My Background

My name is Jessica Viscomi, MA, LMFT, SEP (MFC #104851). I go by my nickname, "Chiara" (pronounced "Key-ARE-uh"). I’m a licensed marriage and family therapist and Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner (SEP) based in San Francisco, California. As a California-licensed therapist practicing virtually, I’m able to serve Californians throughout the state.

I draw upon a rich background in psychology, the arts, and integrative medicine. I received a BA in psychology and a BFA in drama from New York University in NYC, as well as an MA in counseling with a certificate in creative expression from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology (now known as Sofia University) in Palo Alto, California.

“You must set out on the uncharted sea, and the uncharted sea is yourself.”

― KRISHNAMURTI

My background as a longtime writer in the integrative medicine field has also significantly influenced the way I practice therapy. One of the prime ways that I follow the integrative model is that I work with the whole person, not just the symptoms.

I also worked in the corporate arena for many years. Therefore, I’m sensitive to issues such as work-life balance, burnout, finding life purpose/right livelihood, assertiveness development, and more. As a woman in my mid-40s, I’m highly interested in the potential of midlife to be a growthful time of reevaluation and reinvention.

I’ve completed an intensive 3-year training program in Somatic Experiencing®, a body-based modality used for healing the effects of stress and trauma. I have also trained in depth psychology approaches at the C.G. Jung Institute of San Francisco.

I come from an interracial and multicultural blended family, which includes immigrants from Europe and Asia. As a therapist, my presence and personality can best be described as warm, collaborative, casual, and interactive. I like to strike a balance between being candid and approachable, as well as professional with a healthy sense of boundaries. When I’m not doing therapy, I enjoy writing about psychology and wellness, creating multimedia art, writing music, dancing, doing yoga, and drinking tea.