Nicole Van Duyn, LCSW

Hello, my name is Nicole Van Duyn and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). I approach therapy from a trauma-informed, multicultural and feminist perspective with the intent of empowering you to utilize your own natural ability to heal and grow. I work with adults with a focus on life transitions, end of life (hospice), grief, trauma, anxiety/depression, substance use/addiction, recovery from coercive control groups, religious trauma, LGBTQIA+ issues and women’s issues. I am passionate about helping people improve their relationships with loved ones and assisting people in developing insight into unexamined beliefs that may be preventing full engagement with life. I am also passionate about helping clients process past traumatic experiences and find freedom from the heavy burden of carrying trauma in both body and mind.

Beginning therapy can feel intimidating. My goal is to help you feel comfortable and empowered. Our first session together will be a relaxed conversation as we build an initial therapeutic connection. We will explore what your life experiences have been and what has inspired you to seek therapy at this point in time. We will begin to uncover your goals and identify a positive path towards healing for you.

I began my journey to become a therapist after volunteering with hospice and while working on the New Mexico Crisis and Access Line. I have worked with a variety of populations including women on probation and parole, and unhoused individuals, since graduating from New Mexico Highlands University in 2021. I am a member of the LGBTQIA community and am a strong supporter of social justice. I enjoy working with members of marginalized groups and believe daily experiences of oppression cause trauma and stress which can lead to a myriad of mental health symptoms we can address in therapy.

Another area of interest for me is helping people recover from coercive control groups and/or religious trauma. After leaving high control groups people often feel a great deal of grief due to losing everything they knew, sometimes including relationships with family and friends. Survivors often feel lost as they no longer have their former belief system to guide them. I am passionate about helping people find their sense of individual identity and examine their beliefs and values in order to build a meaningful new life after loss.

I utilize an eclectic blend of therapeutic approaches individualized to you, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Attachment Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, Brainspotting and Dialectic Behavioral Therapy. There is no single approach that works for every person. Together we will find an approach that works for you to achieve your mental health goals.