Viola is a proud New York Native born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. She obtained her bachelor’s in professional studies from Metropolitan College of New York before getting her masters in social work from Hunter College.

She has had the pleasure of working with many populations throughout her career. Including but not limited to the LGBTQIA+ communities, sexual assault/domestic violence survivors, those experiencing severe mental illness and chronic medical conditions, probation and parolees, and those affected by systemic racial disparities. At Refresh, Viola works with clients determined to unearth the hold trauma has on their life, losses and unexpected life events that paralyze them, and work to challenge and ultimately change coping mechanisms that are not serving them.

Viola works in collaboration with her clients to cultivate a safe space for clients to speak without judgment and ridicule. This allows them to build a healthy and trusting therapeutic alliance as the bedrock of their work. She likes to use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help her clients view challenging situations more clearly and respond in an effective manner. Viola also believes in promoting self-care and self-advocacy to aid the healing process and help clients view themselves and their needs as a priority.

She identifies as a first-generation Caribbean American as her background consists of Jamaica and Dominica heritage. In her free time, she loves to play video games, read a good book, and watch reality television, crime shows and movies. Her favorite thing about New York City is that it’s a melting pot that provides access to meet a lot of people from all walks of life. She sees New York City not only as her home, but also as an opportunity to learn about different cultures through communication, food, hobbies, and music. To her, New York City embodies culture and diversity.