Fernanda Couto

Licensed Psychotherapist

Fernanda is a licensed mental health clinician (CT & NY) with a strong background in psychodynamic and person‑centered psychotherapy. Trained in Brazil and the United States, she has extensive experience over 15 years working with adolescents, young adults, and adults on anxiety, school avoidance, depression, ADHD, trauma, grief, and life transitions. Fernanda blends relational depth with practical, evidence‑based tools (CBT,
DBT/mindfulness) and collaborates closely with families and outside providers to support meaningful, lasting change.

  • Licensure: Mental health counselor — Connecticut & New York
  • Ed.M in Psychological Counseling & M.A., Psychology and Education (Clinical Emphasis), Teachers College, Columbia University
  • Psychology degree, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC‑SP) — specialization in child & adolescent clinical psychology
  • Additional training: CBT, DBT/mindfulness, trauma‑informed workshops

  • Relational and integrative: therapy as a collaborative process that combines psychodynamic insight with targeted interventions.
  • Client‑centered: tailor treatment to each person’s history, values, and goals.
  • Evidence‑informed: use outcome measures and empirically supported techniques when appropriate.
  • Collaborative: coordinate care with families, schools, and external providers.
  • Culturally responsive: respect for diversity and individual context.

  • Private practice providing psychotherapy for teens, young adults, and adults with mood, anxiety, trauma, and relational concerns for over 10 years
  • School‑based practice: seven years as a middle‑school counselor in Manhattan, including liaison work with parents and outside providers.
  • Clinical fieldwork: counseling students in NYC public schools and supporting teachers with behavior management, conflict resolution, and social‑emotional learning.
  • Program roles: brief counseling, family consultation, case coordination, and group supervision participation.

First time I saw snow I was 24 years old, when I moved to NYC

"Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom."- Aristotles