I specialize in working with children, teens, and young adults. I also offer art-informed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as an alternative to traditional talk therapy, providing my young clients with a creative and engaging therapeutic approach.

With a holistic and eclectic approach, I tailor the therapeutic experience to best fit client goals. Combining person-centered therapy, art-informed CBT, and reality therapy, I create a personalized and distinctive journey for my clients. I firmly believes that one's perception plays a crucial role in their overall mental well-being, recognizing that distorted perceptions can hinder the experience of joy. By increasing mindfulness while maintaining realism, I support my clients in achieving their goals.

I'm a Brazilian-Korean-American Licensed Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor. My academic background includes a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Georgia State University. Fulfilling my lifelong dream of becoming a therapist, I have a profound belief in the transformative power of psychotherapy. Despite the effort it demands, the path is unquestionably rewarding. I place my confidence in the inherent strength within every client, fostering transformation from the inside out. I value honesty, compassion, authenticity, inclusivity, growth, and I approach my work with professionalism and care.

My goal is not to 'fix' your problems or talk you out of your emotions; instead, I'll guide you in understanding them, helping uncover their root causes for a deeper insight into yourself, your relationships, and behavior patterns. As your therapist, I prioritize creating a warm, non-judgmental space for you to process your experiences, and recognize the intricate layers that contribute to your overall well-being.

I integrate evidence-based approaches such as Psychodynamic, Person-Centered, Somatic, Narrative, Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive-Behavioral, and Mindfulness practices. I am also EMDR trained and fluent in Portuguese. During our sessions, I'll invite you to explore how early experiences may influence your current behavior, consider the body-mind connection, and embrace the possibility of developing new thought patterns and practices for a more balanced life.

I have helped clients experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma and post traumatic stress, racial trauma, grief, perfectionism, self-esteem, relationship/communication issues, and identity exploration. I offer in-person and virtual sessions.

When not counseling, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, playing music, and cooking pasta.

Feeling anxious, stuck, or just in need of someone to talk to? You’re not alone. Deciding to find a counselor is an amazing and powerful first step. Let me help you with the rest. Each session with me is specific to who you are and what you need. I find joy in helping my clients discover who they are and achieve the goals they have set for themselves.

Cara is a Licensed Professional Counselor - Mental Health Service Provider and National Certified Counselor. Along with her licensing and training, she is certified in both the Grief Recovery Method ® and the SYMBIS Pre-Marital Assessment. Cara is a graduate of the University of Georgia. After completing her Bachelor’s degree, she completed her Master’s at Richmont Graduate University in Atlanta, GA.

Cara works regularly with individuals and couples experiencing a variety of struggles including anxiety, depression, grief, low self-worth, relational challenges, life transitions, trauma, affair recovery, emotional regulation and feelings of intense shame.

Cara believes the most important element in therapy is the relationship between the therapist and client. Because of this, she works hard to understand each individual as their unique self and create a safe and open space for growth and healing. While she works with a variety of therapeutic approaches, Cara finds most of her work centers around the Psychodynamic theory, recognizing that we all believe and inevitably behave the messages we narrate unconsciously. By understanding these beliefs and messages and how they originated, we can ultimately change and heal in all aspects of our lives.

As a licensed clinical psychologist with experience both in general mental health and behavioral medicine, I offer a variety of services to individuals aged 18 and older. My specialty is in providing behavioral health services to promote positive lifestyle changes and improved quality of life. In journeying with patients toward health and well-being, I take into consideration biological, psychological, and social bases of health and disease. I value the opportunity to come alongside others in their pursuit of personal growth, insight, and change.

I draw from a variety of empirically based treatment modalities—tailoring my therapeutic approach to meet the needs of each of my patients. I also try to identify and address underlying factors that may be contributing to the more surface level problem(s), such as poor sleep, overbreathing, and/or nutritional deficiencies--making referrals to other medical professionals when indicated.

While some concerns benefit from getting to the root cause, I also work with my patients to address problematic thoughts and beliefs, clarify values, set goals, become more accepting, stay in the present moment, and improve problem solving skills. More important than any therapy approach, however, is the therapeutic relationship I strive to cultivate.

In addition to operating from a biopsychosocial lens, I am attuned to the spiritual needs of my patients. Although I work with individuals from any religious/non-religious or cultural background, I specialize in Christian integration—incorporating a Biblical perspective when requested. I also have an interest in integrating psychology and technology and promote the use of mental health mobile apps.

I have a passion to work with adolescents (13+) and adults on an individual basis who are struggling with anxiety, depression, self-esteem and identity development, life transitions, spirituality. I also have a desire to help individuals who have experienced infidelity and sexual betrayal heal from their experiences. First and foremost, my goal is to provide a safe, non-judgmental environment where you can begin your journey of healing, progress, and growth. I am practicing under the direction of Melanie Gulley and the supervision of DeVon Mills, PhD, LPC, ACS at Compassion Cove Counseling.

My formal education focused on psychology and clinical social work. My professional experiences have been in public schools, hospitals and outpatient clinics, the Military, international nonprofits, universities and various community settings. I currently have a private practice with offices in Napa, in addition to my virtual office, where I provide "teletherapy" to clients in both California and Texas.
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My therapy training began in public schools with special education, K-12. I counseled children with mental health concerns and led life skills groups. I worked intensively with adolescents (and their caregivers) in alternative school programs burdened by emotional concerns.
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I spent most of the next decade working in hospitals, both pediatric and adult, assessing and responding to a variety of issues including devastating diagnoses, chronic health conditions, end of life issues, infertility and pregnancy loss, postpartum depression, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault and mental health crises. During this time, I taught and supervised students for the University of Texas at Austin Graduate School of Social Work. After ten years, I shifted out of the hospital setting to therapist lead of an integrated behavioral healthcare network where I helped build a program for providing mental health and case management to a pediatric and family medical practice serving 30,000 low income families.
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An opportunity led me to England for two years, where I managed a prevention and education campaign related to new parent support and family violence prevention. I educated US Air Force members and families on topics such as stress and anger management, PTSD, resilience, healthy dating, couple's communication and parenting, while co-facilitating support groups on chronic medical conditions. During this time, I also worked with Airmen and families on managing stress before and after deployments and transitioning to civilian life after a military career.
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After a brief return to the U.S. to study Spanish at the Defense Language Institute of Monterey, I moved to South America and worked for the U.S. Embassy while volunteering with a Chilean nonprofit. During this time, I researched advances in counseling and coaching methodology. Although I have a working knowledge of Spanish, I do not provide services in Spanish at this time.
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In 2014, I relocated to Napa, pregnant again after experiencing pregnancy loss. After treating parents for postpartum depression and anxiety, I experienced it first-hand and became aware of a need for expanded maternal mental health support in my community. So I added services to my private practice that would address infertility, pregnancy and postpartum mental health support, Moxie Motherhood, and co-founded a pregnant and postpartum peer support program.
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For almost two decades, I have honed my clinical expertise from problem-focused to possibility-focused. I remain current on research and active in the professional dialogue of wellness, balancing my time between counseling, coaching, teaching, volunteering and parenting. Read more here.
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I welcome the opportunity to support you.

As long as I can remember helping others has always been a passion of mine. As an associate marriage and family therapist, walking alongside your journey often feels like a privilege. I truly believe the foundation of a therapeutic relationship begins with trust, empathy, and listening and with that I tailor the treatment approach to fit each client’s needs. I have worked with various populations of diverse background that have struggled with anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, grief and loss, and body image issues. A few modalities I utilize are cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, narrative therapy, and strength-based therapy. I would love to be a part of your journey to growth and help you become the best version of yourself.