Arianna Poteres

Welcome — I'm Arianna, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Maybe your mind never fully shuts off: the late-night worry spirals, the mental checklist that's never done, the feeling that you're holding everything together while quietly running on empty. I work with teens and adults navigating anxiety, OCD, eating disorders, and the kind of life transitions that leave you unsure of who you're becoming. Many of my clients look high-functioning on the outside and feel exhausted underneath — managing ADHD and neurodivergence, depression, grief, or relationship and family stress while everyone assumes they're fine. I also support women's issues, cultural and identity questions, and the toll that chronic or physical health conditions take on mental health. You don't have to arrive with the perfect words or a tidy explanation of what's wrong. My job is to give you a calm, grounded space to make sense of your current chapter with clarity and purpose — and to help you move toward meaningful change at a pace that actually feels sustainable.

Change is hard, and it takes honesty — so our work together is collaborative, direct, and grounded in your real life. I draw primarily from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help you notice the thoughts and patterns keeping you stuck, and to build a different relationship with the ones you can't simply think your way out of. I bring in Solution-Focused Brief Therapy to keep us moving toward what you actually want, Motivational Interviewing when you feel pulled in two directions, and behavioral and psychoanalytic tools to connect present-day stress to its deeper roots. My style is strength-based: instead of fixating on what's "wrong," I help you name the internal tools you already have. Early on we'll clarify the values that matter most to you, then I'll gently hold you accountable to them as we untangle stressors, build emotional regulation, and develop sustainable stress management. I take a whole-picture view — mind, body, and environment — because lasting change rarely comes from a single lever.

In our first session, we'll turn down the "noise" of daily life and get clear on what actually matters to you. You can expect to feel genuinely heard and respected, and to leave with a concrete sense of direction — usually one or two immediate areas to focus on, so you're not waiting weeks to feel traction. Over time, my clients tend to notice their anxiety quieting, sharper focus and follow-through, a steadier relationship with food and their bodies, and more confidence setting boundaries without guilt. You'll build emotional-regulation skills you can carry long after our work together, along with a clearer sense of who you are and where you're headed. You don't need it all figured out to begin — you just have to be willing to take the next small step. I'd be honored to take it with you.