ABOUT ME

My first name is Gala, but all my friends and colleagues call me by my second name, Alicia. I am the owner of Sanando Psychotherapy, which means recovering or healing in Spanish.

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I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from La Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana in Colombia, where my passion for understanding the human mind and fostering personal growth began. My journey then took me to Canada, where I earned a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology focusing on Clinical Psychology from the University of Calgary. Eventually, me and my growing family established in Des Moines, Iowa, where I became a Licensed Mental Health Counselor.

Through my own path of relocating and adapting, I’ve experienced firsthand the challenges and triumphs of change and evolution. These experiences have shaped my empathy and strengthened my ability to walk alongside therapy participants as they navigate their own unique journeys of growth and transformation. I am committed to empowering individuals to embrace their full potential with compassion and unwavering support.

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I am an integrative trauma, EMDR-trained, IFS-informed therapist. My passion is guiding and supporting therapy participants through life’s most complex and challenging matters. I genuinely care about therapy participants' well-being and strive to create an authentic and supportive environment that prioritizes your mental health journey.

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At Sanando Psychotherapy, we lean on one another to invite, listen, process, and transform the narratives that trauma legacies have left in the body. The focus is on developing self-compassion for the therapy participant's courageous survival adaptations.

 

Since 2013, I have provided specialized therapeutic services to those dealing with challenging life experiences.

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