LCSW, 4 years of experience
Do you ever feel stuck, overwhelmed, or weighed down by stress and self-doubt? Well, I may be able to help with that. Hi, I’m Ciera, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who is passionate about creating a space where people can feel safe to slow down, reflect, and be themselves. I believe healing happens when you feel understood, supported, and empowered to explore what’s been holding you back. Together, we’ll work on building resilience, finding clarity, and helping you reconnect with your strengths so you can create a life that feels more balanced and fulfilling. When I’m not in session, you can usually find me recharging with a good book, spending time with loved ones, or moving my body through exercise. Just like my clients, I know life can feel like “too much” at times but it can also be a place of growth, possibility, and meaning. My focus is to walk alongside you as you discover what that looks like for you.
During our first session, think of it as a conversation where we begin to lay the foundation for our work together. I’ll ask about your background, what’s been weighing on you, and what you’d like to get out of therapy, but there’s no pressure to share everything at once. We’ll move at your pace. I also see this as a chance for you to ask me questions and get a feel for whether I’m the right fit for you. By the end of our first meeting, we’ll have a clearer sense of your goals and how we can work together to support the changes you’re hoping for.
My greatest strengths as a therapist are empathy, openness, and flexibility. I work to create a space that feels safe and non-judgmental, where you can show up exactly as you are. For some, it feels natural to open up right away, while for others it takes more time...and both are completely okay! I’ll meet you where you are and move at a pace that feels right for you. I also love learning and bringing in new approaches, which helps me adapt to your unique needs. What matters most is that you feel seen, understood, and supported as you move toward healing and growth.
I work best with adults who want to feel more grounded, confident, and at ease in their lives. Many of my clients start therapy feeling overwhelmed by stress, burnout, or complicated relationships. Others are carrying old wounds or past experiences that continue to shape how they see themselves today. And some simply want to build confidence and self-worth so they can show up more fully in their work, relationships, and daily life. Whatever brings you here, I believe therapy can be a space to pause, breathe, and begin untangling what’s been holding you back so you can move forward with greater clarity and confidence.
I use Somatic Therapy in my practice to help clients tune into their bodies and the physical sensations that come with their emotions. It’s a gentle approach that helps people become more aware of how their body holds onto stress or trauma, which can help them feel more grounded and connected. Sometimes, just talking through emotions doesn’t fully address how deeply stress is felt in the body. Somatic Therapy allows clients to release tension and process feelings that might be too overwhelming to talk about right away. It’s especially helpful when we’re working through difficult emotions or trauma, offering a safe and compassionate way to reconnect with ourselves. I love weaving various somatic techniques in alongside methods, creating a more holistic healing experience that supports both the mind and body.
Psychodynamic therapy helps clients explore unconscious processes and past experiences that may be influencing their current behavior and emotional struggles. Through a combination of free association, dream analysis, and exploring early attachment patterns, I guide clients to gain insight into their unresolved conflicts and internalized beliefs. By examining these deeper layers, clients can better understand how their past affects their present relationships and self-image. This aligns with my overall approach of fostering self-awareness and emotional growth, particularly when working with clients on issues like attachment, identity, and relational dynamics.
I utilize Brainspotting as a tool to help clients process trauma and emotional distress by identifying and targeting specific "brainspots" that correspond to unprocessed memories or experiences. Trained in Phase 1, I guide clients to focus on particular eye positions that activate deeper emotional responses, facilitating a more direct connection with the brain's natural healing abilities. This method is particularly effective for individuals who have difficult accessing or verbalizing traumatic memories or for those who have found EMDR to be overstimulating, allowing for a more somatic and non-verbal approach to healing. By integrating Brainspotting, I support clients in processing their trauma and difficult experiences in a way that bypasses traditional cognitive processing, leading to a deeper emotional resolution and healing.
I use Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) in my work with individuals, drawing from the EFIT model (Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy). While EFT is often known for couples therapy, EFIT applies the same attachment-based principles to individual work. I help adults identify protective patterns—like shutting down or overthinking—and guide them in exploring the deeper emotions underneath. Together, we create new emotional experiences that lead to greater self-understanding, stronger emotional regulation, and more secure connections with others and themselves.
EMDR helps clients reframe past experiences, unhelpful core beliefs, and integrates them in a way that promotes healing and growth. Through bilateral stimulation, we work to resolve distressing memories, allowing clients to move forward with greater emotional resilience and clarity.