About Me
Hola / Hello
My name is Claudia (she/her) and I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, and an American Board Sexologist practicing in the State of Washington. I identify as a collaborative and nurturing therapist who honors her clients’ experiences with compassion, permission-giving, and accountability. I view therapy as a gift that we give to ourselves, a gift of knowledge and self-discovery. It would be my honor to work with you toward your goals with an approach that is respectful, encouraging, and kind.
I was born in Mexico City and my first language is Spanish, but I grew up speaking English as a second language. My cultural background informs my non-judgmental and person-centered therapeutic approach. When addressing your current experiences, I will always consider the impact of the larger context of your family and culture. This means I view individuals in the context of their relationships and their interactions with others.
I am humorous and transparent so you can expect my authenticity to show up in the way I work with clients and in the way I build therapeutic relationships. I believe in the healing power of laughter and if you decide that you would like to work with me, you will have someone in your corner who will be there to support you, challenge you, and celebrate you. Starting this journey is not always easy and I am so glad you are here. I believe that all of us have the ability to reclaim our stories. It would be my honor to help you rewrite yours.
Affiliations
I am committed to furthering the field of Marriage and Family Therapy & Sex Therapy.
I am a member of these professional organizations:
American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy - AAMFT
President Elect - Washington Association of Marriage and Family Therapy - WAMFT
American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists - AASECT
American Board of Sexology - ABS
International Academy of Sex Research - IASR
Society for Sex Therapy and Research - SSTAR
My Therapeutic Modalities
Narrative Therapy
Bowenian Family Therapy
Satir Transformational Systemic Therapy (STST)
Relational Therapy
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
Gottman Therapy
Attachment-Based Therapy
Education
Bachelor’s in Pedagogy with a specialization in Psychopedagogy from Panamerican University [Universidad Panamnericana] in Mexico City
Bachelor in Family Sciences from the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family in Mexico City
Master of Arts in Couple and Family Therapy and a Sex Therapy Certification from Antioch University, Seattle
Currently working on my PhD in Human Sexuality from the California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco
Completed Trainings
As a therapist an important part of my profession is to further my education.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
Gottman level 1 and 2 – The Gottman Institute
PREPARE/ENRICH Certified Premarital Facilitator – PREPARE/ENRICH
Commitment Prep/Premarital Training – Adaptive Counseling
Clinical Work with Consensual Non-Monogamous Relationships – Nancy Owen
Understanding Consensual Non-Monogamy and Polyamorous Relationships for Mental Health Professionals – AASECT
Wheel of Consent (Betty Martin) – Katie Spatarro
Sex and Cannabis for Sexuality Health Professionals – Chelsea Cebara
Treating Kinky Couples with Competence & Compassion – Neil Cannon
Childless Affirmative Therapy – Katie Maynard
Islam and Sexuality – Bina Bahktiar
Expansive Therapeutic Education (Trans clients) – Joey and Megan from Transmission Wellness
*Please note* This is not an exhaustive list