SHE/HER

Therapist | LCSW

Rita is a licensed psychotherapist that uses a humanistic approach to create a space for clients that is safe, non-judgmental, and compassionate. Rita has always been a social worker at heart- her love for social justice journalism in college transformed to a desire to work with clients one-on-one as an advocate and an ally. Rita works together with clients who are up against barriers related to trauma, addiction, mental health, and systemic injustices. Rita’s therapy practice is LGBTQIA+ affirming and she enjoys working with clients who are gender nonconforming.

Rita specializes in working with clients with Bipolar Disorder, Depression, and Anxiety, and has experience treating Borderline Personality Disorder, PTSD, and Substance Use Disorders. However, she values the personal lived experience of each individual above the label of the diagnosis. Rita believes that each person has many parts of the self, some parts which we have learned to hide from society to be accepted; Rita’s therapeutic approach aims to aid clients in embracing and integrating all parts of the self to live a life that feels authentic and free of self judgment.

Rita received her Master’s in Social Work with a focus in Forensic Social Work at the University of Utah. In addition to standard outpatient therapy, Rita has worked as a therapist with incarcerated individuals with the Bureau of Prisons, and as a therapist on an inpatient psychiatric unit.

Rita is trained in EMDR and is further informed by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Motivational Interviewing, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Attachment theory.