Dr. Esperanca Moniz

Esperança Moniz is a licensed mental health counselor who specializes in helping adults who struggle with anxiety, depression, problem-solving, low self-esteem, PTSD /trauma, personality disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and substance use disorders. She believes in building a solid therapeutic alliance with empathy and genuineness. She is fluent in Portuguese.Esperança began her mental health career in the mid1980s as a social worker in a psychiatric crisis center and hospital diversion Program. After completing a master’s degree in clinical psychology and becoming a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) in the early 90s, she worked as a psychotherapist with adults experiencing depression, anxiety, stress, substance use disorder, grief, and loss, as well as severe mood, personality, and thought disorders. She also worked with persons diagnosed with substance use disorder (SUD) and later specialized in the treatment of pregnant and postpartum opioid-dependent women. She has …had extensive experience collaborating with psychiatrists, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners, assisting with the management of psychiatric medicines and medicines for addiction treatment when appropriate.her approach is to build a therapeutic relationship based on respect, compassion, acceptance, kindness, and trust. She partners with her clients to explore the experiences and traumatic events that contributed to their life difficulties while promoting insight, personal growth, and healing. By focusing on strengths and increasing self-awareness, her clients can explore behavior patterns and interpersonal dynamics in a safe environment that is free from judgment and promotes the development of tools and life skills. She is trained in psychodynamic psychotherapy but uses other evidence-based practices such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), motivational Interviewing, and psychoeducation. She will tailor her approach to each person’s needs using an individualized model of care.She believes in continuous personal and professional development and, to that end, attends trainings, conferences, webinars, and lectures and reads publications regularly. She mainly focuses on evidence-based practices and advances in medicine, keeps up with trends in mental health and recovery, and learns about initiatives at the local, state, and federal levels. Esperança was born and raised in the Azores Islands, Portugal, and speaks Portuguese fluently. Throughout her career, she has strongly advocated for developing and delivering culturally competent services that go beyond language and consider the person’s values and other characteristics particular to their culture, which are crucial to providing quality care.The Covid-19 pandemic brought increased attention to mental health and substance use concerns among the general population. She hopes that this awareness will bring about greater acceptance of mental health issues and decrease the associated stigma so that they are seen as legitimate medical conditions that need treatment. She is very encouraged by the recent increase in telehealth, which has opened doors for many who otherwise might have perceived an office visit to the therapist as an added obstacle to seeking services. Her passion for learning led her to work on a large-scale nationwide research project aimed at studying the genes involved in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. During that project, she interviewed and diagnosed hundreds of subjects in California and Massachusetts. She hopes that research will provide valuable information that will improve the ability to help those struggling with mental illness and substance use disorder.