Allyson Baraban (MFT Trainee)

Clinicians
Written By Natalie Small
 

Contact Ally to set up a FREE 15 min intake call

Ally@groundswellcommunity.org

Rooted in somatic practice, trauma healing, and earth-based wisdom, therapy here is an invitation to slow down, listen inward, and reconnect with the body’s natural capacity for regulation, resilience, and connection.

Clients can expect a therapeutic space that gently engages the nervous system rather than pushing for insight alone. Our work prioritizes safety, pacing, and curiosity, supporting the body as an essential partner in healing. Through somatic awareness and trauma-informed practices, we attend to sensations, emotions, impulses, and patterns as they arise, helping to create more choice and ease where things may feel stuck or overwhelming.

Drawing from Somatic Experiencing–informed principles, trauma-sensitive care, eco-psychology, and depth-oriented inquiry, sessions may include tracking bodily sensations, grounding, orienting, breath, movement, or moments of stillness—always guided by what feels supportive and accessible to you. Therapy unfolds collaboratively and at your pace, honoring the wisdom of your system and the timing it requires.

This approach can be especially supportive for those navigating trauma, chronic stress, anxiety, grief, chronic pain, relational wounds, life transitions, or a desire to feel more embodied and present. Rather than focusing on fixing or overriding symptoms, we work to understand what the nervous system is communicating and how it can be met with care and attunement.

I bring a relational and culturally responsive lens to this work, with sensitivity to identity, belonging, and intergenerational experiences. I am currently completing my MA in Counseling Psychology at Meridian University and welcome clients into a grounded, collaborative space where healing is supported through connection with the body, the nervous system, and the world around us.

Offering: Telehealth sessions, in-person nature based therapy and surf therapy

Populations: Individuals (youth-adults), Family systems and Couples

What You Can Expect in Our Work Together:

  1. A Collaborative Relationship
    Therapy is a shared process. I don’t see myself as the expert on your life - rather, I trust that you are. My role is to offer presence, reflection, and support as you explore what feels most meaningful to you.

  2. Pacing That Honors You
    We move at the speed that feels safe and supportive for you. There’s no rush. Whether you come in ready to dive deep or need time to build trust, I’ll meet you where you are.

  3. Multiple Ways of Communicating
    Healing doesn’t always begin with words. Together, we can explore through language, emotion, sensation, movement, silence, or metaphor—whatever feels most accessible and alive for you.

  4. Choice and Agency at the Center
    You guide the direction of our sessions. I will offer tools, reflections, and invitations, but you always get to decide what feels right to engage with. Your intuition, resistance, and curiosity are all welcome here.

  5. An Emphasis on Relationship
    The therapeutic relationship itself can be a powerful space for healing. I strive to build a space of mutual respect, authenticity, and care—where you feel seen, heard, and supported as your full self.

  6. Curiosity Over Judgment
    Our time together isn’t about fixing you—because you’re not broken. Instead, we’ll explore with openness and curiosity, making room for all parts of you to be acknowledged and understood.

  7. Room for Complexity
    You’re not one thing, and neither is your story. Our work can hold the contradictions, questions, identities, and experiences that make you who you are.

Populations I Support

  • Adults

  • Teens

  • Trauma

  • Individuals experiencing chronic pain and seeking pain management

  • Identity Challenges 

  • Neurodivergent individuals, including those with ADHD

  • People navigating major life transitions

  • Those experiencing anxiety, depression, or grief

Areas of Study & Theoretical Influences

  • Imaginal Psychology

  • Humanistic Psychology

  • Cultural-Relational Theory

  • Depth Psychology

  • Somatic Psychology + Somatic Experiencing

  • Recovery-Oriented Models

  • Liberation Psychology

  • Existentialism

  • Groundswell Curriculum 

Education

  • Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology (2024–2026)
    Meridian University

  • Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry (2016)
    SUNY Cortland

  • Massage Therapy Certification (2019)
    National Holistic Institute

Professional Trainings & Certifications

  • Somatic Experiencing Practitioner Training (2025–2028)
    Peter Levine 

  • Surf Therapy for Trauma Recovery Training (2025)
    Groundswell Community Project

  • Jungian Eco-Psychological Approach to Connecting with Land and Soul (2025)
    Pacifica Graduate Institute

  • Lymphatic Studies (2023)
    ACOLS Lymphatic Studies Institute

  • Health Coach Training (2023)
    MindBodyGreen

  • Watsu Facilitator Training (2020)

  • 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training (2017)



Natalie Small
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