Resident in Counseling, VA-0704014978
He/Him/His

Supervised by Jenna Pagano, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, VA-0717001515

Stefan joined the Pagano Wellness Clinic in June 2022. Stefan earned his Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the College of William & Mary, specializing in treating active-duty military and retired service members, as well as their families. He operates from a person-centered perspective, believing that every person is capable of healing and growing when provided a safe and non-judgmental space. Stefan is excited to work with members of the military community, survivors of trauma, and anyone who is looking for a companion on their self-directed journey, wherever that may lead.

The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change" - Carl Rogers
I view therapy as a way to learn more about who you are as a person. Through this process, people find ways to be kinder to themselves, and identify what keeps them from living their ideal lives. Therapy is a one-of-a-kind space where you have a person to listen to you without judgement. In sessions I am a curious witness to your story, and along the way I will ask questions and point out connections hoping to create deeper meaning and context. Our aim together in the most general sense is greater self-awareness. Clients find that once they know themselves better, they form more meaningful relationships with others and parts of themselves.

In clinical terms, I chiefly operate from a person-centered, trauma-informed approach while utilizing attachment theory. In practice this means my top priority is establishing a safe and trusting relationship with my client, which is a continuous process. From there I work hard to understand the current and past relationships, or lack of relationships, in your life including romantic partners, friendships, and family relationships. In session we can start to see patterns in your relationships and how they may be helping or harming you. This process helps put into context past experiences which may still be impacting you today without conscious realization.

There is no set standard as to what qualifies as traumatic, that is for you to determine with me by your side on that journey. If we do happen to discover a trauma from your past, I will be there to bear witness to your story and help process whatever happened.

In addition to working as a therapist, I am also pursing my PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from the College of William & Mary. This involves learning about teaching and supervising therapists and conducting research.

My research interests include making more culturally responsive assessments, and researching moral injury. Moral injury is a fairly new construct that was first introduced by Jonathan Shay to more fully explain the experience of combat veterans in the Vietnam war. In essence, moral injury attempts to capture the feelings of shame, guilt, and betrayal that service members experienced over the course of combat and upon returning home. Researchers have found that while PTSD captures somatic symptoms associated with traumatic events, it does not adequately address emotions associated with such events.

Since then, moral injury has been applied to non-combat veterans, first responders, and medical personnel. My research aim is to refine the construct and see how we can use it to help an even wider population since I believe it is prevalent throughout society.

In addition to studying at William & Mary, I also help conduct research through a team at Old Dominion University and am a research assistant with the Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center TBI Model Systems team which operates out of the McGuire Research Institute.

Our first session will involve me getting some background information about you and the reasons you reached out to our office. After that, our session will be more conversational, where you will learn more about me and my beliefs about therapy. The point of this session is giving you a chance to see if our relationship will be fulfilling and help you reach your goals. My job is to create the most safe and welcoming environment possible so you can comfortably make your decision.

Stefan can be seen in the West End or virtually in Virginia