About me

Authenticity has been a journey for me.  One, that I humbly walk each day. I learned early on the importance of caring for others and often forgot to include myself in the equation. This happened in jobs and relationships, particularly in my own journey to becoming a parent.   Parenting itself has taught me more about what I don’t know, than I could ever imagine. Through much trial and error, I have learned that to be present and show up in the way I want, I also have to show up for myself. 

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I earned my undergraduate degrees in English literature and women’s studies before turning to psychology, while at the University of Utah.  It was a nonlinear path, as I figured out who I wanted to be, in the context of relationships and internalized beliefs about who I should be.  When my partner’s career took us to New Mexico, it was a pivotal moment for me.  Was the choice to reinvent myself in a small town or continue on what I felt in my heart was my path?  I ended up completing my Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from an APA accredited program, at New Mexico State University. The beautiful Wasatch Mountains called me back to Utah, where I completed my predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowships through the University of Utah Counseling Center and the Department of Family and Preventative Medicine.  My journey then took a turn into administration, where I served as the director of assessment, evaluation and research, chief of staff and interim associate vice president for health and wellness, within Student Affairs at the University of Utah.  I loved being part of a community and watching students develop into colleagues.  Being mentored and mentoring felt sacred to me. 

 

Like many others, the pandemic broke apart what I considered to be normal life.  Health mattered in a new way and was impacted through the experience of isolation and disconnect from community.  It was another time, where growth and change weren't choices. . . they felt like imperatives.   I wanted to hold space for others to heal, as space had been held for me.  I returned to clinical practice and joined the Autism Clinic, as a psychologist, working with autistic adults and parents of autistic children. 

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Allegra Psychology has emerged from my desire to create a space of authenticity for you, to explore what matters to you, as you navigate the messiness and beauty of life.  My hope is that you can return to yourself and emerge authentically you.

With care,

Stacy