Makando Mutanda

Hi, I’m Makando. I’m so glad you’re here. My journey into therapy began with my own path toward healing, self-liberation, and coming home to myself. As an immigrant from Kitwe, Zambia, I’ve lived through the complexities of identity, belonging, and the quiet weight of cultural expectations. Mental health wasn’t something we talked about openly in my community, but through my own healing process, I came to understand just how much we silently carry—stories, traumas, and survival patterns passed down through generations. What changed everything for me was having a space where I could be met with presence, attunement, and compassion—where I didn’t have to perform or explain away my pain. Just be. That’s the kind of space I now strive to offer others. I work from the heart—with curiosity, humility, and deep respect for the wisdom you already hold within you. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), MPH, Certified Sex Therapist, and 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT), my approach is holistic, trauma-informed, and rooted in liberation. My lens is shaped by social justice and a deep belief that healing is both personal and political. I support individuals navigating trauma, grief and loss, anxiety, depression, racial and generational trauma, sexuality and intimacy, and the layered experiences of immigration and being first-generation. In our work together, I draw from a range of approaches—Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), Sex Therapy, Problem-Solving Therapy, Trauma-Focused interventions, and mind-body practices like yoga and breathwork. I also integrate Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP), a model grounded in presence, emotional attunement, and the healing power of heart-centered connection. This approach allows us to move through pain and into transformation—gently, at your pace, and with care. At the core of my work is the belief that therapy should feel like a soft landing—a space where you feel safe, empowered, and deeply seen. I’m honored to walk alongside you as you explore your inner world, reconnect with parts of yourself that may feel lost, and move toward greater wholeness and liberation.