ABOUT MARIANA
Mariana is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC; Member #26945) and Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC; Member #11261719) with extensive experience supporting children, teens, parents, couples, and adults in both in-person and online settings. As a bicultural counsellor with lived cross-cultural experience, she offers trauma-informed care that helps clients feel safe, understood, and supported as they work toward their mental health and wellness goals.
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For Mariana, becoming a counsellor was inspired by a deep desire to support people through life’s challenging chapters. In families, this might look like helping a child navigate big emotions, guiding a teen who feels stuck or overwhelmed, or supporting parents as they manage their own stress while caring for their children.
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Mariana holds a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (with a focus on marriage and family therapy) from Palo Alto University, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Religious Studies from Hartford Seminary. This training allows her to provide specialized support for highly religious clients, those exploring their spirituality, or clients recovering from cults and religious abuse.
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Her approach is warm, collaborative, and practical. With children and teens, Mariana meets them where they are, using creative, body-based, or skills-focused approaches as appropriate. With parents, she provides a supportive space to understand challenges, develop strategies, and strengthen family connection. She also works with adults and couples navigating burnout, PTSD and complex PTSD, grief, bipolar disorder, and relational challenges. Mariana draws from evidence-based therapies including CBT, DBT, Emotionally Focused Therapy, and the Gottman Method, and incorporates somatic tools such as EFT tapping, IFS, and polyvagal-informed care when appropriate.
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Mariana provides Spanish-speaking counselling and specializes in supporting Latinos/Latinas, Turkish, and Middle Eastern clients navigating life in Canada. She also supports other BIPOC clients through cross-cultural relationships or adaptation as a newcomer or first-generation Canadian. Mariana works with respect for Indigenous ways of knowing alongside Western psychology, offering care that is grounded, culturally anchored, and centred on each client’s values.
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Clients describe Mariana as warm, empathetic, and deeply present. Her goal is to create a space where you can feel seen, supported, and empowered to move toward healing and meaningful connection.
