Natalia Alas Durán (she/her)

My approach is eclectic. I am a bit of a geek when it comes to therapy, so I have received formal training in various tools such as EMDR, CBT, narrative therapy, and brainspotting over time so that I can provide my clients with options and make sure that therapy is tailored to your unique needs. For the past 9 years, I have worked with immigrant communities and, as a result, I have developed a practice that is deeply trauma-informed and culturally-attuned. I also have extensive experience working with those who are new to therapy, so I tend to be transparent about why I am recommending for you to try something and provide education about different strategies, so you can feel empowered to make the choice of what direction you want to go in in our sessions.

I strongly believe that growth in therapy happens best within the context of safety. Having a solid relationship with a therapist can help us to feel more secure so that when we try new strategies, share our innermost thoughts, and work through feelings like guilt, shame, and anger, we tend to worry less about feeling judged and we can get the most out of therapy. That being said - I also know that trusting someone isn't always easy. For this reason, I work hard to acknowledge that my clients truly are the experts of their own lives and I use a compassionate approach to build an alliance with my clients so they feel truly heard, validated, and seen. As someone who is first-gen and Latina, I have had my fair share of meeting with therapists and feeling that they didn't really "get it" or that they didn't understand how I was feeling, so my hope is to make sure I don't repeat that experience with the clients I work with. If you are interested in a consultation, please reach out!