Therapy for Moms
and
Anyone Ready to Break Free from Food and Body Struggles

Katie Green shirt 2.jpg

About Katie Giannini, Licensed Therapist in Santa Cruz

Hello and welcome—I’m Katie Giannini, a trauma-informed therapist offering therapy for eating disorders, anxiety, body image, trauma, and the full spectrum of motherhood in Santa Cruz, CA and online throughout California.

With nearly 15 years of experience, I bring warmth, presence, and a deep respect for your story. Whether you’re navigating motherhood, healing your relationship with food and body, or looking for a more compassionate way to care for your mental health, I’m so glad you’re here. I invite you to explore this site and get a sense of who I am, what therapy with me is like, and how I might support your journey.

My Healing Path ~ Why I Do This Work

My journey to becoming a therapist began with my own deep struggles. In my earlier years, I lived with intense anxiety and depression, which led to an eating disorder and a complicated relationship with substances. Life felt unmanageable, and I often felt isolated and stuck in behaviors I depended on just to get by.

Therapy became a lifeline. With the support of a compassionate therapist, I slowly began to find relief—and eventually, a sense of hope and freedom I never thought was possible. That healing work not only saved my life, it led me to this path: helping others feel seen, supported, and empowered in their own healing.

From Me to You ~ My Hopes

As a trauma-informed therapist and mother, I’ve experienced firsthand how healing is possible—even when things feel overwhelming. I want to offer that same hope to others: the possibility to feel free, to move from inner chaos to clarity, and to reconnect with your innate sense of curiosity and compassion.

Through Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy and mindful support, I help clients create space within themselves—space to breathe, feel, and build the life they long for. The lessons I learned in my own early healing journey still guide me today, and it’s a privilege to walk alongside others as they find their way forward.

My Approach to Therapy

As human beings, we all long to feel seen, understood, and supported. We also need practical tools to help us navigate life’s challenges. In my work as a trauma-informed therapist in Santa Cruz, CA, I offer both: a space where you can feel truly heard, and thoughtful, grounded guidance to help you move forward.

Whether we’re working through anxiety, disordered eating, motherhood transitions, or old emotional wounds, I take time to attune to your unique strengths, needs, and goals. Using Internal Family Systems (IFS), mindfulness, and years of experience, I tailor therapy to support you as a whole person.

I bring my full self to this work—my heart, presence, and honesty. Clients describe me as authentic, gently direct, and deeply compassionate. I don’t believe in blame or shame. Instead, I meet every person with respect, curiosity, and warmth, so you can feel safe to explore, heal, and grow.


You Can Do This ~ I Can Help

You already hold the wisdom you need to move toward healing. You deserve support that helps you feel seen, understood, and empowered. Whether you’re a mom in transition, recovering from disordered eating, or seeking therapy for anxiety, trauma, or burnout—I’m here to help.

My therapy practice in Santa Cruz, CA is rooted in Internal Family Systems (IFS), mindfulness, and body-trust approaches. Together, we’ll create a space where you can reconnect with your truth and build the life you envision.

 

My Background & Experience

  • BA in Psychology from San Francisco State University

  • Masters in Counseling Psychology, with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from University of San Francisco

  • Internship San Francisco Child Abuse Prevention Center, 2 years

  • Internship San Francisco Unified School District, Lowell High School, 1 year

  • Therapist at The Lotus Collaborative, Eating Disorder Recovery Center, 4 years

  • Level 1 Trained in Internal Family Systems therapy

  • Trained in Body Positive Group Curriculum, learn more here.

  • Trained with Center for Body Trust, learn more about this amazing organization here.

    • E-Course Promoting Body Trust in Your Work

    • The Body Trust School for Unlearning

      • “...unlearning the social constructs of health, size, beauty, race, gender, age, and ability that have impacted how whole you feel and how much of you is known, seen, held, and supported.”

  • Trained in Mothercentered Approach

    • “The Mothercentered Approach brings an Internal Family Systems-informed, holistic vision for understanding and treating Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADS) - not as disorder in mothers - but rather as the consequence of parts and patriarchy during matrescence and the accompanying disease of shame new mothers get saddled with.”

    • Advanced Trainings towards Mothercentered Certification

      • The Good Mom~Bad Mom Loop

      • Intimacy with Grief and Shame

  • Mothercentered Consultation group in service of the work I do with mothering humans

  • Perinatal Mental Health Certificate Trained with PESI and Maternal Mental Health Now