FranCina Fantauzzo
It takes courage to seek a new path, especially when it feels incredibly hard to simply exist in the world right now. I believe therapy should be a safe space where you feel completely held, accepted, and heard. Our sessions are an active, compassionate conversation—I don't just sit and nod.
I am also a Board Certified Art Therapist; and certified yoga teacher, autism spectrum disorder specialist, and clinical trauma professional.
I’m FranCina, a licensed professional therapist in NJ and PA, and a Board Certified Registered Art Therapist (ATR-BC®) in PA. Together, we will view you as a whole person—not a problem to be fixed—using narrative, somatic, and creative tools tailored entirely to what feels comfortable and supportive for you.
First session
In our first session, I will welcome you into our space and take time to gather information in a relaxed, conversational manner. There is absolutely no need to rush. It takes time to build trust, and we will naturally find a momentum that works for you over our first few sessions as we learn more about one another.
Strengths
My approach stands out because I don't treat you as a diagnosis to be fixed—I partner with you to understand your story. Because we live in both the mind and the body, true healing requires addressing both. We gently deconstruct old stories to rebuild your life one moment at a time. When words aren't enough, creativity, body and breath are some avenues to explore and soothe the parts of self that need attention. I also integrate ACT and DBT strategies to help you balance black-and-white thinking and discover greater choice. My practice offers a welcoming, accepting space that honors your unique processing style, recognizing different neuro-types and complex life experiences. We will look at the whole picture—including how external systems and your environment impact your daily life—while balancing deep understanding with practical tools for sustainable growth.
Ideal clients
I am best positioned to serve adults experiencing depression, anxiety, relationship struggles, mood and emotion regulation issues, and those navigating the complex intersection of trauma and neurodivergence (Autism/ADHD). My ideal clients are often 'high achievers' or creative souls who feel deeply disconnected from their bodies or overwhelmed by a world that wasn't built for them. They may struggle with: complex trauma (C-PTSD), feeling constantly 'on guard' or shut down, or angry or reactive. They may experience sensory overwhelm or executive functioning challenges trying to navigate life with a neurodivergent brain. Emotions may come with chronic tension, fatigue, or 'feeling stuck' in a stress response. I serve those who are looking for more than just a listener; they want a specialist who integrates tools to help them find genuine safety and empowerment in their own skin.
Treatment methods
Integrative
I use an integrative approach where you and collaborate to focus on your needs with mindfulness, somatic, and narrative strategies to help you. I introduce ways for you to slow down and focus on your needs in the moment. I listen with compassion and help you process your own thoughts and feelings, listen to your stories,. We look at your past as related to your present and consider parts of self that influence your thoughts, emotions, and choices. Together, we explore ideas for building your life. I always provide choice as I am trauma informed and respect your need for choice in therapy and out there in the world.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
Recognizing that we can experience two different feelings at once. Validating self and others. Learning to focus your attention to reduce overwhelm and stress. Finding ways to distract or regulate our moods when we feel out of control. Communicating to someone important to us how we feel or what we need. These are skills that can help you calm your system and live life with more intention and in a way that feels more worth living. Focusing on the present, on your senses, and external environment can help us get out of our heads. Focusing on your thoughts and feelings in the moment can help us understand and accept ourselves, and make choices that align with our values. My goal is to help you accept and honor your experiences to find direction and intention in your daily life. Distress tolerance, emotion, regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness, among other Acceptance and Change strategies are integrated into the natural flow of therapy, and can bridge the gap when we know the "rules" of how to live. Some find this reassuring as well as a way to increase confidence in navigating our many roles and as related to self.
Trauma Informed Care
I use a holistic approach that recognizes the wide-spread impact of trauma and its effect on so many aspects of our lives. Trauma can have a profound impact on an individual's physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being and is compounded by anxiety, depression, neuro-diversity, and external environments. I shift the focus from "what's wrong with you?" to "what happened to you?," acknowledging the complex experiences that you may have faced, and using strategies that promote your healing and well-being. I create a safe space for you to explore your emotions, thoughts, feelings, sensations, urges, and anything else that comes up. For those who want to go deeper, Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy views the mind as a multi-part system, like a family, where different parts each have their own roles, emotions, and intentions. IFS therapy helps you understand and integrate these parts, fostering internal harmony and healing, rather than suppressing or eliminating them. By developing self-awareness and self-compassion, you can learn to lead your parts with understanding, leading to improved mental health and personal growth. While I integrate various approaches to working with people with trauma, I provide space to integrate parts of self for a more holistic approach. Narrative therapy helps us find ways of looking, deconstructing, and reconstructing as we build and create the story we want to see. A systems framework lets you see the problem is not you, and we can design ways to recreate more satifying systems, working with what we've got, and learning along the way.
Mind-body approach
I use an integrative approach to therapy where you and I collaborate together on focusing on your unique needs. I work with you to learn acceptance and change strategies like DBT to help see what you are working with and focus on your goals. Using mindfulness strategies to help you get in touch with yourself and stay focused in the present, we may focus on body, breath, thinking brain, deeper wisdom body, or experience a flow state or joy and connection to self and others. I introduce ways for you to slow down and focus on your needs in the moment. I listen with compassion and help you process your own thoughts and feelings as related to your sensations and how to work with your system, not against it. We look at your past as related to your present and consider parts of self that influence your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, as well as body, breath, and spirit. I introduce ideas for processing your feelings and experiences using nature, creativity, journaling, metaphor, movement, breathing, designing and experiencing your own safe space, and other forms of expression. I always provide choice as I am trauma informed and respect your need for choice in therapy and out there in the world.
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
White
Woman
Top specialties
Anxiety
Depression
Trauma and PTSD
Other specialties
ADHD
Autism
Burnout
Coping Skills
Dissociative Disorders
Grief
Life Transitions
Loneliness / Isolation
Self Esteem
Women's Issues
Serves
Adults (18 to 64)
Elders (65 and above)
Gender-fluid
Individual Therapy
Man
Non-binary
Transgender
Woman
Doesn't specialize in
Addiction / Substance Use
Couples Counseling
Couples Counseling
Family Therapy
Family Therapy
Licensed in
New JerseyLicense 37PC00905300
PennsylvaniaLicense PC014688