Meet Nathalie
Who I am
I’m a bilingual Cuban-American therapist with more than a decade of clinical experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and families in both English and Spanish. I’m also neurodivergent myself, so my work is informed by both professional training and lived experience.
Over the years, I’ve worked in schools, homes, community mental health settings, outpatient clinics, psychiatric care, a university counseling center, and private practice.
How I see people
I'm interested in what happens inside a person, but also in everything around them. Family. Culture. Relationships. School. Work. All of those things can shape how we see ourselves and how we move through the world.
Sometimes our distress tells us something about ourselves; sometimes it tells us something about the environments we're trying to survive in. Often, it's a little of both.
How I think about therapy
I don't believe therapy has to look one certain way. Some people want to talk things through. Some need to move, build, or work with their hands before words come easily. That's why I work with different approaches.
I also work in a way I'd describe as neurodivergent-friendly. I'm an ADHDer myself, and I bring that into the room too, not as a label, but as a way of understanding how different brains work.
“There is no single way to be a person, and there is no single way to do therapy.”
—Nathalie Fleitas
My approach
I don't believe in one way of working. What helps depends on the person, and sometimes on the day. That's why my work is based on three ways of working:
Talking & understanding
Some therapy happens through conversation, reflection, and noticing patterns.
Practicing & experimenting
Some work involves learning skills, trying new responses, and working with difficult thoughts or emotions.
Playing & creating
For children and adults, experiential approaches can use play, art, sand, movement, and other ways of expression.
As an ADHDer and a theory nerd, I enjoy having a big therapeutic toolbox a big therapeutic toolbox, so I can adapt to who you are and what you need.
Approaches I work with:
Schema Therapy · ACT · DBT · CBT · ERP · Motivational Interviewing · Multicultural Feminist Therapy · Adlerian Play Therapy · Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT)· Existential Therapy
What does neurodivergent-friendly mean?
It means I see ADHD, autism, and AuDHD (being both autistic and ADHD) as differences in how a brain works, not something broken that needs fixing. My job isn't to make anyone act more "typical." It's to help you understand your own mind and work with it, not against it.
My background
License
Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Florida (MH16448)
Education
M.A., Mental Health Counseling, University of Miami (2014)
B.A., Psychology & Anthropology, University of Miami (2011)
Experience
13 years in a variety of settings, including schools, homes, a hospital, university counseling, and private practice
The person behind the therapist
I try to live by the same things I talk about in session: paying attention, making room for rest, staying curious. Here's a look at how I do that outside work.
Gardening
I’ve gardened for years, and I often find myself bringing garden metaphors into therapy. Plants have a way of reminding you that growth isn't always visible or linear. Sometimes we're planting seeds and putting down roots long before anything new appears above the surface.
Being outside
I love the beach, nature, and being outside. I also enjoy Pilates, cycling, and dancing. Moving my body is an important part of how I spend my own time.
Home
At the end of the day, I like catching up on my favorite shows with my partner, usually with our dog and cat nearby.
Design
I love fashion and interior design, especially creating spaces that feel beautiful, comfortable, and lived in.
Want to know more about how I work?
Explore my services or send a message if you have any questions.