Meet Our Therapists
John Chapman
I have been working in the Human Services field since 2011 with adolescents and adults. I received my Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Sciences with a Minor in Community Development and Leadership. I am also a certified Drug & Alcohol Counselor Level II. As an outdoor enthusiast to the core, my passion for life developed in the backcountry and in outdoor recreation. My life experience drives my passion in helping young adults and families. I work to facilitate an environment that promotes integrity, compassion, independence and a renewed enthusiasm for life’s opportunities.
Patti Devaney
I am a certified mediator. I have worked with families and partnerships in conflict for 20 years. Currently I am focused on the clinical therapeutic aspects of people in relationships; helping families & couples improve communication and recognize unhealthy patterns, while guiding individual family members into a personal discovery of who they are meant to be. I work with with various ages; kids, teens, parents, and families. I enjoy sitting with people going through transitions and change, and who need someone who can offer fresh perspective and considerate reflection.
Chloe Johnson
Originally from the desert of Arizona, I ventured to Santa Barbara to attend Pacifica Graduate Institute, where I am acquiring a Master’s in Counseling Psychology and a license in Marriage and Family Therapy. I am passionate about the process of self-discovery, or better yet, self-creation, and joining people along that journey. I have found that a deeply caring therapeutic relationship defined by trust, respect, and unconditional acceptance offers the space for personal growth and is something I strive to provide. I work with adolescents and young adults going through life transitions, as well as supportive groups. I enjoy helping people explore their deepest wishes, find meaning, and create a fulfilling life.
Matthew O'Brien
I grew up in Chicago and spent 15 years as a product manager in the tech industry, mostly focused on mental health and artificial intelligence. Prior to that, as an undergraduate and in graduate school I studied philosophy and explored the nature of truth, value, and human flourishing. I'm currently training as a therapist at Pacifica Graduate Institute. In my role as counselor, I'm concerned with the entire spectrum of human well-being, from suffering to thriving. I'm interested in existential and ontological questions, and I find great value in Depth psychological approaches including Internal Family Systems. I believe that change is available to those who want it, and I'm here for anyone who's called to do the work.
Gabriella Piazza
I am a graduate student at Touro University Worldwide in the Marriage and Family Therapy Program. I enjoy working with clients across all backgrounds and clinical presentations, but I especially enjoy meeting with the older adult population. I value taking a comprehensive and holistic approach to treatment with clients that emphasizes a mind-body connection. As a therapist, I take a Systems Approach to care and help integrate the different ecological contexts in a client’s life to support their well-being. While I have been living in Santa Barbara for over 10 years, I grew up in Europe, which gives me a unique perspective to understanding multicultural and diversity issues in therapy.
Yvonne Georgina Puig
After a decade of teaching writing at USC in Los Angeles, I moved to Santa Barbara, where I am now immersed in pursuing my master's degree in counseling psychology and my Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist licensure at Pacifica Graduate Institute. As a writer and novelist, I believe in the healing power of story, metaphor, and image. I am passionate about companioning others in the therapeutic space as they seek meaning, grow as individuals, and tune into the voice of soul. I am interested in working with women in transition, women experiencing infertility, young adults in transition, and couples.
Natalie Simons
I'm Natalie Simons, I am a Marriage and Family Therapy graduate student at Touro University Worldwide. I have a passion for supporting families, couples, and individuals of all ages through their unique challenges and transitions. We all face challenges in our lives and sometimes those challenges can feel overwhelming. I am here to guide you through those challenging times drawing from evidence-based practices, which combine cognitive-behavioral, solution-focused, and mindfulness techniques to help you achieve your therapeutic goals. My role as a therapist is to provide you with the support, guidance, and tools you need to navigate these transitions successfully. Our journey together will focus on fostering personal growth and lasting positive change.
Leia Vitale
After deepening into my own inner realms during the pandemic, I felt called to expand into a career in the healing arts as a psychotherapist. I am currently pursuing a Master’s in Counseling Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, where I am studying to become a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.
I am passionate about the path to psychospiritual wholeness from both a Depth and Transpersonal Psychological lens. In addition to my graduate training, I have obtained certifications in integrative trauma healing, somatic therapy and psychedelic facilitation and integration.
My fascination with the mystery does not stop with the psyche; I am a lover of all things mystical, metaphysical, spiritual and existential, and consider myself a permanent student of life. These interests reflect not only my personal pursuits but also my commitment to providing a holistic and integrative approach to therapy.
I have a special interest in supporting female survivors of early childhood developmental trauma, as well as the psycho-spiritual seeker who desires to make their unconscious parts conscious, in service to wholeness.