Laura Zelaya, LCSW

Hi and thank you for checking out my profile! As a therapist with a background in social work, I am deeply committed to helping individuals overcome challenges, heal from difficult experiences, navigate the complexities of being human, and also understand the systems that impact your day to day.

I specialize in supporting children of immigrant parents, people navigating generational trauma, first-generation students, Latinx immigrant parents and caregivers, with a focus on ADHD, OCD, and eating disorders.

You might be asking yourself ok but what does all that mean!

Here are some examples:

• You feel like your experience is invalidated, whether that is at home, at school, in the workplace or even with friends. I got you!
• You notice that sometimes you feel nervous, you can’t quite figure out what is making you feel nervous and you need help containing the nervous. I got you!
• You know that there are days when things just feel heavy. Maybe you even know a bit about your family’s experience and difficult things they had to navigate. You maybe feel responsible for making sure those around you are ok. I got you!
• You are the first in your family to attend college. There is so much pressure to excel but sometimes being a student is just hard! I got you!
• You find yourself taking care of your siblings or maybe even a parent, leaving you with very little time for yourself. I got you!
• You have a difficult time managing tasks. Maybe this even makes you feel like you just aren’t “productive.” I got you!
• You experience fears that others might describe as you overreacting, maybe you think you are but you just can’t stop the worry. I got you!
• You have an interesting relationship with food. Perhaps describe yourself as a “picky eater.” Perhaps sometimes you skip meals. Or maybe sometimes you want to avoid certain things that you end up eating without much awareness. I got you!
• You want to work with a therapist that centers your experience. A therapist that incorporates what you love into sessions. I got you!

A fact about me, I am passionate about social justice and holistic care and bring this lens to my practice. That sometimes looks like together exploring dominant messages we receive and how we internalize them.  I also love books and writing and incorporate that into my practice (no pressure if you don’t).

Reach out and let’s connect!

https://tanglewoodbehavioral.com/staff/laura-zelaya-lmsw/