How It Works
Psychotherapy means that you have a regular time and space to talk about your concerns with a mental health professional. You may need support for life’s challenges, want to understand yourself better, or seek new skills to help you navigate the world and your relationships. My role is to help you move toward the change you seek.
The person you meet with makes all the difference. Therapy is as unique as your therapist. A trusting relationship and a supportive, safe, and collaborative space allows you to talk about feelings and thoughts that you might not normally share. When you do that, we can sort out together what needs to shift in your life and how to get there.
Even small shifts spread out in big ripples.
Below you will find a list of therapeutic approaches that guide my work, but mostly people want to know what it’s like to interact with me. I listen carefully, ask thoughtful questions, and help connect the dots to understand what may be contributing to your concerns. I am warm, direct, curious, and an active participant in the work of therapy. My hope is that you feel heard, understood, and encouraged.
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I use an integrationist approach to therapy, which means that I select a treatment approach and interventions that I think will be most effective for you and your concerns.
My work is influenced by the following:
✦ Multicultural and Feminist theories
✦ Trauma-Informed Therapy
✦ Polyvagal Theory
✦ Health at Every Size (HAES)
✦ Relational-Cultural Therapy
✦ Strength-Based Therapy
I am a neurodiversity-affirming and LGBTQIAP + therapist. -
Here is how these theories actually show up in our work together.
Your context matters: The intersection of your identities, systemic factors, and cultural background are important to understanding who you are.
All of you is welcome: I value and respect that humans come in all shapes, sizes, identities, and unique neurotypes.
Safety comes first: I provide a predictable, secure space designed to help you safely explore and work through difficult or traumatic experiences.
Your nervous system matters: We look at how stress, trauma, and anxiety physically impact your body and mind, using polyvagal insights to find calm.
Connections shape us: We explore how your relationships with others impact your current well-being and sense of self.
You are not broken: I operate from a strengths-based perspective—I believe in your innate resilience and your unique superpowers.
Feliza Guidero PsyD
drguidero@truewestpsych.com