Gissell Rodriguez

Therapist

I received my Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Latino/x/e Counseling. I previously earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with minors in Gender and Sexuality Studies as well as Family Relations. My clinical experience includes working with diverse populations of various cultural backgrounds, sexual orientations, and gender identities/expressions.

My work as a therapist is deeply rooted in my own healing journey. My natural sense of curiosity and empathy towards the internal experiences of others flourished my passion for the field of psychotherapy. I remain deeply moved by the alchemy of the healing process and how different it can look for everyone. To honor the uniqueness of the healing journey, I tailor treatment to fit the needs of each person. My hope is to help you identify and break out of cycles that are no longer serving you, renew your sense of hope & zest for life, and create lifelong changes. Resilience brought you here. May vulnerability, compassion, curiosity, and connection light the way home to your truest self.

Therapeutic Relationship 

Therapy is an investment in your wellbeing that can often feel intimidating and unfamiliar, so finding a therapist that makes you feel comfortable is key. Without a strong therapeutic alliance making significant progress may be difficult no matter how motivated for change you are. I recognize the vulnerability it takes to build this type of relationship therefore I commit to showing up to sessions as my true and authentic self which creates space for you to do the same. Through authenticity genuine therapeutic connection and safety can begin to grow.

Somatic

Our wellbeing and self can be made up of various parts. These include cognitive, emotional, physical, and for some, spiritual. These parts are undoubtedly interconnected and influence one another. My approach leans heavily on somatic therapy. Somatic therapy is a body-centered modality that aims to treat a variety of mental health symptoms through the connection of the mind and body. Somatic therapy acknowledges that the body can be impacted by adverse life experiences, stress, and trauma in ways that at times fall outside conscious awareness. By building awareness of our body we can respond to stressors and symptoms in new ways that can result in lifelong healing.

Window of Tolerance and Co-regulation

We all have varying levels of distress we are able to tolerate at any given time. This is known as the “window of tolerance”. When we have a hard time managing emotions or easily become distressed, our window of tolerance may be more limited. One of the goals of therapy is to understand the bounds of your window of tolerance as well as slowly expand it so that you may experience life more fully despite distressing emotions or environments. When we work on slowly expanding this window of tolerance it is important to equip you with the adequate tools for you to feel safe stepping out of the comfort of your window of tolerance. Co-regulation is one of the many tools we can tap into during this process. Co-regulation is the presence of a calm regulated person which allows us to experience our feelings in a safe environment while also bringing us back to a regulated and safe state. It is through this that we expand our window of tolerance and where healing can take place.