meet the counseling staff

Marina Chatterton, Director of Counseling Services

Marina Talley Chatterton, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist with over 15 years of experience working in the mental health field. She graduated from Smith College School for Social Work in 1996, and completed a post-graduate fellowship in College Mental Health at Harvard University in 1997. She has worked as a therapist at Pratt Institute and Sarah Lawrence College, and moved to San Francisco to become Director of Counseling Services at SFAI in 2006. As field faculty, she trains graduate students from Smith and UC Berkeley, and has a private practice in San Francisco. Particular interests include: psychodynamic psychotherapy, group and organizational dynamics, professional identity development, and cross-cultural challenges.

Mira Elwell, Counseling Intern

Mira Elwell is a second year graduate-level intern from the Smith College School for Social Work in Northampton, Massachusetts. She received her BA from Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts where she studied painting and writing. As a social work intern she worked as a therapist at the University of Pennsylvania Outpatient Psychiatric Clinic. Prior experience includes working as a legal advocate for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. Professional interests include exploring identity formation during the adolescent years, LGBTQI issues, and women's issues. Mira recently moved to San Francisco after several years in her hometown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Non-professional interests include making art, baking, and eating.

Christopher Heinrich, Counseling Intern

Chris Heinrich is a second year graduate student from Smith College School for Social Work where he is pursuing his LCSW. He received his bachelors in Sociology, Anthropology and Spanish from Middlebury College and has since worked in various fields, including marketing, event production, and mental health. Chris has clinical experience working with adults and elders who suffer from chronic medical and mental illnesses. He has also done significant educational empowerment work with undocumented immigrant youth. Professional interests include: relational psychotherapy, therapeutic group work, social advocacy, and alliance building.