Beatriz Moura Lagarto

Therapy at a pace that feels right to you.

I do my best work with individuals 25 and older, as well as couples. My areas of focus include trauma and stressor-related disorders, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, relationship issues, and life transitions.

My clinical approach has a strong foundation in mindfulness and considers all parts of the whole. Together we look at various factors contributing to current challenges. Past, present and future all belong as one doesn't exist without the other. I facilitate a mindful exploration to cultivate a deeper understanding of self. But insight alone isn't enough most of the time. I subscribe to the belief that it's the combination of insight and action that leads to and sustains meaningful change and growth. I approach therapy through a lens of self-determination. I see my clients as inherently capable and, therefore, the active agents of change in their lives and, consequently, in the therapeutic process too. That doesn't mean I'm a removed bystander, I'm very much in it with you. That's why collaborating with clients is central to the work I do.

My style in the therapy room can potentially be seen as a dichotomous style, but one that I've found invites balance: soft-spoken and sensitive, and at the same time direct. I lead with curiosity and also offer observations. All aspects of experience (sensations, thoughts, emotions) matter, but still with a continuous soft invitation to return to emotion. The believe it is important for clients to be witnessed in the joys and sorrows, feel heard and seen, be able to exist in the silence when words can't describe experience, and find the path to accountability that isn't soaked in shame. I empower my clients to recognize the patterns that no longer serve me, have the courage to choose differently, and be an active agent in affecting change in my life.

Training & Education

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor with a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Bradley University. I have experience in community mental health and private practice in clinical and non-clinical roles. I currently work under the supervision of Meredith Voorhees, LPCC-S.

I utilize the below modalities within my practice:

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

• Eye Movement and Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR trained, currently pursuing certification)

• Mindfulness-Based Interventions

• Gottman-Informed (couples)

• Emotion Focused Therapy-Informed (couples)

beatriz@rootedandrestored.org