Person-Centered Therapists in Bristol, VT

Finding balance in life can be overwhelming with contrast all around us. I am passionate about providing a safe and empowering space for individuals to be themselves. The work we do together will be intentional and geared toward self-discovery. I am dedicated to helping you connect with your inner source. Together we will explore verbal, visual and creative expression to help bring awareness to the ways in which the mind and body store and manifest negative patterns.

Sometimes we all need extra support as we navigate life's challenges. My counseling approach is grounded in the belief that everyone is capable of change and that we all have within us a deep well of strength and resilience that enables us to overcome and move toward our fullest and most empowered selves. Together, we will work to draw on your strengths and resources, clarify your goals, and explore your internal and external worlds in order to deepen your awareness and create the space for change, growth, and healing.

Are you finding that as life gets busier and more complicated, you've lost connection with your family? Does it seem that your children have become more complex and harder to understand as they grow older? These are challenges that many families face, challenges that are magnified when factors such as trauma, depression, anxiety, attachment and family dynamics issues are present. We all want to feel a sense of peace, happiness and connection with those we care about. With greater understanding and support, comes greater harmony.

I believe that the relationship between client and counselor is key to healing and growth. I bring a supportive and non-judgmental approach to examine the thoughts and beliefs that keep us stuck in unproductive and often painful patterns in our lives and in our relationships. Using warmth, compassionate curiosity, humor, and especially respect, I build a strong alliance to support adults from all backgrounds and identities who are experiencing depression, anxiety, difficulty in relationships, major life transitions, substance use, abuse, and addiction. Together we can begin to identify and heal breaches in trust from the past.

Taking new clients. I am passionate about your personal growth and helping you identify and achieve your life goals. I use attachment theory, somatic awareness, mindfulness techniques, and a polyvagal framework to help you identify your thoughts and feelings. Once we name it, then we tame it! We will work to increase understanding, coping skills, and focus through the exploration of your unique story.

Update: accepting private pay clients only. You can be autonomous within your own mind/body/spirit. You can learn new skills, gain knowledge, resources, and tools to move with more ease in your life. You can allow a smoother and clearer journey, past the struggle, past the pain or past the dark. Hi, my name is Penélope. As an Afro-Latina woman and 2nd generation Dominican I have faced many struggles. Accepting support has aided me in building resilience to move past the fear and worry. I help my clients in finding that kind of transformation and to create and build healthy tools, in order to thrive, reach for the stars, and shine.

I believe therapy is about collaboration, working together to discover and explore your strengths and find your unique story. I offer a caring and non-judgmental space where you’ll feel heard as you move toward achieving your personal goals. I’ve been working as a school counselor in Vermont with families in crisis and these past few years have been especially tough due to the pandemic, impacting our youth profoundly. Having witnessed this firsthand within the school system, I was inspired to start my own practice.

Are you tired of feeling limited by your fears, overwhelmed by unwanted panic attacks or worn out by staying small in relationships so you don’t seem like “too much”? You may find yourself constantly worrying no matter what you do. You might not even remember a time things didn’t feel this way. But one thing is for sure: you’re ready for some relief. You’re ready to quiet the constant “what-if’s” in your head and live your life. You’re ready to feel capable in handling what life throws at you. Most of all, you’re ready to feel peace, confidence, and fulfillment again.

Grief is perhaps the most challenging and inescapable of all life experiences. While there are many different kinds of loss (i.e. job, relationship, physical health) the death of a loved one takes one to new level of emotional, mental and spiritual challenge. The death of a loved one changes us forever. From within this space of confusing emotions, doubts and uncertainties a desire to share your story may arise. It is a natural human instinct to want to explore in a safe setting the deeper questions of life as you learn to navigate the many facets of grief. I look forward to providing guidance as you discover, grieve and recover.

I work with adults experiencing a range of difficulties associated with trauma, depression, ADHD, chronic pain/illness, and anxiety. When working with clients, I utilize an ecological framework to conceptualize my clients' difficulties and strengths beyond mental health, working to understand how the community, relationships, and physical health also play a role so I can better support my clients in meeting their goals.

Feeling stuck in a life that is unfulfilling, repeating patterns or habits that don't serve your well-being and relationships right now, overwhelmed by life’s responsibilities and the tides of our rapidly changing world, or having trouble letting go of painful parts of the past? We all occasionally need help to clearly see ourselves and find new ways to live better lives.

I specialize in working with adults and emerging adults from diverse racial, cultural and ethnic backgrounds. I accept clients who struggle to find competent care due to the overall inadequate support in mental health for individuals who occupy marginalized identity positions. I bring to my practice both deep knowledge about many socio-cultural factors and power dynamics that can profoundly affect a person's lived experiences, as well as deep humility about the limits of my knowledge. I use traditional talk therapy and EMDR -- an integrative therapy that uses a body-based technique called bilateral stimulation.

Psychotherapy is both an art and a science. I believe that my strength as a psychotherapist is that I am informed equally by my theoretical foundation as well as my creativity and intuition. The first part of my theoretical foundation is drawn from insight-oriented theories. I'm interested in how the interplay of your history and personality has contributed to your current concerns. The process of learning about and accepting who you are contributes to your healing. Through gentle and direct exploration and encouragement I will guide you toward self- awareness and compassionate self -acceptance.