Hi, my name is Mariana (she/her). I strive to create a collaborative and nonjudgmental counseling space where clients feel comfortable and encouraged to be(come) themselves. As a female immigrant of color in the United States, a lesbian in a same-sex marriage, and a patient dealing with chronic illnesses, I recognize the impact of oppressive systems on mental health. I have a passion for supporting marginalized clients (including, but not limited to, LGBT+, nonbinary, BIPOC, immigrants, etc.) in their path to self-discovery, growth, healing, wellness and empowerment. I also have a particular interest in supporting parents in their amazing (and exhausting) journey of raising humans. 

I am looking forward to helping clients struggling with various aspects of the human experience, such as identity exploration, career development, life transitions, anxiety, depression, guilt, shame, perfectionism, and self-esteem issues. As a curious life-long learner, I will continue to pursue training and education and will add more areas of focus to my practice in the future. 

I enjoy making art with my two young children, reading, playing cozy video games, eating good food from various cuisines (especially when I don’t have to cook it) and traveling to urban centers or tropical locations when I am able to get away. I was born and raised in Brazil and immigrated to the United States in my 20s. I speak fluent Portuguese and dabble in Spanish. 

I am a graduate student in Clinical Mental Health Counseling through Northwestern University. In this stage of my training, I am qualified to provide clinical mental health counseling under the supervision of a licensed supervisor.