Hi, I’m Patricia, a therapist at Waters Counseling. My path to becoming a therapist began at Weber State University, where I studied dance, fell in love with psychology, and discovered the connection between movement, the body, the mind, and overall well being. Movement was one of my earliest forms of expression and eventually became part of my own healing. Psychology gave me another language for understanding the human experience. During a psychology service trip to Puerto Rico following a devastating hurricane and blackout, I witnessed a community navigating loss and rebuilding through connection. That experience shaped a belief I still carry into my work today: healing does not happen in isolation. We are shaped by our relationships, identities, cultures, and communities.

My clinical experience has included eating disorder treatment, residential care, schools, day treatment, partial hospitalization, memory care, and intensive outpatient settings. My work with eating disorders especially deepened my understanding of the complex relationships we can have with food, our bodies, identity, and our sense of self. Before becoming a therapist, I spent over a decade working with women as a master esthetician and lash artist. I loved the creativity and connection of that work and helping people feel more confident and comfortable in themselves.

I earned my Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a specialization in Dance and Movement Therapy and completed a 200-hour yoga teacher training. Today, I use a trauma-informed, body-based approach to support teens and adults navigating anxiety, trauma, eating and body image concerns, relationships, grief, life transitions, and feeling disconnected from themselves.

I believe therapy should be a place where you can be fully human. You do not need to have all the answers or become someone different. I hope to create a space where you can get curious about yourself, reconnect with what matters to you, and find your way back to yourself. My own experiences navigating different cultures and communities have shaped my appreciation for how identity, family, culture, and belonging influence our lives. I strive to create a culturally responsive, LGBTQ+ affirming space where all parts of you are welcome. I also speak Portuguese and welcome clients who feel more comfortable incorporating Portuguese into therapy.

Outside of sessions, you’ll probably find me with people I love, taking a dance class, walking my dog, going to a concert, reading, enjoying something chocolatey, or finding any excuse to be outside. I’m still learning and growing too, and I think that is part of being human.