Your experiences matter
You deserve joy, connection, and the opportunity to heal.
Why I’m Here
I’m Dr. Kiara Manosalvas, a New York-based, licensed bilingual psychologist with a doctorate in counseling psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University. My clinical work focuses on trauma, anxiety, and ADHD, with a special passion for helping ambitious women who, despite their achievements, find themselves feeling unfulfilled and disconnected from their purpose.
With extensive trauma training, much of my work is informed by psychodynamic and relational therapy, meaning I help my clients understand how past relationships and intergenerational dynamics impact your current emotional well-being. I also integrate various treatment approaches, including Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) to provide clients with concrete strategies and tools for more targeted symptom relief.
I completed my predoctoral internship at the Manhattan VA, where I worked with veterans, specializing in military sexual trauma and PTSD.
Today, I offer culturally-affirming, trauma-informed therapy that acknowledges the real-world challenges of systemic oppression, helping women and marginalized groups heal and thrive. I approach therapy with an understanding that experiences of racism, heterosexism, transphobia, and any and all forms of systemic oppression are not simply "cognitive distortions" to be dismissed or reframed. Instead, I prioritize validating these realities and helping you explore how they affect your mental and emotional health. Together, we focus on how you can practice resilience, foster self-compassion, and develop strategies to empower you in navigating these challenges. In addition to working with individuals and couples in my private practice, I am also a faculty member at Columbia University where I teach masters and doctoral level courses in the mental health counseling program. I serve as the coordinator of the Bilingual Latiné Mental Health Concentration, working with students who are committed to providing culturally affirming psychological services to Spanish-speaking, multi-racial Latiné clients.
Training & Education
Training
Throughout my 8 years of clinical training, I have worked in a variety of clinical settings, including Manhattan VA, Brooklyn VA, New York State Transgender Identity Program, Golden Psychology, John Jay College Counseling Center, Dean Hope Center for Educational and Psychological Services, and South Boston Behavioral Health Clinic at Tufts Medical Center.
Education
PhD in Counseling Psychology - Teachers College, Columbia University
MA in Mental Health Counseling - Boston College
BA in Psychology - University of Maryland
Let’s work on it together.
If you’re ready to explore how therapy can help you feel more grounded, resilient, and in control of your life, let’s connect. I offer a free 15-minute consultation to see if we’re the right fit and to learn more about your goals.