Mariana is a Brazilian psychologist, psychotherapist, and music therapist who has been accompanying people through their life's challenges since 2012. She lives in a city called Curitiba, a word from the language Guarani, that means "Pinheiral". She feels most at home with the people she loves, her family, as well as with her "pack"— her three rescued mixed-breed dogs. She also finds joy in making music and spending time in nature.

In 2017, she founded PEQUI, a dialogical and relational mental health initiative that supports people experiencing first episodes of mental health crisis, as well as other forms of severe psychosocial distress, together with their families, social networks, and communities. The project is named after the pequi (Caryocar brasiliense), a resilient tree native to Brazil's Cerrado, symbolizing the strength and resilience of those facing life's most difficult moments. PEQUI works in partnership with Brazil's public mental health system, which provides community-based care.

 
She holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Brasília (UnB) and is trained in Open Dialogue. She is a university professor, researcher, and facilitator of dialogical InterVision groups that foster collaborative learning and reflective practice. Mariana is the co-founder of the postgraduate program in Phenomenology, Clinical Practice and Mental Health. She also serves as Vice-President of the Association for Phenomenological Research (APFeno) and Vice-President of Polyfonia – The International Network of Democratic and Community-based Relational Practice.

Mariana's experience has shaped her commitment to dialogical, relational, culturally responsive, and democratic mental health care grounded in shared decision-making and the active participation of people, families, and communities.