“All of your emotions are essential to your well-being.” - Karla McLaren

Trained as a Psychiatric Physician Assistant, I’ve been practicing medicine since 2015. Recognizing the limitations of allopathic medicine, I’ve been exploring alternative modalities almost the entire time I’ve been practicing.

I found that as I healed my relationship to my own flawed self, all my relationships improved, including those with my clients. Tending to my own sorrow, shame, fear, and rage has liberated me from a cage of self inflicted limitations I did not realize I had created. In my work, my focus shifted to a using medications more thoughtfully, adopting a “less is more” approach when possible, and guiding my clients towards approaching their wounded psyches with grace and curiosity.

For the past several years, I’ve been hearing from my medication management patients, that our monthly 20 minute appointments have offered more helpful insights and perspective shifts, than their weekly 1 hour therapy appointments. I have been asked again and again whether I could be their therapist. I have no formal therapist training, but I have embraced coaching to meet this demand.

I have studied numerous modalities along the way and found that the needs of individuals are varied. I rely on my intuition to guide my work with each unique client, and curate a tailored approach to your specific needs drawing from my knowledge of trauma recovery, nervous system healing, somatic body work, IFS techniques, grief recovery, and mindfulness.

Note that an appointment with me through Alexandra Pestana Coaching is not a medical appointment or a therapy appointment. I will not be diagnosing, prescribing, or treating medical conditions. Your appointment will not be covered by insurance.