Hi there! I’m Corazon “Cora” Burke (they, she), LMHC, LCPC, MCAP. As an unapologetically unashamed fat, queer, geeky, AuDHD, and chronically ill therapist, I firmly believe in creating a safe, inclusive, and respectful space, where no subject is taboo.

I work well with folx who are seeking a provider who understands neurodiversity (ADHD and Autism), LGBTQIA2S+, polyamory, kink, sex work, fat body liberation, Paganism and other stigmatized belief systems, substance use, and chronic illness/disability.

Cora Burke, a white person with rainbow-colored hair, smiles directly at the camera. They are wearing glittery glasses with overlapping triangular decorations in the corners.
Cora, a fat white person, stands outside smiling brightly at the camera. They are wearing a purple skirt, yellow cardigan, purple fingerless gloves, a large beaded necklace, polka-dotted glasses, and purple-and-orange horns on their head.

While I go by Cora, my first name is the Spanish word for heart, so one could say that helping people is my calling. I have over a decade of experience as a therapist, and I am licensed in Florida, Maine, Texas, and Washington, with an additional Florida certification as a Master’s Level Certified Addiction Professional.

My pronouns are they/she, and lots of folx say that I’m not the typical kind of therapist, which is the best compliment I could receive about my work. My own interests are widespread and reflected in the way that I practice.

If you would describe yourself as a not-so-typical kind of person, too, I think we’ll be a good fit!

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Cora, a white person with green and blue colored hair, smiles directly at the camera. They are sitting in a pink-and-white gamer chair, wearing a black gaming headset and glittery glasses with overlapping triangular decorations in the corners..

It's so important to click with your therapist. If you are looking for someone you can be real with and who will be real with you, then I might be the therapist you are seeking. Let's break out of the box together.

I believe in lifelong learning and do not expect or want my clients to do emotional labor for me. I strive to be aware of my privilege and challenge the systems of oppression that we live in. I am here to listen to you, not judge you, lecture you, or punish you. I am here to help create a safe, and collaborative environment for you, where you can be cared for.

I also know how important it is for some folx to have a therapist with similar lived experience, which is why I openly share that I have lived experience with the following:

  • Being queer

  • Being fat

  • Complex C-PTSD (but no, I won’t give you details!)

  • Chronic illness/disability

  • Neurodiversity

  • Paganism

  • Poverty

You are not alone. When I say, “I understand”, I really, truly mean it. I know what is like to be perpetually misunderstood and to mask so heavily that all sense of yourself gets lost.

Mana Therapy Services logo, featuring a colorful mana potion icon and the tagline "Regain Your Magic to Heal"

That’s why I do the work that I do - to help you live the authentic, magical life you deserve.

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Several colorful D20 dice roll out of a bag onto a white table.

I am eclectic in my therapy style and firmly believe that therapy is not one size fits all. I use various sources in working with my clients, sometimes by using old-fashioned cognitive behavioral therapy to understand thinking and feeling patterns (with respect to your lived experience and viewed within the context of your life), and also using other more affirming modalities to develop skills and tackle challenges, including formal training in:

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

  • Real Life Heroes

  • Therapeutic Dungeon Master for Table-Top Roleplaying Games

  • Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

  • Future Training in June 2024: I will be attending an upcoming intensive training in Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders: Components of Care

And as a proud geeky therapist, incorporating any interests or fandoms you have into treatment will be automatic (with your consent)!

As a therapist, I created Mana Therapy Services to be actively anti-oppressive, anti-racist, pro-human, and pro-diversity. In addition to your unique needs, the following values guide our work together:

  • You have value because you exist. Period. This means I’m going to treat you with unconditional compassion, no matter what you have experienced or what you have done, My job isn’t to judge you (and you’ve probably done enough of that on your own, right?), but rather treat you with all the dignity, respect, and compassion you have deserved from the moment you took your first breath on this planet – whether you believe you deserve it or not. It is not my role to impose my values on you, but rather help you figure out what your values are and how they can inform your life moving forward.

  • Guilt can absolutely be a healthy emotion because it proves that we have a conscience, which helps us learn. We will inevitably do things that hurt others – not because we want to or intend to, but because sometimes things aren’t so simple. Guilt and shame have, for too long, been hijacked by modern society to force control and conformity.

    Sometimes, what we really need is not to forgive ourselves, but thank ourselves, for doing what we needed to do to survive.

    I believe that most of us truly want to do the best that we can. As humans, we aren’t out to deliberately cause harm, but harm will still happen in spite of our best intentions. What is important is that we understand the impact that we have and change our actions. Usually, the intent behind the harmful action is completely fine. We just have to put that intent, or value, into practice in a different way.

  • I believe that there is NO one singular right way to do pretty much anything in regular human existence. Since we aren’t in charge of the nuclear codes, we have flexibility in how we handle things. What is important is figuring out what is effective and healthy for us, as individuals, even if someone else handles the same situation in a different way. We can do whatever we want, up to the point it violates the rights of another person. Essentially, if murder brings you joy, that is understandable. However, murder violates the other person’s right to life, so we can’t do that.

  • The concept of "cultural humility" emerged in 1998, emphasizing a continuous and reflective journey aimed at recognizing personal biases and embracing self-critique. It acknowledges the fluidity of intersecting identities and advocates for ongoing curiosity.

    Cultural humility entails grasping the intricate layers of identities, understanding that even within similarities, differences exist. It acknowledges that clinicians can never fully comprehend the ever-evolving nature of a client’s experiences. Cultural humility means acknowledging that one does not know everything and being willing to openly learn from clients about their experiences.

    While competence implies mastery, humility fosters an introspective and relational approach that prioritizes person-centered care.

    Basically, this means I check my biases and do my own work to ensure that you are uplifted, so your expertise on yourself and the life that you lived is validated and heard. I constantly, actively strive to educate myself and check in to ensure I am understanding you correctly. I do not expect my clients to perform emotional labor to make sure I understand. I will do my own research. When I ask clients to process their history and cultural influences, it is within the realm of processing their own meaning, not education for me.

  • Enough said. I answer some of the ways I protect your confidentiality in my FAQ.

Colorful mana potion bottle illustration

If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably looking for some fun facts about me. Well, don’t worry – I’ve got plenty!

A young Cora, wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants, sits on a blue carpeted floor. They are holding a black-and-white husky puppy in their lap and smiling.

  • I read extremely quickly, like 2K+ words per minute, with excellent retention.

  • I grew up on a farm with a number of exotic animals, including ostriches. Emus are assholes.

  • I collect all sorts of things: old apothecary bottles, late 1800s and early 1900s medicinal bottles with original ingredients (like heroin! And cocaine!).

  • I also collect fossils and am obsessed with megalodons.

  • I love word play, puns, and jokes that make one groan.

  • I am involved with animal rescue, though I don’t currently foster. When I do foster, I foster huskies and other double coated fluffy breeds.

  • I have two white huskies, and it is a joke among my friends and rescue folx that if a white husky needs to be rescued, it finds me. Seriously, most of the huskies I’ve either rescued myself from the side of the road, or have gotten from the shelter, have been white.

  • One of my huskies is a psychiatric service dog, which I trained myself: his tasks include alerting to changes in heart-rate, deep pressure, and interruption of harmful behaviors. He also provides some mobility support.

A white husky lies on a couch, covered by a progress LGBTQIA2S+ pride flag. They look up at the camera with their left eye peeking out from behind the flag.
A young Cora, wearing a blue-and-pink dress, stands outside on the grass, smiling at the camera. They are standing next to a brown-and-white calf, petting it with both hands.

  • The other husky simply specializes in interruption of all things as her universe given talent. She likes to visit in sessions, and occasionally interjects her opinion.

  • I have two cats. My black and white cat is referred to as “Evil Never Dies.” He frequently visits in session. He is a pest, and a menace to society, and I love him dearly. The other cat, only the lucky few ever get to see a glimpse. No one believes I have two cats, because Bessie hides from everyone but me, and he’s rarely still enough for a photograph.

  • I am tattoo’d AF, and will be getting more. I have a cat leg, and a dog leg. All of my pets get tattood on me. Thank goodness I’m fat, because that means I have more canvas to work with.

  • I enjoy reading, and will happily swap book recommendations. I primarily read fiction for pleasure, and while I cross genres on a regular basis, gravitate toward urban fantasy, and high fantasy. Whenever I read, I’m always looking for examples that can help explain different concepts in therapy.

  • Every Monday, I read a book that is pertinent to therapy and believe in lifelong learning. Being willing to fill in my knowledge gaps and evolve my perception and understanding, especially around what I can't possibly understand, is vital to my work as a therapist.

A young Cora, wearing a bright yellow t-shirt and shorts, kneels on the grass outside a wire fence, smiling at the camera. Two large ostriches are visible just behind the fence.

Last, but not least, I am a proud geeky human and therapist! Here are a few favorite nerdy facts about me:

A young Cora wearing a red holiday dress looks at the camera and waves. More children are visible behind them, wearing shiny holiday outfits.

  • I read over 300 books a year, and if it takes a 1000 books to make a library, then I certainly have met that qualification on my kindle about 10x over!

  • I used to be a high-end competitive raider in World of Warcraft and was one of the top ranked Death Knights in the world when I played. (I quit in 2012).

  • I am an avid fan of the Diablo franchise and typically only play one game at a time, switching back and forth.

  • Currently, I play Diablo 4 and Baldur's Gate 3, mainly playing on a PS5 for accessibility. I am a min/maxer at heart and enjoy theory-crafting as a hyperfocus.

  • I enjoy going to comic-cons and occasionally dabble in cosplay. (I was cosplaying as Figment in the picture where I had the yellow sweater and the horns).

  • I love to collect fantasy artwork around my interests and games.

  • Some of my fandoms include: AMC’s Interview with a Vampire, Lord of the Rings, The Wheel of Time, Diablo, Supernatural, ACOTAR, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire (where I pretend Season 8 didn't happen – seriously, what was that?!)

  • My favorite authors include Laurell K. Hamilton, Peter V. Brett, Faith Hunter, Jeff Wheeler, Anne Bishop, Ilona Andrews, Seanan McGuire, Brandon Sanderson, Brent Weeks, Jacqueline Carey, Sarah J. Maas, C.T. Rwizi, and many, many others.

Cora, a fat white person, sits on the ground outdoors, petting two white Husky dogs on either side of them. They are wearing glasses, a floral headband, a purple dress, and fairy wings, and they smile down at the dog on their right.