GET TO KNOW ME

My name is Natalie Mena, and I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW-R) based in New York State. As a proud Latina woman, lifelong learner, and healer, I embrace the teachings of my culture, where the term “curandera” speaks to the power of transformation and resilience. Being a healer means overcoming trauma and emerging stronger, a journey I’m passionate about in helping others with their own healing journey.

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Born and raised in the Bronx by a Nuyorican mother and Dominican father, my story has been shaped by resilience. Already a childless father before my teenage years, I became an orphan at the age of seventeen due to the untimely death of my mother who passed away from cancer. This became a turning point that propelled me to thrive in a world that often didn’t expect me to succeed based on my upbringing. My mother’s love and the lessons she imparted on me—especially the importance of education—have been my guiding lights since her passing. Despite the systems that tried to hold me back, I rose above them and became the woman I am today. This journey fuels my deep commitment to helping others, giving a voice to those who may feel unheard, and striving to improve mental health care access within underserved communities.

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Since graduating from Columbia University School of Social Work in 2011, I’ve dedicated my career to providing compassionate mental health care. I've completed a Two-Year Certificate in Psychoanalysis from the Postgraduate Psychoanalytic Society & Institute (PPSI). I've also received a Sports Social Work Certificate from the Alliance of Social Workers in Sports (ASWIS). I’ve worked with individuals impacted by generational trauma, anxiety, depression, and addiction. I believe in the collective power of communities to create meaningful change—not just for today, but for the generations that follow. This is why I chose the path of being a Curandera—to help heal the world, one person at a time.