to your emotional wellbeing.

It’s not easy to tell someone else about your experiences and emotions, it requires you to be vulnerable. I know what it can be like to step into the therapy world. It can be scary, but I am here to walk you through it.

I do my best to meet people where they are. I understand if it’s someone’s first time in therapy or if someone is feeling nervous or hesitant about it, that it takes time to build trust with someone to eventually share your story.

My Approach

My practice focuses on supporting individuals who are struggling with their relationship with food and/or their body’s and trauma. For this work, I use a Health At Every Size (HAES) and trauma informed lens. I believe it’s important to allow time to process experiences, talk about coping skills and making change, and also how to find healing in a way that aligns with you and your values.

My practice is culturally sensitive, gender affirming and welcoming to all body sizes. I work through a holistic approach where I believe in including your whole self in therapy, which includes the mind-body connection, your background, values, beliefs, identity and any other important aspects that make up who you are.

I believe that in order to experience the benefits of therapy, you have to connect and feel understood by your therapist. That’s why I value feedback through the therapy process. Every therapist has a different approach and my approach isn’t a good fit for everyone. That’s why throughout our work together, I will check in with you in how you feel sessions are going.

Training & Credentials

  • I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Oregon.

  • I graduated from Portland State University in 2017 with a Masters degree in Social Work (MSW) with a clinical focus.

  • Trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) level 1 & 2 and have taken specialized EMDR training that focused on IFS parts work and disordered eating.

  • Trained in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Intuitive Eating (IE), Gottman Method level 1 (Couples Therapy).

  • Completed advanced training in conducting immigration evaluations by the Immigration Evaluation Training Center.