More about me
Hi! I’m Giselle
I am a rostered, pre-licensed psychotherapist in the state of Vermont. As I work toward a LMHC license, I am under the supervision of Em Megas-Russel, LICSW.
Education
Master of Science in Counseling with a specialization in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Prescott College (2023)
Courses I loved
Social Justice in Counseling
Trauma & Crisis Interventions & Treatment
Mentored Course in Advanced Human Sexuality
Foundations of Expressive Arts Therapy
Bachelor of Arts in English
with a minor in Spanish Literature and Family, Youth, & Community Sciences from the University of Florida (2016)
Trainings
Certificate in Somatic Embodiment & Regulation Strategies with Linda Thai (2024)
700+ clinical hours for graduate-level internship at Gainesville Community Counseling Center (2023)
Attendance at the International Boston Trauma Conference from the Trauma Research Foundation (2023)
40 hour Florida Domestic Violence Core Competency Training (2022)
My Role as a Therapist
I see my role as a therapist as one of compassionate guide where me and the client co-create a reflective space so clients can meet themselves deeper and invite gentle change into their lives. I find profound value in the slow and nurturing pace of therapy because of how radically opposing it is to the go-go-go, productivity-oriented expectations of our capitalistic culture. I see taking a weekly hour to meet yourself with grace, curiosity, and care as an act of rebellion against a system that aims to minimize our humanity. I’m humbled to be a co-conspirator in this act of transformative connection and healing.
My Cultural Context
Growing up in Miami to a Cuban dad and a Colombian mom, I grew up immersed in my latinidad. My parents immigrated to the U.S. as adults, didn’t go to college, and ran their own business. I attended mostly private school, spoke Spanish at home, and traveled regularly to visit family in Colombia. I grew up in a home my parents owned and I went to a four-year university.
I’ve had a lot of privileges my parents paved the way for. Every immigrant experience is different & I feel like sharing mine helps you understand my socioeconomic privileges and challenges.
My Approach to Therapy
Feminist therapy theory is truly at the core of how I approach my work as a therapist. Therapy has historically been a field created by white men as experts, treating female “hysteria” and labeling it as “deviant” from what is socially acceptable. Feminist theory was created by white women + women of color and speaks to the presence social and political systems of power have on our behavior, personalities, beliefs, and “symptoms.” Paired with my understanding of how the nervous system functions in service of protection, I believe our environment and the experiences of our life greatly contributes to the natural responses traditional psychology deemed as “pathological.” My goal is to help clients see and embrace the protective strategies they’ve developed to survive so they can play a more intentional role in engaging with the nuance of life.
I’m dedicated to disrupting systems of power, including in the therapist-client relationship dynamic. Therapy should not be mysterious and it definitely shouldn’t feel intimidating. Especially for BIPOC & marginalized identities. I practice transparency, collaboration, thoughtful self-disclosure, a face full of expression, and a high ethical standard.
Somatic & Nervous System Oriented
Somatic refers to the body and its function in processing experiences, trauma, and emotions to communicate cues of safety or danger to the brain. My somatic approach is informed by the nervous system lens of polyvagal theory that explains how the sympathetic and parasympathetic system activate depending on those safety cues. This lens is trauma sensitive and provides a path to reestablishing safety and connection from within. I use this approach by inviting clients to connect with the cues of their body to practice the awareness muscle between the mind and body.
Creativity
Sometimes we can discover more when we take a break from verbal processing. This can look like making a collage, writing a poem, or putting together a playlist. You might be surprised what you find in this creative place.
Parts-Work
Internal Family Systems or parts work is a theoretical perspective that highlights the many parts of ourselves, the inner child parts, the protective parts, and the hidden parts. All with the goal of creating harmony and a more caring inner world.