Annette Popernik

I provide psychotherapy to college students, young adults, and adults struggling with depression, anxiety, life transitions, grief and loss, family dynamics, chronic illness/pain, and various disabilities. Who are my clients? You're a perfectionist and hard on yourself. Or lately things are so tough that stopping scrolling feels like a mission. Your culture and family mean a lot to you AND you're struggling to prioritize yourself within that. You feel unseen and you want to empower yourself. Overall, I believe therapy is a conversation and a first step. My goal is to guide you to use your strengths while believing in yourself and what you can do on your own healing journey. I am here to shine a flashlight, to guide, but you are and will be the person to create the change and healing you need in your life. To support that emotional wellness, I focus on promoting both physical and mental health and care. As a Latina therapist and Mexican-American, my cultural identity is integral to who I am and to my practice. Fluent in English, Spanish, and Italian, I am passionate about providing linguistically and culturally competent care. I serve individuals from various races and ethnicities including immigrants. Using a culturally aware and strengths-based approach, I listen to your needs and guide you based on your values and beliefs whether that be to incorporate your culture, faith, identity, or simply your values as a person. If you have sessions with me, I will emphasize that YOU are not your diagnosis. Who you are matters. We will validate that what happened to you outside of your control is not your fault AND at the same time you can control how you respond to it. I will help you to identify your inner strengths and qualities, using these to support you as you tackle challenges. You might come to session with a lot to say or you might come but have no clue what to say. That's okay; I can ask you questions and guide you. Maybe our sessions involve building coping skills and using a treatment modality OR maybe you just need a space to talk it out. I don't believe there is a single therapist that is perfect for everyone. If you'd like to work with me, wonderful. If you change your mind later, that's okay. My priority is your well being; you get to decide what that looks like and where your safe space is.