Therapists in West Chester, PA

I am a licensed clinical social worker in the state of Pennsylvania with 15 years of experience working with individuals in a variety of settings with people who present with anxiety, depression, grief/bereavement, stress management, life transitions, substance use, bipolar disorder, and other mental health issues. Therapy is a partnership in change, a path to gaining insight to your life. We will focus on you as a person and your strengths, looking holistically and individually as a plan of care is created centered around your needs and goals. This approach will increase awareness and groundedness in the present moment.

Thank you for visiting my profile. Whether you are coping with a loss, trying to manage depression and/or anxiety, struggling with addiction, or just juggling life’s transitions, therapy is a great first step to gaining insight into making positive and long-lasting changes. Do you want to work on self-esteem, identity, relationships, and/or motivation? Working with a therapist can help you discover new strengths and create new paths.

Healing happens relationally–within our communities, our families, and within ourselves. Therapy works best if we can build a safe and trusting relationship, so you should know a little bit about who I am! I am a white, queer and trans femme musician turned therapist. I am areligious, but I find many experiences to be deeply spiritual, including cooking, being in community with others, singing together, and walking in nature. Folks who do well with me don't fit the status quo, are navigating transitions, are noticing patterns in their relationships they want to examine and change, and are in search of healing and transformation.

I am passionate about supporting clients to find balance in their emotional and social well-being, resolve trauma, and achieve a life worth living. I work with teenagers and adults who experience overwhelming emotions, thoughts, and behaviors such as self-harm, and suicidal actions, by utilizing full-model Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). I specialize in clients diagnosed with BPD or who have tried many different therapies without success. I also work with clients who are exploring their identity, using an intersectional systems approach that is tailored to each client's unique experiences.

I know starting therapy can be hard. I hope sharing about who I am as a therapist helps clarify if I feel like a good fit for you. Therapy is a relationship that centers you. I view connection and authenticity as strengths. I will take you and your needs seriously while celebrating your joy. I center consent and empowerment, depathologize responses to harm (systemic or otherwise), and value lived experience. I am non-judgmental, interested, understanding, and trust your self-knowledge. I show up attentively, with warmth and care. I believe in those I work with and am excited for what you will create for yourself.

I am open to all clients regardless of their background and identity. Anyone struggling, experiencing emotional hardships, feeling stuck, dealing with mental health concerns, or addiction is welcome. My goal is to empower and support personal growth, and emotional development. We can explore and learn from experiences, feelings, and actions. Sometimes all we need is someone to listen and hear what we need to say, there is space for you and everything that you choose to bring. As a Queer Black therapist, I am invested in working with Black, Brown, LGBTQIA+, and Neurodivergent communities. I also speak Spanish.

Hi! I’m so glad you made it here. This odyssey is ultimately about you, but here is some information about me to help you decide if you’d like my support along the way. My name is Ana (with the Spanish pronunciation), and I graduated from Villanova University where I got my BA in Psychology and later my MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I am a National Certified Counselor and Certified Trauma Professional. Throughout my clinical experience, I have helped clients navigate various concerns and and co-occurring issues, primarily addiction and trauma.

There is no universal reason to enter therapy. Everyone arrives in their own time, moves at their own pace, and seeks different outcomes. I approach therapy with the lens that every person deserves a space to heal with self-determination and empathy. Whether you are navigating emotions of overwhelm, grief, conflict, worry, or harm, I aim to address each feeling with care and thoughtfulness. I want to know what brings you here now and how you envision therapy as a tool for your personal growth.

True lasting healing requires safety & trust in relationships. I am a collaborative therapist providing warmth, caring & guidance as you work to reach your goals. My clients describe me as an invested therapist who remembers the smallest details & plays an active role in helping facilitate the change you want to make. I specialize in life transitions and the self talk/beliefs & communication skills that affect positive change. I’m most passionate about helping you live as your true self, beginning/ending relationships, regaining connection with & prioritizing oneself, and helping people navigate changes in their health & well-being.

I help those who are feeling stuck, trapped, confused & need help making sense of everything that is going on so that they can put it into words and grow. My therapy is a safe space for those who need support. My practice is trauma informed and non judgemental. My practice is also anti racist, sex positive, LGBTQIA+ competent, and gender affirming. I work with artists, college students, mothers, sex workers, nuerodivergent idividuals, queer and trans community, & people who struggle with anxiety & trauma. I also offer gender affirming surgery letters.

My first priority is for my clients to feel safe and heard, and I believe it is my job to create that space. As I’ve seen in my personal and professional life, therapy can save lives both figuratively and literally by developing acceptance, hope, and change. Some challenges I support clients through include relationship issues, communication, emotion and mood regulation, and trauma from childhood or adult abuse. My personal experiences allow me to better relate to and understand clients with whom I share similarities. My role is to walk alongside my clients, eliciting their self-knowledge, and offering tools along the way.

As we journey through life, we encounter various challenges that shape and mold us. Change is an inevitable part of this journey, and it often stirs up powerful emotions and self-reflection. If you're searching for a safe space to pause, process, and find solace, you've come to the right place. Are you ready to embark on a new path for yourself? Perhaps there's an inner voice that fills you with guilt, shame, or worthlessness when you try. If so, know that you're not alone - I can offer you compassion, coping skills, and support.

I believe that therapy should be an engaging and enriching experience. Therapy is collaborative, it is a conversation, and it can even be enjoyable. I strive to do what I can to make you as comfortable as possible in session. You are the expert on you, and it’s my job to help you figure out what that means. I specialize in the following: Queer and Transgender issues, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Anxiety, Depression, Adolescent and Young Adult Issues, Stress Management, Aging, Grief Counseling. and Relationship Stress

Therapy is the fight for autonomy over our decisions and our strengths-based connections in the aftermath. The universal social work tradition is to build practice based on reciprocity, continuity of care, consent, and affirmation. Therapists build supportive networks through community-based knowledge, interrelationships and love. We labor for access to self determination over our own identities and communities at large. We take a holistic view of the self through a social context, and work to create open and dynamic spaces and roles for ourselves and each other. This must include confronting stigma, isolation and disconnection.

I enjoy working with people who are experiencing issues related to identity and self-esteem, grief/loss, life transitions, and anxiety. I am especially enthusiastic about working with individuals in the adoptee and queer communities.

Striving in the United States as a working-class Queer, I am driven toward the cessation of suffering through self-advocacy, social justice, and collective action. I have spent years working in community-health engaged in service of the marginalized, specifically LGBTQ and BIPOC communities, working-class individuals, people living with HIV, disability, substance abuse, and the intersections therein.

If you are looking for a new therapy experience that accepts who you are without judgment, I would be honored to work with you. I understand it is impossible to force people into boxes and label their life with stereotypical behaviors. We are all unique with our own combination of thoughts, feelings, and experiences. I strive to be a good listener and let you be in charge of our time together–you are the expert on your life. I will be your guide to help you uncover the driving forces in your life and explore whatever has caused or is causing you trauma.

I work with tweens, teens, and transitional aged young people struggling with trauma, issues relating to sexuality and gender, anxiety, depression, self-esteem and identity challenges, and significant life transitions.