Chandra Shanmugavel, LPCC
Primary Therapist
Chandra Shanmugavel, LPCC, is an EMDR trained primary therapist at Alta Mira. Chandra obtained her degree in Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine, the only counseling program in the country that is housed within a medical school. Her love for the intersection between the mind and the body informs her somatic approach when she works with clients. She is passionate about helping individuals heal trauma which often roots addiction. She does this by utilizing a mix of the following modalities: internal family systems (IFS), acceptance and commitment (ACT), eye movement desensitization reprocessing (EMDR), narrative, and somatic therapy. Chandra believes healing begins within the container of a safe therapeutic alliance, therefore highly regards holding a warm and accepting space for clients to explore their core issues.
Chandra has experience working with adolescents struggling with suicidality within a residential setting and with women and non-binary clients, struggling with addiction in a partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient setting. Chandra additionally operates a culturally sensitive trauma informed outpatient private practice. Having worked with clients on the full continuum of care, Chandra is passionate about helping her clients create the changes necessary to break out of the treatment cycle and build a life led by safety, authenticity, and self-acceptance.
