About Rosario

my background

I was born in Madrid in the early '70s. It was a lot of fun growing up as the youngest of seven children. But, there were also some hard times. My parents divorced when I was very young and anxiety runs in the family. Over the years, my siblings and I have navigated many joys and sorrows by being loyal to each other and with a generous dose of good humor.

My anxiety took a long "siesta" for most of my adolescence and 20's. Only after becoming a mother at 36, I finally got my invitation to the anxiety tribe. Maybe because I am a therapist, it took me a long time to admit that I had anxiety and needed help. When I finally accepted it, my healing began. This journey has helped me understand other people who live with anxiety and discover who I am as a person.

my studies

I studied advertising for four years before social media platforms came to be. At some point I took an intro psychology class. That class, along with my family experiences with anxiety, made me quit a career in advertising and study psychology instead.

I studied psychology in Madrid at Universidad San Pablo-CEU. After finishing my bachelor's degree, I decided to come to the U.S. and do a Masters program in Marriage and Family Therapy at the University of Rochester, NY. I was supposed to return home after graduation, but I met my Portuguese husband and we decided to stay. While I was doing my internships, I learned a new culture, started new jobs, and I became a new person. At that time, two cultures started to coexist in me and shaped who I am today. Therefore I love working with immigrant families or individuals from other countries.

my work

During my time in Rochester, I worked at an addiction treatment center, in an Adolescent Partial Hospitalization Unit at Strong Memorial Hospital, and in outpatient mental health clinics.  During this time, I worked as intake coordinator, as individual and family therapist, and as a group therapist. Among other things, I worked with people struggling with anxiety, depression, life transitions, immigration issues, self-esteem issues, and addictions.

I came to the DMV area in the summer of 2007. Shortly after, we had two wonderful boys. I attended Virginia Tech Marriage and Family Post-Master Certificate Program and became a Licensed Clinical Marriage Therapist in Maryland. I then started to work in a mental health agency with Spanish-speaking clients.

I was a supervisor-in-training at the University of Maryland Marriage and Family Therapy program for two semesters and at the Virginia Tech Marriage and Family Therapy program for one academic year. I acted as a supervisor for Master's students during their practicum year. This was a great opportunity to apply my experience as a therapist in an educational context and to give back to the profession.

I am now fully committed to my private practice and to continue growing as a therapist. I feel privileged to work as a therapist and to have the opportunity to help people.

Things I enjoy

Being with my family, my husband and 2 sons, and our dog Max. Visiting our families in Portugal and Spain. Doing DIY projects in our house. Playing soccer with friends. Hiking, dancing, and skiing. I love to make people laugh and to laugh with them.