Valeria joined Sea Mar's Behavioral Health team in October 2022 as a Mental Health Therapist, and is currently an Agency Affiliated Counselor in Washington State. She provides Evidence-Based Psychotherapy, with special interest and training in Third Wave Cognitive Behavioral Therapies. Before working at Sea Mar and relocating to the US, she was a private practice therapist, worked in a psychiatric hospital and was a university professor in Colombia. She believes in the importance of considering contextual, social and historical factors in the understanding and treatment of mental health problems. As an immigrant, Valeria strives to offer a culturally sensitive and non-pathologizing treatment, where clients can find a safe place to understand themselves and learn skills to become more flexible, effective, and to achieve a life worth living.
In her free time, Valeria enjoys travelling, coffee, trying new foods, spending time with her cats, family and friends. She is eager to learn from the Pacific Northwest and American culture, as she is new to the country.