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Modern Depth Therapy

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Modern Depth Therapy

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I’m Jessica "Chiara" Viscomi, MA, LMFT, SEP.

CA-licensed, LA-based integrative depth psychotherapist (LMFT #104851) and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner at Modern Depth Therapy, multidisciplinary artist, and writer.

10/23/2026

Theory, modality, and technique give therapy some scaffolding and guardrails.
But what truly energizes therapy is the therapeutic relationship (and the power of the unconscious). This includes but is not limited to:

• Experiencing the felt sense of being met
• Taking the risk of being real and saying the thing
• Slowly cultivating the trust that allows something tender or long-unspoken to find words, movement, or image

In depth psychology, we speak of the therapeutic relationship as a crucible, an alchemical vessel that’s sturdy enough to allow for the fires of transformation. This crucible is not just instrumental to the therapeutic process; it’s also intersubjective.

As Jung said, “The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.”

10/23/2026

The phrase “trauma-informed” is used frequently by therapists and other healthcare providers. But what does it mean, and how is it different from “trauma-competent”?

“Trauma-informed” generally refers to understanding how trauma affects the mind, body, soul, and relationships. It also means working in ways that avoid retraumatization by emphasizing choice, collaboration, pacing, and more.

“Trauma-competent” goes one step further than “trauma-informed.” It means having the specialized training and expertise to treat the effects of trauma ethically and well.

I also contend that trauma competence is something that requires regular tending on therapists' part in the form of ongoing professional consultation, education, and self-reflection.

This is why I refer to my practice as trauma-competent, not just trauma-informed.

While both concepts are important, trauma-informed awareness without genuine competency can leave clients re-exposed rather than supported. The tricky part is that “trauma-informed” can be vague, as it has no standardized, universally agreed-upon definition.

Further, no system requires therapists to prove they can treat trauma (and there are several different trauma types, which can require different approaches).

In medicine, physicians who specialize typically complete accredited residency training and pass board exams to become board certified, which many hospitals and insurers require. In therapy, while some certifications are available, there can be a lot of leeway given to clinicians to define their own competencies. It's always worth asking a potential therapist about their specific trauma training.

If this stirs your curiosity, I currently have some teletherapy slots available for adult California residents. Visit the link in my bio to contact me.

10/16/2026

"Psychotherapy with soul" has been the guiding philosophy of my practice for many years. This means that therapy can be a place to fill your cup as well as empowering, genuine, heartfelt, and integrative. A space where you are met as a full human being, and mind/body/spirit are given equal consideration.

Learn more about how I work at moderndepth.com.

10/16/2026

One of the things I value most in therapy is making space for what can't be neatly resolved or explained. Not everything needs a tidy answer. Some things need to be sat with, dreamed upon, grappled with, and allowed to slowly reveal themselves. That's the Great Unknown—and it belongs in therapy as much as anywhere else.
More on the Great Unknown later this week.

10/16/2026

"We can become so settled in our anxieties and questions that we lose the creativity of the Nomad."
—Báyò Akómoláfé

We live in a society that is obsessed with answers, solutions, and resolution. But some of the most important work in therapy happens in the in-between—in the not-yet-knowing, the sitting-with, the slow unfolding, and the liminal.

Nigerian psychologist, author, and thinker Báyò Akómoláfé writes about "getting lost" as a creative and generative act. He highlights the importance of getting lost as a way of recovering the nomadic imagination that gets buried under anxiety and certainty.

There is brilliance and value in “not knowing.” Not knowing can help to cultivate deeper insight, resilience, and creative approaches to life’s difficulties.

Depth therapy has always understood this truth: the unconscious reveals itself on its own terms, in its own time. When we rush the process, we often miss the guidance and information the unconscious provides.

The Great Unknown isn't a problem to solve. Rather, it's an invitation to explore the aspects of self, life, and therapy that are uncertain and mysterious. How can we learn to surf uncertainty?

10/16/2026

Sometimes a more structured approach is needed: clear goals, practical tools, an active therapist. (I call this a more “yang” approach.)

Other times, open-ended is where it’s at: following your lead, making room for what wants to emerge, and letting the soul speak. (I refer to this as a more “yin” approach.)

Yin and yang: neither approach is inherently “right” or “wrong.” It's about what is needed—and how much—at any given time, and the quality of the therapeutic relationship that serves as the crucible for the work.

Whether the approach is more yin or yang, each can be exactly what you need at a given point in your life. I find that many people—particularly those with complex trauma (or cPTSD)—benefit from a tailored blend of both.

Ultimately, Modern Depth Therapy honors the value of both approaches. This model of therapy is flexible and truly integrative by design—shaped by your needs, feedback, and the therapeutic process itself.

10/16/2026

I often use the analogy of an apothecary to describe Modern Depth Therapy. A quality apothecary doesn’t dole out the same remedy for everyone. Instead, they inquire about what’s going on and blend something to fit.

I think of therapy in a similar way. Some seasons call for more structure: practical tools, a steady plan, and someone to support you in grounding what you’re learning in daily life. (Burnout, big life transitions, anxiety, and times of crisis often call for this approach, especially in the beginning of therapy. With complex trauma, this often means starting with stabilization and resourcing before moving into deeper exploration.)

Other seasons of life call for more space: exploring, working with dreams, and incorporating expressive arts therapy. Oftentimes, the most helpful path is a mix that shifts as you do.

That’s the heart of Modern Depth Therapy. We start with what you need and adjust as we go. If what you need is outside my wheelhouse, I’ll tell you, and support you in finding it—whether that’s adjunct therapy, another therapist, or other resources.

09/28/2026

Most people come to therapy to work through pain, patterns, and what's holding them back. And that's exactly what we do. But therapy can also be something more—a place to gather nourishment, amplify your strengths, stoke your life force and creativity, and explore what gives your life meaning. That's what I mean by psychotherapy with soul. More on that later this week.

09/28/2026

How can a person “attach" to their therapist if the therapist doesn’t show up in a way that makes genuine attachment possible?

The old-school psychodynamic model of the steely analyst—and the inherently shaming “one-person” therapeutic frame—do not model a healthy relationship. And it's virtually impossible to truly heal in an unhealthy relationship of any kind, including a therapeutic one.

The therapeutic relationship is not incidental to healing. I’s the hub around which everything else turns. In Modern Depth Therapy, rather than being a blank screen, the therapist is a real, warm, present, imperfect human being, bringing their full self—thoughtfully and ethically—into the therapy.

Full article at the link in bio. 🔗

09/14/2026

I came up in the performing arts in New York City before completing my clinical training as a therapist in San Francisco. I’m now thrilled to be rooted in Los Angeles.
Over the years, I’ve studied many therapeutic traditions—Jungian, somatic, transpersonal, and expressive arts therapy—drawn to what each illuminates about the human experience and how we “get through this thing called life,” as Prince said.
On my journey, I longed for an integrative style of therapy that unified the best of these traditions: one that incorporates the mind, body, and soul; grounds itself in the sanctity of the therapeutic relationship; draws from ancient wisdom and depth psychology pioneers like Carl Jung—while being anchored in the realities and demands of modern times.
So I made it my life’s work—my biggest art project—to create that therapy. Welcome to Modern Depth Therapy.
I’m Chiara: California licensed marriage and family therapist, Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner, psychology writer, and artist. 🔗 Link in bio to learn more.

Address

San Fransisco, CA

Opening Hours

Monday	5pm - 7pm
Wednesday	9am - 7pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+14155690239

Website

https://chiaraviscomi.substack.com/

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