ALTC Intern: Chiara Procaccio

I focus on empowering my clients through trauma-informed, anti-oppressive approaches and practices to aid them in their therapeutic journey. I believe that issues such as trauma, depression, and anxiety thrive and survive through continued isolation, disconnection, and societal oppression and stigma around seeking out mental health resources and care. I believe that cultivating and fostering strong interpersonal bonds between individuals and communities are the keys to both effective and impactful therapy and the continued dismantling of mental health stigma. My ultimate goal as a therapist is to help my clients walk through often very difficult experiences and offer them a space of empathetic listening, safety, warmth and trust which eventually helps lead a person back to themselves and into their lives.

I was born and raised in Seattle, Washington and moved to New Orleans, Louisiana for college where I gained experience working with various racially, economically, and socially diverse populations – namely adolescent survivors of abuse, adults experiencing homelessness, and survivors of natural disasters. I graduated from Loyola University New Orleans in 2022 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and returned to the Pacific Northwest and began pursuing my Master of Social Work at University of Washington, Tacoma. Since returning to Seattle, I have worked with at-risk youth, adult survivors of intimate partner and domestic violence, and in adult eating disorder care.

My approach to therapy is person-centered and often full of humor, while offering an open and calm space for clients to bring their full and authentic selves to our session, no matter what that may look like. I enjoy working with a variety of modalities such as Internal Family Systems (IFS), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Motivational Interviewing

I am passionate about decolonizing mental health care, creating an equitable present and future for BIPOC, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ populations, and am gender, relational, and neurodiversity – affirming. When not working or going to class, I enjoy drinking local coffee from small cafes, reading, exploring the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest, spending time with loved ones, and cuddling with my adorable cat Rhubarb.