Dr. Raquel Vega

I’ve been a psychologist for more than 15 years, and one thing I’ve learned is that understanding why you feel a certain way is important, but it’s often not enough. I especially enjoy working with people who feel stuck, whether that means struggling with anxiety or depression, questioning themselves, dealing with a major change, or knowing what they want to do differently but having trouble getting there. I tend to be practical and engaged in my work with clients. We’ll talk about what’s happening in your life, but we’ll also focus on what you can actually do with that understanding. I draw heavily from CBT, positive psychology, and person-centered approaches, and I’m particularly interested in helping people build confidence, recognize their strengths, and make changes that feel realistic and sustainable.

My approach to therapy is active, practical, and tailored to the person I’m working with. I don’t believe therapy should be an hour of talking that gets left behind when the session ends. I want what we discuss to translate into something useful in your everyday life. I draw from CBT, positive psychology, person-centered therapy, and supportive therapy, depending on what you need. Sometimes our work may involve looking closely at how your thoughts and behaviors are affecting the way you feel. Other times, we may focus more on your strengths, relationships, or a difficult transition you’re trying to navigate. I see therapy as a combination of gaining insight and figuring out what to do with it.

The first session is really about figuring out where you are, what brought you to therapy, and what you’d like to be different. I’ll ask questions about what’s been going on, but I also want to understand you beyond the problem that brought you in. We’ll talk about what you’ve tried before, what has or hasn’t helped, and what you hope to get from our work together. You don’t need to arrive with a perfectly organized story or know exactly what your goals are. Part of my job is helping you sort through that. By the end of the session, I’d like us to have a clearer picture of what we want to work on and a sense of how we can begin moving forward.