About us

The Practice Studio is a thoughtful, down-to-earth therapy practice built for reflection, curiosity, and real change. This is a place to slow things down, make sense of patterns, and think honestly about who you are and where you’d like to go next — without pressure to perform or have it all figured out. Therapy here is collaborative, human, and grounded in real life.

Who we are:

The Practice Studio is led by Zoë Stears-Macauley, LCSW, a licensed therapist and educator based in Reno, Nevada. Zoë works with adults, teens, and couples navigating anxiety, trauma, relationship dynamics, and the complexity of being human. In addition to her clinical work, she teaches graduate-level social work courses at the University of Nevada, Reno, where she focuses on diagnostic formulation and real-world clinical practice.

Education & Licensure

  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Nevada

Clinical Approach

  • Trauma-informed care

  • Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)

  • Relational and attachment-informed work

  • Skills-based support when helpful (DBT-informed)

How the

work Looks:

Therapy at The Practice Studio is conversational, reflective, and practical. Sessions are shaped by curiosity and collaboration, with attention to patterns, relationships, and the ways past experiences show up in the present. There’s room for humor, nuance, and real life — and no expectation that you arrive with perfect insight or a polished narrative.

The goal isn’t to “fix” you. It’s to help you understand yourself more clearly, build useful tools, and move forward in a way that feels intentional and sustainable.

Areas of Focus:

  • Anxiety and chronic stress

  • Trauma and its ongoing impact

  • Perfectionism and burnout

  • Relationship and attachment patterns

  • Family dynamics

  • Life transitions and identity exploration

  • Emotion regulation and self-understanding

Credentials & Approach

A note on fit:

Finding the right therapist matters. If this approach feels aligned — thoughtful, grounded, and human — you’re welcome to reach out to explore working together.

Contact us

Interested in working together? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!