Tessa (she/her/hers) is a provisionally licensed mental health counselor based in the Coralville office, providing both in-person and telehealth services for adults (18+). Tessa strives to create a supportive, non-judgmental space where clients from all life experiences and backgrounds feel seen, understood, and accepted as they are.

Tessa earned her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Iowa, where she gained clinical experience within the university counseling center (UCC). At the UCC, she worked with college students navigating trauma, grief and loss, suicidality, academic stress, substance use, sexual health concerns, immigration stress, relationship concerns, social anxiety, OCD, and major life transitions, while also co-facilitating an interpersonal process therapy group.

Grounded in a Humanistic-Existential and Interpersonal framework, Tessa approaches therapy as a genuinely human experience where people can show up exactly as they are. Her approach invites clients to explore who they are, what they value, the choices available to them, and what a meaningful life looks like, even through challenging times. Tessa pays close attention to how clients relate to themselves and others, often using the therapeutic relationship itself as a mirror of what may be showing up in other areas of their lives. Tessa roots her work in a core belief that every person already has what it takes to heal, grow, and find their way forward.

Tessa uses an integrative, evidence-based approach that is culturally responsive, trauma-informed, affirming, and grounded in each individual’s lived experience. To meet each client’s unique needs and goals, her clinical style intentionally blends relational, strengths-based approaches with practical skill-building. Tessa draws from modalities including Person-Centered Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and Motivational Interviewing (MI). Tessa is a Spanish-speaking provider who continues working towards integrating this skill set into her clinical work.