West Hartford Therapy Staff Bios
LCAT’s West Hartford Therapy Staff
Our West Hartford therapy staff includes Amanda Pasciucco — the main sex therapist and owner of the practice — and a team of therapists specializing in communication, trauma, teens (16+), stress and anxiety, depression, and creating a life of more ease and pleasure!
We strive to provide an identity-affirming, trauma-informed environment for all. We are excited to have you consider us in your journey to healing, coaching, and self-discovery.
Nicole Scrivano, LMFT
Thank you so much for looking at our LCAT staff!
My name is Nicole Scrivano (she/her) and I am the Director of Life Coaching and Therapy (LCAT) and a licensed therapist (LMFT) at LCAT. I have had the pleasure of working in this practice since 2017 when it became a group practice. I love this practice and what it means to be a therapist. I graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2013 with a Masters with a speciality in Marriage and Family Therapy.
My passion is to work with people around trauma, relationships, and identity. I approach therapy with each person differently because everyone is different. My belief is through using curiosity, authenticity, and compassion it allows to co-create a space for healing and growth for individuals and their relational systems. Generally, I have found it useful to people to reflect on their emotional reactions and ways that those strategies are or are not supporting their needs and goals. In doing this, often we are able to collaborate towards finding new strategies that are oriented toward their healing and growth.
For as long as I can remember, I have been committed to supporting others and listening to their stories. In therapy, everyone has their own story, perspective, view, or whatever you want to call it… and I work with my clients to learn theirs and explore it. Although, I am trained in a variety of methods (including EMDR and DBT), I am committed to utilizing an intersectional, feminist approach to working with all my clients. I believe that it is vital to the therapeutic process to be mindful of the varying identities that make up and influence people’s stories and empower people within those stories.
In my free time you can find me focused on my connection to my daughter, family, friends, and hedgehogs (Fiona Quillow HufflePuff, Sookie Winifred HufflePuff, Betty Prickles HufflePuff, and Luna Sanderson Hufflepuff).
Mike Saraceno, LMFT, CIMHP
Hey y’all!
I really enjoy facilitating a space where your relationships and communication are tenderly held front and center. Within this space, I believe your roles are to pick the destination and drive, while my role is to be a navigator of hope and change. I act as a curious mirror to reflect how the past informs the present, and compassionate roadside assistant to help get unstuck and back on your journey.
Folks that get the most out of working with me are those who are already seeking and practicing honesty with themselves and their partners. I have particular experience in collaborating with couples and consensually non-monogamous/polyam folks, including those who have the additional role of raising children. I approach everyone with attitudes of kink-awareness, sex-positivity (joyfulness, really), identity celebration, and unconditional positive body-esteem.
For those who are interested, I received my Master of Arts in Marriage & Family Therapy from the University of St. Joseph in 2014. My educational background is steeped within the sciences and research, which I weave together with my style of therapy. I am also a Certified Integrated Mental Health Professional (CIMHP), meaning I may offer nutritional and alternative medicine suggestions to complement our work together.
When I’m not in the office, I’m often unplugged tending to my backyard homestead with my family, or waist-deep in some river fly-fishing.
Chastity Rodriguez, LMFT, MEd, EMP, PC, CME
Most people know the first letters after my name – LMFT, which mean I’m a licensed marriage and family therapist, and I earned my degree from Central Connecticut State University. The rest usually require some explaining. MEd means I earned a Master of Education. An EMP is an energy medicine practitioner, which is someone who has learned how to work with the energy present in all of us humans to optimize physical and mental health. A PC is a pastoral counselor, a mental health professional that provides psychological therapy and spiritual guidance to individuals who are experiencing mental distress or dysfunction because of religious beliefs or issues with their faith. A CME is a certified mindful educator, or a person trained to teach others how to use mindfulness in their daily life both professionally and personally.
My education and experience enable me to be a skilled and compassionate listener and facilitator of space where you can feel safe to bravely unpack your baggage so you can consciously choose that which you want to keep, and lovingly release that which is no longer serving you. I use humor, metaphors and myth, personal stories and deep, active listening to what is said and left unsaid to illuminate the forces keeping you stuck. I trust that you have the answers to move through those stuck spaces and that those answers are temporarily blocked. I guide you through the process of identifying those blocks and dissolving them with love, gratitude and understanding. My goal is for you to leave knowing how to access the wisdom within yourself.
In addition to therapy, I also provide one-on-one executive DEI coaching as well as coaching to young adults with inherited wealth who want to be restorative and reparative with that money and need support as they cross family loyalties and/or struggle with guilt, shame or anger.
Tiffany Torok, LCSW
I find that taking that first step and searching for a therapist can be scary and intimidating. It is difficult to open up to someone about whom you feel you know very little. I am a no-nonsense therapist who uses humor and wit while providing honest and sometimes direct feedback. My aim is to guide individuals in the direction of acceptance and love of themselves, regardless of the “norms” that society has placed upon them. Rather than focusing on “labels” or “diagnoses” that may have been given to you in the past, I focus on the symptoms that are currently causing the most stress in your life and the roots of those symptoms to prevent them from returning in the future.
Music has been a passion of mine since I was a child. In my experience, music has always moved me deeply, and I have always felt a profound connection to the words of songs I listen to. My interest in the music scene and my growing awareness of the issues of mental health and substance abuse are intertwined. This realization, combined with the loss of many talented musicians, has inspired me to dive headfirst into mental health and substance abuse treatment for those involved in the music industry, from performers to stage crew and everyone in between. As a musician’s therapist, I can help with stress management, burnout, depression/anxiety, perfectionism, work/life balance, interpersonal conflict resolution, and other issues.
In 2010, I completed my bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a concentration in mental health at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven. I then went back to Southern and received my Master’s Degree in Social Work. I also completed a year long course on the Inner Aspects Method in 2021, which taught me how to identify the different parts that make up our minds and how we interact with the world, our past that created these parts of us, and the strategies these parts use to get their needs met.
In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family and many pets (2 dogs, 3 cats, 2 fish tanks, and 4 guinea pigs), working on fitness through lifting weights and attending acroyoga classes, and spending my weekends at rock or hiphop concerts around New England.
Sarah FitzGerald, LCSW
Hi! I’m Sarah FitzGerald and I am here to connect with you as you go through your journey. If this is your first time looking for a therapist, you are making the right choice (even though it is hard). If you are returning to treatment, you know the value of connecting to supportive professionals during difficult times.
LGBTQIA+ affirming, sex-positive, and open to alternative relationship styles! Connection through storytelling, a touch of humor, and compassion is my go-to style in my sessions with people who come through my (virtual) door.
I’m a Licensed Clinical Social work with my Master’s in Social Work from Binghamton University. Although I have many eclectic skills, historically my strengths are working with teens, young adults, and adult – caregivers specifically.
My interests in different American sub-cultures and lifestyles creates an affirming, safe place to explore your thoughts and feelings. Many of us inhabit more than one sub-culture and discussing these intersectional identities can bring about insight into ourselves and our world!
Griffin Gordon, MFT (Intern of Nicole Scrivano)
My name is Griffin (they/them), and I am an MFT intern at SCSU. I want to create a space where you feel supported and safe to talk about your true feelings, even when things are hard. I hope to assist you in determining what works and does not work for you in your relationships with yourself and others, and then to use your strengths to create a clear plan to achieve your desired future. Because of my own multiracial and genderqueer experience, I hope to help people learn more about themselves and become more comfortable with their understanding of nuance in identity.
If you are experiencing feelings of social isolation and a lack of connection, I would hope to provide insight and support during such turbulent times. I’m also aware of the power and variety of impacts of substance use and seek to assist anyone struggling with related issues. Even if none of the above describes your situation, I am constantly curious, and I look forward to serving new people and learning about how I can best support you.
In my free time, I am an avid skateboarder and music enthusiast, both listening and creating! My love of art, embodiment, and playfulness, which I put into practice in my own life, has a big influence on my therapy style. I will challenge you to learn and create meaning from your gifts and what you love.
Olivia Pace, LMFT-A
My name is Olivia Pace (she/her/hers), and I am a marriage family therapist. This means that I have been systemically trained to help you find the root of your challenges and process your experiences. I received my master’s degree from Central Connecticut State University, and I completed my internship at an agency specializing in family outpatient care. I have experience working with individuals, couples, and families.
I enjoy working with young adults, primarily those who identify as women; however, I am open and excited to work with all gender identities. It is my goal to make everyone who enters my therapy room feel validated, appreciated, and seen. I am passionate about helping and guiding others through their journeys and building a relationship of mutual respect and trust.
I am a silly and expressive person, and when I am not wearing my therapist hat, you can find me snuggled up with my dog (Remy), traveling with my husband, patio sitting, and listening to true crime podcasts.
I look forward to meeting you and walking beside you on your journey to heal and thrive.
Melody Atkinson, LMFT-A
My name is Melody (she/her), and I am an LMFT-A, and graduate from Southern Connecticut. I am under the direct supervision of LCAT’s owner and founder, Amanda Pasciucco. My specialization is in trauma-informed practices, alternative methods to explore ADHD, LGBTQIA+ relationships, and identity.
I enjoy utilizing an integrative approach to therapy that focuses on stories and how the different parts of us show up in the world. I studied Musical Theatre for my undergraduate degree, and I believe that art and humor can be an integral part of the healing process. I utilize narrative therapy, parts theory, and post-modern approaches to help people integrate themselves and their identities. I enjoy working with folks within the LGBTQIA+ community, young adults, people with ADHD, and people with anxiety.
In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my wife and two sweet puppies, Juniper and Peach! I am interested to know what qualities you look for in a therapist, and how I can be helpful to you in your journey!
Mia Salgado, LMFT-A
My name is Mia Salgado (she/her), and I have graduated from SCSU’s Marriage and Family Therapy Program.
I am deeply curious about the narratives, relationships, and systems that make you, you! I believe in creating a gentle, open space in which I use humor, authenticity, patience, and your own strengths to help change occur. I am passionate about empowerment through the body, boundary work, and reorienting towards pleasure and rest. My goal is to collaborate with you to create secure attachment with yourself.
I welcome all relationship types, gender identity, and sexual orientations, and am aware of and hold space for the interaction between intersectionality and shame. I am committed to discovering and guiding you in new ways to be in connection with the most important people in your life. I believe it is always possible to show up differently for yourself and others.
When I am not in the office, you can find me dancing with friends, traveling to Spain, or rewatching The Mandalorian.
Amanda Pasciucco, PhD, LMFT, CST
Hello, I am Amanda Pasciucco (pronounced Pa-shoe-ko) and I founded Life Coaching and Therapy, LLC in West Hartford, CT in 2013. My goal is to be a catalyst for igniting passion within romantic and sexual relationships!
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), AASECT Certified Sex Therapist (CST) and CE Provider and Supervisor. I have my PhD as a Clinical Sexologist and I am an author on female sexuality.
I specialize in working with couples and individuals on sex-positive approaches, particularly helping those who have gone through traditional therapy unsuccessfully before.
Using a combination of tantric and psychotherapeutic techniques, I along with my team of therapists work with clients via online and onsite appointments and text therapy to transform their problems into pleasure by teaching them new habits. Additionally, I have created several videos to help provide immediate help with top issues facing couples and individuals.
Over the last 10+ years, and more than 15,000 client hours I have helped thousands of individuals and couples transform their sexual lives, which often carries into a whole life transformation. Because of this success, my clients and colleagues call me “The Sex Healer”.
My belief is that “pleasure is healing” and that sex education and pleasurable sex can be attainable for all adults.
I earned a Bachelor’s from Providence College, and Master’s from the University of Connecticut in Human Development and Family Studies. I have completed my dissertation research on highly sexually satisfied long-term romantic relationships in Clinical Sexology, and have a PhD.
Read Amanda Pasciucco’s complete bio. Check out her latest articles in the media.
