Chelsea Totaro

People I work with often come to me feeling stuck, second-guessing every decision, replaying conversations in their heads, or feeling like they've lost touch with the version of themselves they want to be. Sometimes it's a big life change. Sometimes it's a quiet, constant heaviness. Sometimes it's the grief of losing someone, human or animal, who meant everything. I am LCSW, Clinical Supervisor, and NYU trained Veterinary Social Worker with a specialization in anthrozoology. My work is informed by the One Health framework, which recognizes that human, animal, and environmental wellbeing are interconnected. Healing happens through connection: connection to ourselves, to others, to animals, and to the natural world around us. This perspective influences how I approach anxiety, grief, relationships, compassion fatigue, identity, and healing, while honoring the important role animals and nature can play in our lives. Whether we're exploring the possibility of an Emotional Support Animal (ESA), navigating the loss of a beloved animal companion, or simply acknowledging the significance of these connections, they deserve to be seen, supported, and honored. I work with adults and offer therapy in-office, through telehealth, and outdoors through nature-based and walk-and-talk sessions when clinically appropriate. Research continues to demonstrate the benefits of spending time outdoors, including reduced stress, improved mood, increased attention, and a greater sense of wellbeing. Walking side by side around the lake at TCNJ can feel very different from sitting in an office, and sometimes that difference matters. Over the years, I've worked with people navigating grief, identity, anxiety, change, and the spaces in between. Healing comes in many forms: moments of laughter, a meal cooked with love, long walks, dog kisses, being deeply seen and heard. Therapy is part of that, and so is meaning-making in the everyday. As a daughter of an immigrant, I understand how culture, identity, and lived experience shape our stories and influence how we move through the world. You deserve a space where your whole self (your identity, your history, your joy, and your complexity) is welcome.