Meet Renata

Approach to Therapy
Renata takes a collaborative approach when working with individuals, couples, and families by creating a plan that is unique to each person. She meets clients where they are and works with them to take a holistic look into their lives. Renata works systemically with her clients and looks at the self as well as connections with family, friends, and community. She strives to gently and safely challenge clients to push through struggles while gaining the new skills and resilience necessary to overcome difficulties.
When working with parents or families, Renata takes a more directive approach, which allows her to “join” the family in order to re-establish parent-child bonds, restructure the family hierarchy, improve communication, and assist in the development of new adaptive strategies. And in doing so, a new system develops; one that is unique to each family.
Whether treatment is with an individual, couple or family, change occurs by creating new connections. This crucial to sustainable change in that it allows for a more open and honest exploration of our most important relationships -- individually and with others.
When working with parents or families, Renata takes a more directive approach, which allows her to “join” the family in order to re-establish parent-child bonds, restructure the family hierarchy, improve communication, and assist in the development of new adaptive strategies. And in doing so, a new system develops; one that is unique to each family.
Whether treatment is with an individual, couple or family, change occurs by creating new connections. This crucial to sustainable change in that it allows for a more open and honest exploration of our most important relationships -- individually and with others.
Clinical Interests & Expertise
Children, adolescents, and young adults
Play therapy
Families —attachment, behavioral issues, poor communication, and generational conflicts
Major life transitions —entering adulthood, marriage, separation, divorce, reconciliation, becoming parents, and co-parenting
Trauma and PTSD
Depression and anxiety
Crisis management
Stress management and self-care
Grief and loss
Relationship issues —ADHD, life adjustments, infidelity, premarital counseling, parenting issues, and marital distress
Play therapy
Families —attachment, behavioral issues, poor communication, and generational conflicts
Major life transitions —entering adulthood, marriage, separation, divorce, reconciliation, becoming parents, and co-parenting
Trauma and PTSD
Depression and anxiety
Crisis management
Stress management and self-care
Grief and loss
Relationship issues —ADHD, life adjustments, infidelity, premarital counseling, parenting issues, and marital distress
Education & Training
BA in Psychology and Secondary Education in Spanish: University of Illinois in Chicago
MA in Counseling Psychology with Marriage and Family Therapy concentration: Argosy University in Santa Ana
Trained in various evidence-based practices: Trauma-Focused CBT, Positive Parenting Program (Triple P), Seeking Safety and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (Asist)
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the State of Illinois and California
Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese
MA in Counseling Psychology with Marriage and Family Therapy concentration: Argosy University in Santa Ana
Trained in various evidence-based practices: Trauma-Focused CBT, Positive Parenting Program (Triple P), Seeking Safety and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (Asist)
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the State of Illinois and California
Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese