Welcome! My name is Savannah Cipriano, LCSW.
I am passionate about offering experiential therapy that helps people heal the roots of their symptoms.
I imagine you are looking for a therapist because you feel stuck, shut down, overwhelmed or confused by your inner experience. Maybe you are in transition and would like some support along the way. Whatever you bring, I am dedicated to meeting all parts of you with warmth and strength.
Let’s start with where you are now.
Our bodies are meant to give us signals when something is not right. Maybe when you check in there is tension, constricted breathing, feeling “off”, numb or scattered. These reactions can point to circumstances that are unresolved or unsafe in your life. To help people untangle these responses, my work draws on Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP), attachment theory, trauma theory, affective neuroscience, parts work, Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Focusing – in short this means I privilege slowing down and encouraging us to pay attention to what’s happening in the present moment. Please know that nothing that feels bad is ever the last step.
You might ask - what’s so helpful about slowing down and paying attention with another person?
Because the world and being human is so complex our brain learns and makes predictions based on our past experiences. We each carry all sorts of learnings about who we are, what we can expect from the world, how to relate to other people, and how to relate to ourselves. The brain saves precious time and energy by operating out of these previous learnings - we don’t have to THINK about it, we just automatically expect more of the same based on past experience.
The complication comes when these learnings that color perception and behavior no longer serve us in the present. Slowing down and paying attention mindfully can allow us to see where we go automatically and also make space for something new to happen. With my support we can notice, learn about and update maps that no longer serve you so your brain has a new path to travel down. This is neuroplasticity in action - the basis of deep change!
The good news is that our brains are wired to heal in the context of a safe relationship. That’s where interpersonal support and skillful therapy can come in. Humans are meant to do complex tasks like this together.
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”
—Anaïs Nin