Iara Cury | LMHC
Hello and welcome!
I am a queer cisgender Brazilian woman, immigrant, therapist, organizer, and facilitator with European, Indigenous, and African ancestors. As a queer clinician of color, I believe in expressing our feelings and telling our stories not only from the perspective of healing but also liberation. My social justice-focused approach helps clients connect with what is good about ourselves and the world around us in a transformative way.
I speak English, Spanish, and Portuguese
Curious about my education? Here are my degrees:
M.A., Clinical Mental Health Counseling – Wake Forest University
M.A., Social Anthropology – Oxford University
B.A., Astronomy & Physics and Latin American Studies – Yale University
Counseling for Liberation
—Roots itself in the idea that humans are inherently good, intelligent, creative, loving, and powerful; that we are capable of complex thinking and collaborative organization and care; and that oppression has no place in our societies
—Acknowledges the reality that many humans are disregarded, excluded, exploited, and abused and that our struggles span beyond individual and family problems
—Intentionally attends to our unique social, cultural, and economic experiences and personal strengths as they relate to identity, societal norms, inequality, and injustice
—Advocates that with attention and care, each of us can heal from our hurts, cultivate deep relationships and love for life, and lead significant changes in the world
A Queer, BIPOC-Focused, Social Justice Approach to Counseling
Counseling for Liberation is a Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)-Focused Social Justice approach to therapy that addresses the impact of structures of oppression and historical events on clients in order to transform clients’ negative core beliefs, patterns, and feelings into clear-thinking, life-affirming, creative worldviews.
Having a skillful BIPOC therapist means having a therapist who is knowledgeable about BIPOC experiences and histories and who creates space for:
Talking about the fact that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color are the Global Majority, with powerful collective strength, intelligence, and knowledge
Confronting the damage and destruction of war, colonization, racism and slavery, genocide, and economic and sexual exploitation
Reaching for ancestral BIPOC healing lineages and communities
Reclaiming our spaces, voices, and connections
Developing our abilities and support systems to lead significant changes in the world
My Own Therapy Story:
Born in Brazil as a person with Indigenous, Black, and European heritages, I spent most of my teenage and adult years living in the United States and England as an immigrant.
Growing up, no one talked about people of color as a strong collective group with shared experiences and interests, which is why the term Black, Indigenous and People of Color, or BIPOC, is so significant to me.
As a struggling young adult living in the Global North, I engaged with many therapists, most of whom were white American or English people, in my search for guidance and healing.
While I did valuable work with each of them, we also left significant elements of my experiences as a light-skinned person from a country with a long history of genocide, colonization, and slavery, as a person with obscured and unhealed Indigenous and Black heritages, and as an immigrant with an identifiably foreign name and accent who did not wish to assimilate, outside the door of those offices.
Do you have a similar story?
I aspire to be the therapist I needed all those years ago by intentionally opening the door to the ancestral, historical, cultural, and social realities my clients are living in the present.
I offer support for clients of all identities who might define themselves as:
Black, Indigenous, and people of color
People with mixed racial/cultural roots
Immigrants and children of immigrants
Members of the LGBTQ+ community
Low-income, working class, or raised poor
Members of targeted groups such as Jewish or Muslim peoples
Having marginalized identities related to religion, age, ability, among others
Changemakers including community organizers, activists, and non-profit workers
Healthcare providers, mental health care providers, educators, helping professionals
Struggling to connect to family, friends, neighbors, or clients across an identity or political divide
Interested in exploring social justice, privilege, or intersectionality
FAQs
Who do you work with?
I offer individual counseling to adults of all identities in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. I am licensed to work with clients who reside in Massachusetts and New York.
How much do you charge?
My sliding scale for a 45-minute counseling session is $100-$150. I accept payment via credit card.
Do you accept insurance?
I do not accept insurance. If you wish to use your out-of-network insurance benefits my standard fee is $150 for 45 minutes and I can provide you with a statement of services.
How do we meet?
I offer online counseling through a secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform.
What is your cancellation policy?
You may cancel your session with a 24-hour notice. Clients are responsible for the full session fee for missed or late-cancelled sessions.
