Chino Amah-Mbah

 

“You deserve tenderness, care, and compassion, despite what life has thrown at you.”

-Chino

Chino’s Specialties:

  • Perinatal Mental Health: You deserve compassionate, loving support during this pivotal moment in time. I walking alongside you on the complex path of parenthood. I extend a warm and compassionate hand to support you through the unique challenges that come with this transformative phase of life. Whether you're an expectant parent, a new parent, or navigating the complexities of postpartum experiences, I am here to provide a safe and nurturing space where you can openly express your emotions, fears, and joys. Together, we will navigate the intricacies of perinatal mental health, addressing concerns such as anxiety, depression, and adjusting to parenthood. With a deep understanding of the physical, emotional, and relational aspects of this journey, I offer evidence-based therapies tailored to your specific needs, empowering you to find balance, resilience, and a sense of well-being.

  • Depression and Mood Disorders: I understand the profound impact that depression can have on all aspects of life, and I am here to help you navigate through the darkness towards a place of hope and resilience. Together, we will explore the underlying factors contributing to your depression and develop personalized strategies to manage symptoms and improve your overall well-being. With evidence-based approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness, I will guide you in cultivating healthier thinking patterns, enhancing self-care practices, and fostering positive emotional experiences.

  • LGBTQIA+: As a queer therapist, I welcome individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community in my work. I understand firsthand the unique challenges, joys, and complexities of navigating historically marginalized identities. Together, we will create a safe, inclusive space where you can freely express yourself, explore your authentic self, and address the specific goals and concerns for your life. Whether it's relationship dynamics, gender exploration, or any other concerns, I am here to provide compassionate guidance, helping you navigate your journey towards self-acceptance, empowerment, and overall mental well-being. Let's embark on this transformative journey together, celebrating and embracing every aspect of who you are.

  • Self-Esteem/Self-Worth: As a therapist specializing in self-esteem concerns, I warmly invite you to embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery and empowerment. I understand the profound impact that low self-esteem can have on various aspects of your life, and I am here to support you every step of the way. Together, we will explore the root causes of your self-esteem issues and work on cultivating a positive and nurturing relationship with yourself. Through personalized techniques and evidence-based approaches, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and self-compassion practices, I will help you challenge negative self-perceptions, build resilience, and develop a stronger sense of self-worth. You deserve to live a life filled with confidence, authenticity, and joy, and I am here to guide you towards that empowering transformation.

Let’s move beyond mental health to fully embodied mental freedom.

You deserve freedom from all the things that no longer serve you (the hurt, the pain, the worries, the fears, the sadness, the traumas). You deserve to live a full and enriching life. You deserve to embark on your healing journey, towards having this full and enriching life at your own time, at your own pace. I love to work with clients who are committed to beginning and continuing their healing journey; clients who are committed to doing what they can, within their power, to be the best version of themselves that would help them navigate their world more effectively, so they don’t only survive, but also thrive.

My therapeutic orientation is eclectic and involves modalities such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychodynamic theory, use of creative mediums, and a systems perspective (because the environment an individual is in, shapes and influences the individual, and the individual in turn influences their environment). Also, being a practitioner and adherent of specific African Indigenous Spiritual Systems (Ifa and Odinani) strongly influences my perspective on life, including mental health conditions and subsequently, mental health wellness. I am more than happy to work with clients who are interested in incorporating and using African-indigenous based spiritual knowledge and perspective to delve more into understanding mental health conditions and clients open to using or incorporating the tools from this system in their healing journey.

As a Black, queer, first-generation immigrant, millennial woman, I have an understanding of some of the intricacies of navigating different identities in systems and societies with cultural and institutional norms that are not only marginalizing, but are oppressive and harmful. I understand that certain privileges I have protect me and provide a different experience for me. With the privileges I have, it is important to me to create and hold a safe space for clients with similar and a myriad of these identities, to unpack the stressors and traumas gotten from navigating toxic, oppressive, and harmful systems, and work towards mitigating/reducing their impact on mental health and wellness.

-Chino

Details & background:

  • Pronouns: she/her/hers

  • I work with couples and adults of all gender identities, sexual identities, and cultural identities who are 18 years old and older.

  • I am in-network with Aetna, Cigna, and United Healthcare Student Resources and can also see out-of-network, self-pay clients, and can provide a superbill for reimbursement or application towards a deductible.

  • For hours and availability view our client-scheduling portal.

  • Direction and Supervision Under: Dr. Janelle S. Peifer, LCP (License Number: PSY004269)