Luis A Otero De Santiago
You may be feeling overwhelmed by anxiety or depression and want support before things begin to unravel. Perhaps your mind feels crowded with intrusive thoughts, distressing images, or emotions that are hard to manage alone. You may be seeking clarity, emotional stability, and a way to feel more in control of your life. Therapy can help you slow things down, understand what’s happening beneath the surface, and develop healthier ways to cope. I provide a supportive, nonjudgmental space to help you regain balance, think more clearly, and move toward the life you want to live. I specialize in trauma that affects adults. This maybe a combat trauma, a recent experience that was traumatic, or an early childhood event(s) that continues to affect you. I use a combination of techniques such as EMDR, Hypnotherapy, Rapid Resolution Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral approaches to help people move on from traumatic experiences in their lives.
I specialize in working with adults experiencing PTSD, anxiety, depression, substance use concerns, and men’s mental health challenges.
It hasn't been easy, and you've been thinking about how to change. Let us help you in your path to self discovery, and leading a more healthy life style.
First session
In our first session, we’ll begin with brief introductions and review any necessary information to ensure everything is in place. You’ll have space to talk about what’s been bringing you to therapy and the concerns currently affecting your life. My goal is to understand your experiences, your goals, and what support you’re looking for. Together, we’ll complete an initial assessment and begin developing a treatment plan tailored to your needs. We’ll also review what to expect from therapy, including therapeutic boundaries, policies, payment, and scheduling, so you feel clear and comfortable moving forward.
Strengths
My therapeutic approach is warm, direct, and conversational, while remaining grounded in evidence-based care. I work from a trauma-informed framework and integrate Ericksonian techniques, Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and EMDR to support meaningful and lasting change. I specialize in working with adults experiencing PTSD, anxiety, depression, substance use concerns, and men’s mental health challenges. Therapy with me is collaborative and flexible rather than rigid or overly structured, which allows space for insight, emotional processing, and honest conversation. Clients often report improved emotional regulation, reduced intrusive thoughts, greater clarity, stronger coping skills, decreased shame, and increased motivation. I work best with individuals who value a direct, grounded approach and are looking for depth, connection, and practical progress in therapy.
Ideal clients
My ideal clients are adults who are struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, intrusive thoughts, or substance use concerns and are ready to better understand what’s driving their symptoms. I work especially well with individuals who prefer a more unstructured, conversational approach to therapy and value honesty, depth, and practical progress. Many of the clients I serve are seeking improved emotional regulation, reduced shame, greater clarity, and healthier coping strategies. I am particularly well suited to working with adults who want a direct, grounded therapeutic relationship and are motivated to engage consistently in the work of change.
Origin story
I became a therapist because I have always been fascinated by the human capacity to survive, adapt, and heal. Over the years, that interest developed into a passion for helping people understand not only what they are experiencing, but why they are experiencing it. Throughout my career, I have worked extensively with trauma, including childhood experiences, first responders, military personnel, addiction, grief, shame, and other difficult life experiences. This work has taught me that many of the symptoms people struggle with are not signs of weakness. Often, they are ways the mind and nervous system learned to adapt to experiences that were overwhelming at the time. What continues to inspire me is seeing what can happen when someone begins to understand themselves differently. A person may enter therapy believing, “Something is wrong with me,” “I should be over this,” or “This is just who I am.” Through therapy, they can begin recognizing the experiences, beliefs, and emotional patterns underneath those struggles—and discover that change is possible. My approach is compassionate, collaborative, and trauma-informed. I draw from approaches such as EMDR, hypnotherapy, cognitive and psychodynamic therapies, and other evidence-informed methods based on the individual needs of each client. Ultimately, I became a therapist because I believe people deserve more than simply learning how to tolerate their symptoms. I want to help clients understand the roots of their struggles, process what continues to affect them, and develop a healthier relationship with themselves, their experiences, and the life they want to build.
Ongoing work together
Our ongoing work will be collaborative, individualized, and focused on helping you create meaningful and lasting change. Rather than simply managing symptoms, we will work to better understand the patterns, experiences, and underlying beliefs that may be contributing to what you are experiencing today. Depending on your needs and treatment goals, our work may incorporate approaches such as EMDR, Ericksonian hypnotherapy, cognitive-behavioral interventions, somatic techniques, and other trauma-informed methods. For trauma-focused work, we will move at a pace that allows you to remain grounded and engaged while gradually addressing difficult experiences and the ways they may continue to affect your emotions, relationships, behaviors, and sense of self. Throughout therapy, we will regularly evaluate your progress, identify what is working, and adjust our approach when needed. My goal is not only to help you experience relief from current symptoms, but also to help you develop greater emotional regulation, insight, resilience, and confidence in your ability to navigate life outside of therapy.
Treatment methods
EMDR
I am a Certified EMDR Practitioner and EMDR Consultant-in-Training (CIT). I enjoy utilizing EMDR therapy to help clients process and resolve traumatic experiences, particularly because of its strong evidence base and its potential to facilitate meaningful therapeutic progress efficiently.
Hypnotherapy
I have been trained thru the Milton Erickson Institute, and I've also be trained by the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, and I've been trained in Neurolinguistic Programming.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I have been using CBT to help people with automatic negative thinking patterns and with irrational core beliefs to help my client's improve their moods and reactions to life stressors.
Motivational Interviewing
I enjoy Motivational Interviewing because of the client centered perspective and how it encourages the client to arrive at their own solutions utilizing their own strengths.
Location
Virtual sessions
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Licensed in
- FloridaLicense MH16655