Currently I provide therapy for adults of all ages. I utilize a blend of EMDR, IFS, Sensorimotor, Mindfulness, Ecotherapy and Expressive Arts Therapy within my sessions. As an EMDR consultant, I provide creative consultation for EMDR and general therapy practice. Consultation is provided either in a group or individually. I will begin providing outdoor sessions this fall.
I not only rely on my education, professional training, and science, but also use my own lived experiences with grief and trauma to help inform my work. I know what it’s like for life to change in an instant – I have a special place in my heart for those who know this pain and this is why I believe in doing this work. And I have not only witnessed the healing power of art making and nature for clients, but use it myself.
I offer a combination of Trauma-Informed traditional talk therapy, art therapy, and nature-based therapy. Engaging our bodies and brains in different ways helps process and manage stress, and provides different forms of emotional connection and expression. Sometimes words alone aren’t enough or aren’t available to us. Talking primarily relies on the executive functioning part of our brain (focus, logic, planning, following directions, managing emotions and impulses) - which can be altered by trauma and grief.
In her therapy practice. Dr. Reno takes a holistic approach, centering mind, body, and spirit. All too often we see ourselves as outside of nature, rather than recognizing the ways that we *are* nature itself. In our left-brained, overly-analytic society we have placed an oversized emphasis on the mind, and often fail to hear the wisdom of our body, or feel our sense of connectedness to something larger than ourselves. I use ecotherapy practices as a way forward to reconnect to our own animal bodies, and to explore the ways that each and every one of us occupy our own distinct ecological niche, as part of a larger whole. I see clients in-person outdoors in the East Bay, or via telehealth. My sessions are dynamic and interactive, often contain a blend of talk therapy meditations and visualizations, and ritual.
Through my many experiences both personally and professionally, I have seen people in many life transitions and have experienced the joys and sorrow that come with each of those. I would be deeply honored to meet you where you are at in your life and help you grow to where you want to be.
I offer individual counseling to folks in both the office, outside in local parks, and via telehealth. I work with a variety of individuals, with a particular focus on those who are highly sensitive and in the LGBTQIA+ community. What does a highly sensitive person look like? Is that you? If you often feel or hear that you’re “too sensitive,” find it hard to take criticism, feel overwhelmed by daily tasks that you think should be simple, are easily overstimulated by the world, or you find yourself wanting to be heard but you’re too scared to take up space, this might be a trait that will resonate with you.
I use a holistic approach that incorporates mindfulness and body-based work. Together we can strengthen and develop your relationship with yourself, so that the chaos of the world doesn’t feel so heavy. Together we can challenge the notion that you have to be perfect and we’ll find ways to empower you to be confident and to take up the space you deserve.
She has extensive experience working with adults, children, and families in community-based research programs and in clinical settings. Her holistic approach includes transpersonal, somatic, mindfulness-based, and trauma-informed practices. Through her workshops and individual sessions, she seeks to support individuals’ growth, healing, and balance.
Born and raised in central Mexico, with deep roots in California, Esmeralda is currently based in Northern Virginia, United States.
Individual sessions and group workshops are offered in-person and virtually.