Serena Romero
Serena Romero
(they/them)
Hello hello. I'm Serena ("they/them" or "she/her"). I like to laugh, connect, listen to moving water, try to help those who've been hurt or harmed (when appropriate), and play. I identify as a multiracial, middle aged, nonbinary person. I have +20 years in human services (experience w/ interpersonal abuse; homelessness; substance use; youth & families) and 16 years of clinical experience (includes years providing clinical supervision and 12 years providing therapy). I've served individuals, groups, families, and intimate partners. I try to provide a safe space where we explore what's going well, how you'd like support, and try to shape desired changes. I'm comfortable with different beliefs and life styles. My therapeutic style is eclectic---weaving in different approaches. This may look like exploring our thoughts, stories, culture, people, sleep, work, activities, taking deep breaths, or making some changes, if you're up for it.
Get to know me
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
In our first conversation, I'll ask you to tell me the short version of what brings you to therapy and what you want to get out of it. I'll ask for some information about any past therapy experiences, preferences, and tools you may have. And, I'll give some basic information about what to expect from our time together.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
My strengths are making folks feel comfortable and focusing on how to actually be helpful. I'm flexible and open to lots of different ways of thinking, being, and living.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
I'm open to serving most, but I do enjoy working with people who want to try--to try and think, do, or feel things differently when it may help. It feels especially rewarding to help people who have been hurt, knocked down, or treated less than kindly.
About Serena Romero
I identify as
Specialties
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VirtualMy treatment methods
Motivational Interviewing
I use aspects of MI to help explore realistic goals and the pace and strategies that will work best for you. We can discuss how open and ready you feel for trying certain things--especially when you're not fully confident that change will work or maybe you're a bit ambivalent about particular changes.
Culturally Sensitive Therapy
Woven throughout the process. Time and time again, we will consider how culture can influence our experience. This includes smaller systems (self, friends, families, etc.) and larger systems in our society. I'll listen and try to better understand your culture and how it affects you, and try to provide support and strategies sensitive to cultural considerations. I will also be mindful of my own cultural lens and experience.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
If you are open to it, I may introduce or encourage practice of mindfulness as a way to get in tune with the present moment in a nonjudgmental way and focus our attention. This could look like sharing observations of our internal experience (breath, muscle tension, thoughts, etc.) or turning attention to the external worlds (sounds, sights, etc.).
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use parts of CBT to consider how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors may affect each other and ways to influence how we think, feel, and behave through factors that are within our control. We may also consider how to identify and navigate factors that are not within our control.
Strength-Based
A strength based stance throughout will help to identify and build on the resources and skills you already have and encourage focus on wellness and goals, as opposed to a deficit-based perspective. What's going well already?