A note from Nathalie:

Whether it is to grapple with something specific, or even just to get to know yourself better, there are so many reasons why you might be considering the support of a therapist. Know that whatever reason it may be, it is a valid one. It is so brave to listen to our own instincts when we find that the support system we have available to us needs to be bolstered. If you are here, that means you are ready to be on your own team. In a society that encourages not-belonging, not-enoughness, and lack of self-worth, you have taken a daring, revolutionary step in acknowledging that you deserve to be cared for.

When we make the decision to show up for ourselves and for others differently, we get to embark on an intimidating, but also exciting journey of growth and evolution. The work of untangling ourselves from what has kept us stuck is not easy, but it is the most rewarding work there is. My role is to be there alongside you as you take the wheel of your own life and move in the direction your soul has been yearning for. Together we will question and detangle beliefs. We will highlight what has already been working in your favor, discover new tools that can be most uniquely beneficial to you, and we will co-create the safe space for you to let go of the survival strategies that are no longer useful for your journey. We will connect to parts of you that desperately want to be heard and seen by you, and that want to connect with others around you more deeply as well. We will examine how our environments, identities and culture at large have been silently influencing us, and you will decide what you want to keep and what you want to change accordingly. We will re-write old narratives, play around with different meanings, and strategize how you want to take charge of writing your own story from now own.

There is no strength without softness, just as there is no light without darkness, so we will find nuanced ways to arrive at empowerment, joy and fulfillment, through building tolerance for vulnerability, sadness, anger and fear. Our relationship will be one where you can fully and shamelessly be yourself, so that you may connect with your resiliency and capacity from a fresh perspective. We will make sure not just your mind, but also your body, heart and soul are joining us for the ride; a holistic, well-rounded and integrated approach to mental health is a reliable way to make sure you no longer go through life feeling disconnected. And we will also, when necessary, laugh at the ironies and uncertainties that being human entails; after all, life can be a real trickster sometimes.

My approach:

I grew up as a third-culture kid raised across many continents; this has made me, like many others who grew up like me, into a curious outside observer of culture from a very young age. The way to belong was to intricately understand every new environment I found myself in. Also, my early passion for storytelling and human behavior led me to a professional life as an actress. I carry with me the many profound experiences of inhabiting other people’s stories through my art and getting in touch with the “why” behind anything people do. On top of that, being queer has also profoundly influenced my worldview, centering my approach to life on fluidity over rigidity. My eclectic background has allowed me the honor of experiencing first-hand that there is no right way to do life, and my only goal is for you to shed whatever is blocking you from living authentically as yourself. The healing in that process benefits society at large.

My loved ones’ and my own very intimate experiences with a range of mental health struggles has meant that mental health has also always been a deep exploration from a very young age. Since very different paths towards healing worked for each one of us, I do not subscribe to a one-size-fits-all approach to wellbeing. Therapy with me may include influences from CBT, DBT, psychodynamic therapy, narrative therapy, gestalt therapy, Somatic Experiencing, mindfulness practices, IFS therapy, emotionally-focused therapy, art therapy, attachment theory, systems theory, polyvagal theory, motivational interviewing, humanistic psychology, depth psychology, and both 12-step or harm reduction philosophies. We will find what works uniquely for you.

The way I encounter any of my clients is guided by strengths-based, trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, culturally-responsive, LGBTQIA+ and TGNC-affirming, sex-positive, disability-affirming, and faith-affirming frameworks. My approach is ultimately rooted in a deep acceptance of ourselves.

I humbly and deeply look forward to getting to know you.