(she/her)
New to Grow
Welcome! My name is Domenica! I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker based in California with a Master’s in Clinical Social Work, specializing in Behavioral Health. I have used my clinical practice in the mental health field supporting people through moments of struggle, change, and growth. As a queer therapist, I bring a warm, affirming, and collaborative approach to my work, creating a space where clients can feel genuinely seen and supported. I work with anxiety, depression, identity exploration, life transitions, and building practical coping skills to help clients feel more grounded, confident, and connected to themselves.
In our first session together, you can expect a warm, welcoming space where we take things at a comfortable pace and begin getting to know each other. We’ll start with brief introductions and then move into what’s been bringing you to therapy, including the challenges you’re currently facing and what feels most important for you to work on. This conversation helps me understand your story, your strengths, and what support might feel most helpful. Together, we’ll begin shaping a plan that reflects your needs and goals, while also making sure the process feels collaborative and grounded in your comfort. My hope is that you leave the first session feeling heard, supported, and with a clearer sense of how we’ll move forward together.
One of the greatest strengths I bring into our work together is a deeply client-centered, collaborative approach to therapy. I believe you are the expert on your own life, and my role is to walk alongside you while helping you make sense of what you’re experiencing and supporting you in moving toward the changes that matter most to you. I know that seeking therapy can feel like a vulnerable step, and I truly honor the courage it takes to begin this process. I strive to create a warm, grounding, and non-judgmental space where you can feel safe to show up as you are, without pressure or expectation. At the heart of my work is the therapeutic relationship itself. I aim to build a trusting connection where we can work together openly and thoughtfully, using your goals and values to guide our sessions. My hope is that through this collaborative process, you feel supported, understood, and empowered to create meaningful and lasting change in your life.
I look forward to working with adults, adolescents, and children experiencing anxiety, depression, identity exploration, and low self-esteem. I have experience supporting individuals facing stress, life transitions, body image concerns, and self-worth challenges. As a queer therapist myself, I also have experience working with LGBTQIA+ clients and aim to provide an affirming, inclusive space. My approach focuses on building coping skills, strengthening resilience, and supporting clients in developing greater self-understanding, confidence, and emotional well-being in their daily lives.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I've used CBT in practice to help clients identify and challenge unhelpful thought patterns that contribute to anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. Through this process, together we can help you build realistic and practical coping skills you can utilize in your daily life to improve overall emotional regulation!
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
In our therapy space, I use DBT to help clients feel more grounded, understood, and supported as they navigate intense emotions. I gently guide clients in building skills like mindfulness, distress tolerance, and emotion regulation so they can respond to challenges with greater self-compassion. Through this work, you will learn to hold space for both acceptance and change, creating a more stable and fulfilling daily life.
Attachment-based
In my clinical practice, I use Attachment-Based Therapy to help clients explore how early relationships shape their current sense of safety, connection, and self-worth. I offer a warm and consistent therapeutic relationship where clients can begin to process past experiences and develop more secure ways of relating to themselves and others. Through this work, clients build greater trust, emotional resilience, and a deeper capacity for meaningful connection in their daily lives.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
In the therapy space, I incorporate Mindfulness-Based Therapy to help clients slow down and become more present with their thoughts, emotions, and body sensations. I gently support clients in observing their internal experiences with curiosity and without judgment, creating space to respond rather than react. Through this practice, clients build greater awareness, emotional balance, and a more grounded, compassionate way of moving through daily life.