Ana Barend PhD, LMHC, NCC, Psychotherapist

Ana is a warm, inviting, and compassionate therapist who cares deeply for her clients’ well-being and healing. She holds a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a Master’s in Human Services Counseling with a Marriage and Family cognate. Ana recently earned her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision, where her doctoral work emphasized trauma-informed care, identity development, and the exploration of lived experience within psychological and relational processes. She will begin serving as an Assistant Professor at Montreat College in Fall 2026, where she will contribute to the training and development of future counselors. Her advanced training informs both her academic work and clinical practice. At this time, Ana will start seeing clients in a limited capacity.

Ana’s private practice is grounded in trauma-informed care, with a particular emphasis on Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). She is EMDR-certified (EMDRIA) and specializes in helping clients process and resolve distressing experiences, supporting adaptive integration and lasting change.

Further, Ana is a former professional surfer and served as the Women’s Chaplain for the World Surf League (WSL), where she supported individuals in goal setting, self-worth, and holistic care. She integrates cognitive behavioral and somatic-based approaches within a strength-based framework to support meaningful and sustainable change. Her areas of interest include spirituality integration, anxiety, depression, identity, trauma, and developmental attachment.

Ana has presented at numerous counseling conferences on embodiment practices, trauma, multiculturalism, and leadership. She has published empirical research on trauma in a peer-reviewed journal, further reflecting her commitment to evidence-based, trauma-informed practice.

Ana is a Christian and holds a worldview, which means she values the dignity and worth of every individual. She practices with an awareness of grace, love, understanding, respect, and compassion. She strives to offer genuine empathy, deep listening, authentic connection, and validation while fostering hope and empowerment. Ana seeks to embody wellness and a life lived with meaning, gratitude, and faith.