Claudia Zavala

Claudia (she/her) is a psychotherapist who firmly believes that the relationship to self is a powerful catalyst for individual, community, and systems change. As a Latina, lesbian, and immigrant, she understands the challenges of accessing culturally responsive mental health care. This is why she works passionately to build a collaborative, strengths-based, and curiosity-fueled space where clients can explore their inner world and work towards their goals.Claudia is passionate about celebrating and amplifying the often-overlooked creativity and strengths of traditionally marginalized groups, and hopes to integrate these into your healing journey. Grounded in principles of Humanistic Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Feminist Therapy, she is honored to work with you on a variety of areas, including identity development, relationships, sex and sexuality, non-traditional life paths, trauma, cultural integration, and more.Claudia has extensive expertise in racial and LGBTQ+ issues and her research has been published in journals such as The Journal of Happiness Studies and Journal of Gay and Lesbian Mental Health. She often collaborates with non-profit organizations to expand affirmative mental health counseling in Latin America. Claudia received her Master’s in Mental Health Counseling with a Latinx/Bilingual Concentration from Teachers College, Columbia University. She received her Bachelor’s in Clinical Psychology from Pontificia Universidad Católica, in Lima, Peru.