Mara Sambugaro Framesqui

Psychotherapy, for me, begins with trust and genuine human connection. I feel honored when someone trusts me with the parts of their life that may be painful, complicated, or difficult to share. I want my clients to feel safe, respected, and free from judgment, while also knowing that I will be sincere and direct with them when I believe it can help.

People come to therapy for many different reasons. Some know exactly what they want to change but don't know how to get there. Others simply know that something isn't working—they may feel lost, overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure of what they want their life or relationships to look like. Part of our work can be discovering that together: understanding where you are, what matters to you, what may be getting in your way, and ultimately where you want to go.

My approach is warm, compassionate, passionate, direct, and active. I listen carefully, but I also participate. I offer perspective, advice and guidance when appropriate, ask questions, share observations, and teach practical skills. I believe that when we are in the middle of pain or strong emotions, it can be difficult to see things clearly, and sometimes another perspective can help us recognize possibilities we couldn't see on our own.

Much of my work focuses on borderline personality disorder, emotional dysregulation, anger management, anxiety, and relationship difficulties. I have also developed a strong passion for couples therapy, helping partners understand what exists underneath anger, defensiveness, resentment, or distance and learn healthier ways to communicate, repair, and reconnect.

I don't expect you to arrive in therapy already knowing exactly what you need or where you want to be. We can figure that out together. What matters to me is creating a therapeutic relationship built on trust, honesty, compassion, and connection.

My approach is warm, compassionate, passionate, direct, and active. I listen carefully, but I also participate. I ask questions, offer perspective, advice and guidance when appropriate, and help clients recognize patterns that may be difficult to see when they are in the middle of them. I also believe in providing practical tools and skills that clients can use outside of our sessions.

I don't believe that one therapeutic approach works for everyone. I adapt my work to the individual and what they need at that particular point in their life. Sometimes our work involves understanding the past and how it continues to influence the present; other times, the focus is on managing emotions, changing behaviors, making difficult decisions, or figuring out what someone actually wants when they aren't sure themselves.

I have a particular focus on emotional dysregulation, borderline personality disorder, anger management, anxiety, and relationship difficulties. In couples therapy, I help partners understand the patterns underneath their conflicts, improve communication and emotional regulation, rebuild trust, and develop greater compassion and understanding for one another.

I want therapy to be a collaborative process. My role is not to decide what your life should look like, but to help you understand yourself more deeply, recognize your choices, develop the skills you need, and find a direction that feels meaningful to you.

The first session is an opportunity for us to get to know each other and begin understanding what brought you to therapy, what has been difficult for you, what is happening in your life now, and what you hope might be differenteven if you are not yet sure what you want or where you want to go.

I also believe the first session is about connection. Therapy is very personal, and it is important that you feel comfortable, safe, and free from judgment. There is no expectation that you have to tell me everything at once. We will move at a pace that feels right for you while beginning to identify the concerns, patterns, or emotions that may need our attention.

From there, we will start developing a clearer understanding of what you need from therapy and what we can work toward together. I may offer observations or guidance from the beginning, but I also take time to understand you before making assumptions. My goal is for you to leave the first session feeling heard, with a better sense of what our work together can look like and where we can begin.