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About Creative Now Therapy

Psychotherapy for women, queer, and trans adults in New York…

2389262855When the world doesn’t make space for you…

It can feel impossible to live authentically, especially as a woman, queer, or trans person navigating the complexities of your identity.

It’s a world where you have to balance resilience with exhaustion and strength with the ache of being unseen.

Maybe you’ve felt the sting of shame, the burden of perfectionism, or the quiet grief of not fitting neatly into society’s expectations…

And maybe you’re tired of doing it all alone.

Welcome! You’ve come to the right place.

At Creative Now Therapy, there’s space for all of you: your identity, your struggles, and your dreams.

Together, we’ll work through the tangled challenges of this life: the overwhelm of endless “shoulds,” the quiet or loud erosion of self-trust, or the confusion that comes from feeling out of step with the world around you.

We’ll explore the nuances of your identity – how it shapes your relationships, your self-perception, and your ability to take up space unapologetically.

Whether you’re navigating the complexities of queerness, gender, or the intersection of your many identities, this is a space where your story is honored and your truth matters.

2477254437Through compassionate exploration and creative techniques…

We’ll help you feel more grounded, more seen, and more connected to the person you’re becoming. If you’ve been searching for a place where you can exhale and start to rebuild in a way that feels true to you, welcome. You’re exactly where you need to be.

I’d love to hear all about your identities so we can make sure to include them in our work together. I see you and all humans as unique, ever-changing organisms, so I work hard to come from a centered and mindful place of awareness that holds space for an organic unfolding of your experience.

I’m here to help you unfold your experience.

That’s what therapy is – an “unfolding” – a gentle, intentional process of discovering the layers of who you are beneath the weight of anxiety, depression, or trauma.

Unfolding in therapy means learning to sit with what feels heavy. That’s how you’ll find new ways to meet your pain and realize it’s a source of strength. It’s about rediscovering pieces of yourself that may have been hidden away, silenced by fear, or numbed by overwhelm.

As this unfolding takes shape, you may notice shifts in your daily life. The edges of your anxiety soften, depression loosens its grip, and trauma no longer defines every moment. You begin to respond rather than react, finding joy in the places where it felt impossible before. You might feel more connected to your body, your relationships, and the world around you—more grounded, more present, more alive.

This work is vital for your well-being because it’s not just about feeling better; it’s about reclaiming your life.

2510626523Let’s explore what’s deep inside.

I want to walk beside you as you come to embody a fuller expression of your emotions, sensations, feelings, impulses, and yearnings.

It’s when you come into greater contact with what you actually want and need that you’ll achieve greater life satisfaction.

I understand that can be a scary project. Many of us have built really tall, ingenious walls to protect us from going there because it has not been okay.

Don’t worry: You’re not going to get thrown into the deep end. I’m trained to help you move at the right speed toward and into those experiences so that we don’t overwhelm your nervous system and cause more harm than has already happened.

We’ll move at exactly the right speed for you to shift you into authenticity, growth, and healing.

This therapeutic space is safe(ish).

I say that because I understand there’s no true safety for many of you.

As a neurodivergent, highly sensitive, gender-nonconforming Latinx therapist, I create a space where you can show up exactly as you are: complex, questioning, and human. Here, your identity, culture, and experiences are not just acknowledged – they are celebrated and integrated into the work we do together.

I bring warmth, empathy, and curiosity to the therapy room. I’m attuned to the ways power, privilege, and systemic oppression can shape your experience, and I work to ensure our space is one where you feel seen, heard, and deeply valued.

We’ll tap into your creativity using body-mindfulness interventions and present-moment practices. In every session, I’ll tailor our work to help you explore and express your feelings in ways that feel authentic and manageable. Together, we’ll untangle the patterns and pain that have held you back, helping you grow on your terms so you can move through life with greater clarity, ease, and self-compassion.

When you feel safe enough to be vulnerable, true healing becomes possible.

2143228257I’m warm, friendly, and playful. But…

I’ll occasionally crack a joke (when it makes sense), and you will hear expletives come out of my mouth. So, if you have a potty mouth, too, that’s A-OK with me.

And I might get a little sassy when you start talking shit about yourself! I like to challenge you when you’re being mean to yourself.

I’m mostly joking, but what this might look like in practice is asking you to “hang out” with your various voices. Maybe we’ll turn them into a mythic character or generate some imagery to get to their greater truths.

Whatever we do, we want to make sure we attend to them in some shape or fashion. I know it’s uncomfortable, but it’s where the magic happens.

Get serious about your soul.

Are you ready to take the next step toward clarity, healing, and a life that feels more authentic and aligned?

It’s time to reconnect with yourself and create meaningful change! You’re not alone here. I’m with you, and I’m here to help!

I offer a free 20-minute consultation to answer your questions and see if we’re the right fit. Click the bottom below to book your call (I’ll be in touch within 24 hours)

About Me

It’s nice to meet you!

Hi, I’m Cristina Maria Fort Garcés, LCAT, ATR-BC, CPC. Don’t worry about all those random letters. You can just call me Cris (they/she).

I’m a first-generation Latinx person of Ecuadorian and Spanish lineages. Spanish is my first language, but I definitely speak English better now. Although… some American idioms don’t QUITE come out right (I blame my mother for that!).

If you’d like to speak Spanish in our sessions, we can do that. Sometimes, Spanish conveys our ideas better if they are a shared part of our history.

Some of my professional background…

I started out as a creative arts therapist, and that will always be my first love. When I first learned about art therapy, I was floored: I couldn’t believe that there was a place where the creative process was so respected – where intuition and magic had a space and were celebrated as the superpowers they are. I still use these approaches in my practice.

I’ve been deeply invested in somatic (body-based) modalities for a decade now. I’m a certified Developmental Somatic Therapist and a Hakomi Somatic Psychotherapy practitioner. I’m fascinated by how the body can be tuned to address and eliminate self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviors.

I’ve also been studying perimenopause (now that I’m in my forties). I want to be able to understand and speak the language around that to help queer folks going through that experience.

If you’re interested in the specifics of my training and experience, click on the + signs in the bottom section for more information.

Outside of therapy sessions…

I love tarot, studying astrology, studying and practicing Q’ero mysticism, and learning about other indigenous and shamanic traditions and practices.

And I LOVE reading sci-fi… although I try to avoid it because I can get stuck in a good book!

Psychotherapy Certifications
  • Hakomi Somatic Practitioner | Hakomi Institute. Two-year Post Graduate Training. North East, US. 2024.
  • Certified Professional Coach | Year -ong Coaching Training, Leadership That Works, NY, NY. 2020.
  • Certified Developmental Somatic Psychotherapist | The Center for Somatic Studies, 4-year Post Graduate Training. NY, NY. 2017-2021.
  • Certified Gestalt Psychotherapist | Gestalt Associates for Psychotherapy, four-year Clinical Fellowship Post Graduate Training. NY, NY. 2016.
  • Board Certified and Licensed Creative Arts Therapist, #001500 | The American Art Therapy Association, US. 2011.
Additional Therapy & Coaching Training
  • Psychotherapy & Spirituality Institute, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Clinicians, MBSR Training, Online. 2022.
  • Tara Mohr, Playing Big for Women, Year-long Coaching Training, Online. 2022.
  • Hearing Voices Network, Group Facilitator Training, supporting people experiencing schizophrenia, Springfield, MA. 2015.
  • Parenting Journey, Group Facilitator Training, supporting parents in crisis, Manhattan, NY. 2011.
  • SVA Studio Art Therapy in Florence: Rejuvenating the creative spirit, Florence, Italy. 2008.
  • Hallmark Institute of Photography, Year Long Certificate Program in Commercial and Studio Photography, Turners Falls, MA. 2005.
Education
  • Bachelor’s Degree, Tufts University, Medford, MA. 2004.
  • Master’s Degree in Creative Arts Therapy, The School of Visual Arts, NY, NY. 2010.
Professional Affiliations
  • Member of the New York Art Therapy Association
  • Member of the American Art Therapy Association
  • Climate Aware Therapist Member of the Climate Psychology Alliance North America
Professional Experience
  • Creative Now Therapy, Solo Private Practice, New York. 2025 – Present.
    – Psychotherapy with women, queer, gender nonconforming, and trans adults in New York.

-Somatic & Experiential Coaching for folks anywhere outside of New York State & the US.
– Clinical Supervision for new therapists.

  • Creative Now Therapy, Online Group Practice, New York. 2020 – 2025.
    – Creator, Clinical Supervisor, and Psychotherapist
    – Psychotherapy with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families.
    – Clinical Supervision for the therapists at the practice.
  • Cristina Maria Psychotherapy, Private Practice, NY, NY. 2013 – 2020.
    – Psychotherapist and Owner, outpatient setting, individual sessions with adults.
  • Gestalt Associates for Psychotherapy Clinic, NY, NY. 2013-2016.
    – Psychotherapist, outpatient setting, individual sessions with adults.
  • Kings County Hospital Center, Health Plus Hospitals, East Flatbush, Brooklyn, NY. 2012 – 2019.
    – Group psychotherapist, inpatient setting, group therapy with adults and adolescents.
  • New York Psychotherapy and Counseling Center, East New York, Brooklyn, NY. 2011 – 2012.
    – Psychotherapist, outpatient setting, individual sessions with children, adolescents, adults, and families.
  • HeartShare Human Services, Coney Island, NY. 2010 – 2012.
    – Case Planner, Family Art Therapist, and Child & Adolescent Art Therapist for Spanish-speaking families at risk of foster care placement.
    – Group Facilitator supporting Parents in the Parenting Journey Group Model.
  • SVA Counseling Team, Creative Arts Therapy Department, NY, NY. 2009-2010.
    – Individual Creative Arts Therapy sessions for undergraduate students at SVA.
  • St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital, The Child and Family Institute, NY, NY. 2009 – 2010.
    – Individual Creative Arts Therapy sessions for Children (4 – 12 yrs) and Family Creative Arts Therapy sessions.
  • Interfaith Hospital Continuing Day Treatment Center, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, NY. 2008 – 2009.
    – Group Co-Leader and individual Creative Arts Therapy, partial hospitalization setting, sessions for Adults with Major Mental Health Experiences.
Alternative Healing Practices
  • Ongoing study with Joan Parisi Wilcox and Juan Nuñez del Prado in Q’ero/Andean Energy & Earth-Based Practices. Online. 2024 – Present.
  • BioField Tuning, Foundations Training in Sound Therapy, Online. 2022.
  • Cyndi Dale, Apprenticeship Program, Chakras, Subtle Body, & Energy Practices Training, Online. 2024.
  • Energy Medicine Coach, The Four Winds Society, 400-hour training in Andean and Q’ero Energy & Earth-based practices. Olmue, Chile. 2021.
  • I’ve completed various trainings in Astrology and the Tarot over the past two decades. My teachers are Steven Forrest, Sarah L’Hrar, Renee Sills, Tylor Penor, Tara Vogel, Debra Silverman, Lindsay Mack, Bess Matassa, Brigit Esselmont, and many more incredible individuals.