04/18/2026
Clinician Spotlight – Sophia Saviano, MFTC, EMDR
Professional Background
Name & Credentials:
Sophia Saviano, MFTC, EMDR, RLT Certification (in progress)
Where did you study?
I earned my Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of San Francisco and hold a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Oregon.
What is your current role at Nexus Counseling Services?
I’m a therapist specializing in couples work, while also supporting individuals navigating trauma and neurodivergence. My work focuses on helping people understand the deeper patterns driving their relationships so they can create meaningful, lasting change.
How long have you been working in the mental health field?
I’ve been in the mental health field off and on since 2011, beginning in coaching and evolving into clinical work as a therapist.
What inspired you to become a mental health professional?
My coaching work made it very clear that forward-focused strategies alone aren’t enough. Lasting change requires both a forward and backward view. Understanding where the patterns come from while actively building something different. Therapy allows me to do both in a deeper, more effective way.
What are your clinical specialties or areas of passion?
I specialize in Couples, with a strong interest in trauma and neurodivergence. I’m particularly drawn to how nervous system patterns, attachment, and learned relational dynamics shape the way people connect (and disconnect) from each other.
What do you love most about being a clinician?
I love helping people see what’s actually happening underneath the surface and watching how quickly things can shift once that clarity is there. When people understand the pattern, they have the keys to get out of it.
Personal Connection
Is there a quote or philosophy that guides your work?
“We repeat what we don’t repair.”
It shows up everywhere, in every relationship.
How do you take care of your own mental health and well-being?
I spend a lot of time reading and being with my family. Also, walking in nature is essential to my mental health.
What’s something your clients have taught you?
That people are far more perceptive than they think and they often already know what’s not working, they just don’t know how to change it yet.
What’s one thing you wish more people understood about mental health or therapy?
That therapy isn’t about fixing what’s “wrong” with you or your relationship. It’s about understanding your patterns well enough that you can choose something different.
Fun & Human Side
What’s a fun or surprising fact about you?
I’ve had a wide range of careers. From real estate and property appraisal to film editing to fashion design, I've done a bit of a lot of things.
What’s your go-to coffee/tea order or favorite comfort food?
A good soy latte and a really good, crispy yet chewy, chocolate chip cookie.
How do you like to spend your time outside of work?
With my family, usually doing something outside. And when I get quiet time, I tend to read, think, or work on ideas that may or may not turn into something bigger.
Any favorite book, podcast, or movie you’d recommend right now?
Wintering by Katherine May and the Calm Parenting Podcast. The later offers grounded, practical ways of thinking about parenting, especially for "strong willed" kiddos. And I love Katherine May's writing style and this book is focused on taking a step back and looking at how we move through hard seasons.
