About me
Cely M. Queiroz PA.C-LMFT
License 105916
I'm a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and I am also a licensed and certified Physician Assistant. During my almost twenty years in Medicine, I learned that good listening is fundamental in diagnosing, as patients know more about their own health than anyone else. Patients returned to see me because they felt heard, and without validation there is no treatment follow through. In therapy I develop a therapeutic treatment path where my client sets the agenda and the pace. Therapy is a collaboration between therapist and client, and you're more likely to benefit from an approach that appeals to you, and that you feel ready to attempt versus a one size fits all treatment.
My approach to therapy is integrative, utilizing tools from Narrative Therapy, Mindfulness, CBT, Somatic Experiencing with use of Brain Spotting, Family Systems, expressive arts, play therapy, sand tray therapy as applicable to your case. We are at a time when there exists a robust body of evidence based therapy methodology to draw from. We also benefit from neurobiology research which has been adding new insights to treatment as we go. Research across different therapy modalities found that the most important success factor in therapy is the relationship between the therapist and client. Additionally, talk therapy in combination with somatic awareness and release of trauma stored in the body with EMDR, and Brain Spotting yields faster and deeper results.
I treat individual children and adults, couples and families, and groups. I am available to address life transitions, relationship difficulties, trauma, grief, living with medical conditions (chronic medical conditions as autoimmune disease, dementia, chronic pain, and others), living with disabilities in self or family members, learning differences, ADD/ADHD, and mood disorders (depression, anxiety).
I was born and raised in Brazil, having lived in the United States for more than thirty five years. I am culturally aware, and embrace caring for the human race no matter the culture, ethnicity, gender and sexual preferences. I think and feel as human being first, before I identify with my gender, age, and ethnicity. In addition to English, I offer therapy in Portuguese and Spanish as well. Viva a divercidade!
Experience
MENTAL HEALTH EXPERIENCE
As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I am experienced addressing interpersonal issues between couples, and families. When working with couples I guide the process so that each partner can identify and process relationship difficulties. We develop an understanding of the couple’s relational dynamic and behavioral patterns. When working with the family unit, I follow the family system's approach addressing behavioral patterns and dynamics which are dysfunctional for the family as a whole. I am experienced addressing mood disorders as depression and anxiety, as well as other co-morbidities. I have extended experience facilitating grief situations with individual adults, as well as with the family unit. I am experienced with helping groups (children, teens, adults) process their grief. I am experienced addressing trauma in individuals as well as family units. I have experience with family reunification, as well as assisting with co-parenting when couples decide to separation is the best solution.
MEDICAL EXPERIENCE
As a Physician Assistant, licensed in 2001, I worked for ten years in Family Practice and Orthopedics, developing a broad foundation of medicine. For the last nine years I specialized in physical medicine addressing specially acute and chronic pain of spine and joints. Working as a PA in Psychiatry for a year, provided further insight into mental health, and the potential benefit of medications for specific mental conditions. My medical background enhances by understanding of medical conditions that co-exist with mental health issues.
Qualifications
2023- Brain Spotting Practitioner. Certification in Brain Spotting in progress
2022- Trauma Certificate from the Trauma Research Foundation in Boston
2018- License in Marriage and Family Therapy by the Board of Behavioral Sciences
2015- Master in Counseling Psychology, University of Santa Clara
2001- Physician Assistant Certification from the FNP/PA program, UC Davis
2001- Physician Assistant License and National Certification, re-certifying every six years to the present.
1996- Bachelor in Health Science from San Jose State University