Isabella Pumo, MSMFT

Pronouns - she/her

(Isabella can work with clients in Illinois, North Carolina, Colorado, Florida, and Wisconsin)

Approach to Therapy:

As a client-centered, values-oriented therapist, I aim to create a warm, welcoming, and collaborative environment. Vulnerabilities are earned, not assumed, so I do my best to lead with empathy, compassion, and curiosity in the therapeutic space.

I operate from an evidence-based, trauma-informed, and social justice-oriented approach, which often includes interventions drawn from mindfulness practices and narrative therapy. These interventions are experiential, emotional, or behavioral in nature, and are tailored to your unique needs. I'm acutely aware of the integral blend of culture, power, and privilege within the therapeutic relationship, and know that as therapists, we must be academically, personally, and socially conscious during our personal development and clinical training. I am deeply committed to continuously examining my biases, schemas, identities, and experiences to understand how these facets of my personhood create strengths and blind spots.

I acknowledge the bravery it takes to step into a therapy session, whether in person or online, and commit to the process. That's why I'm deeply committed to integrating the personal and professional aspects of therapy, using humor and authenticity to foster a safe and empowering environment. The therapist-client relationship is a unique space, one that is vulnerable, intimate, and personal; I strive to create a space where we can all honor and empower our lived experiences. I understand that seeking therapy is a courageous step, and I am here to support and validate your journey.

Clinical Interests:

First and foremost, I am a systemic thinker, which means I see my clients as a small part of a bigger system. This approach allows me to understand and address the complex interactions between individuals and their environments. The systems around us impact us significantly: our families, relationships, societies, and cultures mold parts of who we are. I have strong personal and professional ties to multicultural and social justice perspectives. My therapeutic style has been guided by the framework of Integrative Systemic Therapy (IST), which invites the clinician to pull from various evidence-based therapeutic models and theories.

Throughout my training, I have primarily worked through the lenses of attachment, narrative therapy, and emotion-focused therapy (EFT). I have enjoyed working with individuals, couples, and families from various backgrounds and circumstances. I have experience working with couple and family distress, substance use, and trauma histories, and I have walked alongside clients at multiple points of individual and relational development. I am passionate about meeting you where you are and defining what progress means to you so we can embark on a journey that is just as meaningful as it may be challenging. My passion for these therapeutic approaches fuels my commitment to your healing and growth.

Education and Training:

I earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Bradley University, where I gained a solid foundation in understanding human behavior. I then pursued a Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from Northwestern University, where I honed my skills in providing therapy to individuals, couples, and families. I'm currently working towards my Gottman Level 1 training, which focuses on enhancing couple relationships. My diverse professional background includes roles as a teaching assistant, research assistant, co-facilitator, behavior technician for children on the Autism spectrum, tutor, and server. These experiences have contributed to my understanding of human behavior and relationships, enriching my therapeutic practice.

3 Things I Love:

The Office, my cats, and cozying up with a good book.