Meet Stephanie
scontreras@therapycenterofphila.org
Welcome. I am a clinician with over ten years of experience providing therapy to individuals and groups (ages 12+) in residential facilities, high schools, private practice, community mental health settings, and university counseling centers. I believe healing is liberation work, and when vulnerable people heal, their communities resist and thrive. I focus on clients with mood-related disorders like anxiety and depression, trauma, power-based stress, difficulties in relationships, identity developmental issues (i.e., racial and gender), and self-esteem. I especially enjoy working with clients who are targeted by systems of oppression, including, but not limited to, Black, Indigenous, and people of color, immigrants, sexual and gender diverse people, and people with lower financial resources.
I employ a sanctuary model in my work that replaces the question of what is wrong to what has happened to a person. Through empathetic listening and genuine curiosity, I work with clients to explore areas where they feel misalignment that can express as confusion, anger, or melancholy. I listen to the stories that have shaped clients, and I use their strengths to empower them to author stories that better serve their wellness and well-being. As an Afro-descendant femme, I embody a multicultural and person-centered approach to therapy and cultivate an affirming space for all my clients.
Outside of therapy, I strive for harmony by reading and writing fiction, dancing, hiking, attending art shows and cultural events, watching movies, traveling, and eating delicious food with loved ones.