About Me

Hi, I’m Nick Duran, MS, MFA, LMHC.

My career began as a dancer with the New York City Opera at Lincoln Center, followed by performances with several modern dance companies across Europe, Asia, and the United States. I earned a Master of Fine Arts and taught dance at institutions including UCLA, California State University Long Beach, Loyola Marymount University, the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and Whitman College—where I later served as a clinical counselor.

Through my work in dance, I was introduced to somatics: the study of the body from a first-person perspective. This exploration deepened my understanding of how emotions, memories, and healing are often located within the body itself. In my classrooms, students were invited to learn from the inside out—tapping into their own embodied wisdom. I came to believe deeply in the power of internal awareness and the truth that we are whole as we are. Healing, I found, occurs when we learn to listen closely to the mind-body connection.

This naturally led me to psychotherapy, a lifelong calling alongside the arts. I returned to school to pursue a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology, selecting a program rooted in evidence-based practices and the integration of assessment, diagnosis, and treatment. Since then, I’ve worked in a family treatment center, hospital settings, and higher education institutions before opening a private practice that weaves together my experiences in the arts, somatics, and psychotherapy.

I am especially committed to working with marginalized communities—many of whom I understand through my own life story. My approach is collaborative and relational. In therapy, you are in the driver’s seat, and I’m beside you as a close, trusted guide. I will challenge you when necessary, offer reflection and insight, and always believe in your capacity for healing and growth.