More About Silvia

 I am licensed by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences as a Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT #46421).

Like the majority of California MFT's (unlike in other states, where, as the  name implies, MFT's specialize in families and couples) I work primarily with individuals, both adults and adolescents.

MFT’s are unique in the mental health field in that our approach to mental  health issues is rooted in the philosophy that mental illness or unwellness occurs in the context of relationships: to self, significant other, family, spirituality, society, economy, and so on. That is to say that we are part of larger systems that shape and influence who we are and how we are. And also, by extension, that relationships are the context within which we can heal, come to terms with, or transcend our circumstances.

I have extensive training in a wide variety of therapies and draw inspiration from a multitude of sources and approaches including contemporary psychoanalysis, existential psychotherapy, Jungian psychology, deep brain reorienting, dialectic-behavioral therapy, systems theory, motivational interviewing, coherence therapy, accelerated experiential dynamic psychotherapy, somatic experiencing, sensorimotor psychotherapy, EMDR, family constellation work, narrative therapy, interpersonal neurobiology, yogic philosophy, and neuroscience in general.

I have been working as a psychotherapist since 2004, and I opened my private practice in at the end of 2008. I added neurofeedback to my practice in 2011 because I found that it powerfully addresses many of the issues that people commonly bring to  therapy (anxiety, depression, trauma, poor sleep, or diminished performance) and thus markedly accelerates treatment.

The initials “BCN” after my name indicate that I am Board Certified in  Neurofeedback by the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (BCIA).  BCIA is the only institute recognized worldwide that grants certification to biofeedback practitioners. The Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB), the Biofeedback Foundation of Europe (BFE), and the International Society for Neurofeedback and Research (ISNR) all endorse BCIA certification.

Neurofeedback is a proven and effective treatment and alternative to medication for problems with attention, mood, recovery from trauma, and many other common mental health issues. I’m proud to be able to offer my clients this powerful tool for healing in addition to psychotherapy.

I had the privilege of serving on the Board of Directors of the International Society for Neurofeedback and Research (ISNR) from 2016-2018. 

Additionally, having worked in public schools for several years, I am available to  supervise MFT interns working in schools and other community agencies.