Claire Furtado

MA, Psychotherapist, Doctoral Candidate

Pronouns: she/her/ella

Life can present us with an array of challenges and circumstances that have the capacity to impact our lived experience and sense of self in significant ways. While navigating these life circumstances can be difficult, I strive to cultivate a safe space that allows you to honor your own process of transformation and healing.

I believe that every individual possesses unique strengths and a tremendous capacity for change. As a therapist, I believe that you are the expert on your lived experience, and an essential part of my role is to attend to the unique and multifaceted identities each client holds, as well as to understand each client in the context of their lived experience. I place significant value on the therapeutic relationship, and strive to provide clients with a warm, open, and non-judgmental environment in which they can show up as their most authentic self.

My approach to therapy is primarily grounded in psychodynamic and relational theories, though I also integrate cognitive behavioral approaches (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy), as well as narrative therapy and art therapy. With this perspective, I believe that our early life experiences and relationships have a significant impact on who we are and how we function in the present. By exploring these formative relationships and experiences, we can better understand ourselves and more effectively navigate life challenges in the present. Along with this focus, I integrate evidence-based treatments to provide clients with practical skills and techniques for managing immediate distress, as well as long-term strategies they can implement in future situations.

In my 7 years of experience as a practicing therapist, I have had the privilege of working with clients from a wide range of cultural backgrounds who are diverse in age, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and religion/spirituality. Some of the mental health concerns that I commonly address with clients include anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship issues, identity exploration/development, life transitions, minority stress, grief and loss, addictions, and career changes. I earned my Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a specialization in Addictions from the University of Denver in 2019, and I am currently a doctoral candidate at Loyola University Chicago, where I am in the process of completing my PhD in Counseling Psychology.

If you have any questions or an interest in working together, I welcome you to reach out to me directly via email.