Are you and your partner repeating the same arguments over and over? Does your partner constantly demand for you to do more in the relationship? Or does your partner shutdown during any vulnerable or difficult conversations?
If this is you, the reason you are stuck is NOT because there something is wrong with you. You want connection and closeness BUT your nervous system hijacks and sends messages that prevent your partner from hearing or seeing what you really need.
We will partner with you to disrupt the negative cycle, understand the deeper emotions that take over, and rebuild one-ness with your partner.
At Leap of Faith Counseling, we help you learn the science of attachment to create safety, healing, and simply love without holding back.
Nate Beralas, LMFT, LMHC
State Licenses
Hawaii State
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT #491)
Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC #393)
Florida State
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (#MT 4445)
Certifications and Trainings
National Certified Counselor (NCC)
Emotionally Focused Therapy Externship
Member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapist
Education
Chaminade University, 2012, MSCS (Master of Science in Counseling Psychology)
University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2010, BA (Bachelor of Arts in Psychology)
Aloha and Welcome
I am so glad that you are here. I am passionate about creating safety, connection, and curiosity for couples seeking to restore their marriage/relationship.
YOU CAN CHANGE (It's not too late!)
Modern research in neuroscience has uncovered that your brain is able to change if you access NEW EXPERIENCES (Siegel, 2020). Those new experiences create new connections in the physical structure of the brain and we become a more healthy, integrated, and functioning human being.
THERAPIST WHO STEPS INTO YOUR PAIN
I am committed to step into your story of pain and help you to rewrite a story of renewal and hope.
For fourteen years I have journeyed with clients suffering from sexual trauma, abuse, neglect, car accidents, divorce, foster care, abandonment, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, blended family issues, intimacy/emotional disconnection in couples, and infidelity (to name a few).
After working with me they were able to identify strengths, uncover negative core beliefs, and try new ways of relating to themselves and others.
AN APPROACH THAT CALMS THE BRAIN
When couples come to see me they are "fighting for their lives" (As Sue Johnson, founder of Emotionally Focused Therapy would say).
Fear of being alone and losing their lover's connection creates panic in the nervous system, which is not something your can "talk your way out of."
In order to get better, couples need to understand and end the negative dance created by "panicked" nervous systems. To do that we slow things down, change words, and reframe the problem as a "SCARED PARTNER NOT AN ADVERSARY."
Only then will each partner feel safe to clearly communicate their LONGINGS AND FEARS to their partner and be heard.
Finally, your partner will move close, hold and reassure them of the love and commitment they need to calm their nervous system. This is how we move from an insecure rollercoaster love to secure and stable deeper love.
In addition to couples work, we also provide counseling to individuals struggling with trauma. For trauma I utilize EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Re-processing) — which is an evidence-based, body-focused treatment designed to unlock the brain’s natural healing processes.
MY STORY
I found my calling as a therapist while I was a college student, after a relationship breakup resulted in intense emotional pain and put me in a dark and vulnerable place. I clearly remember the counselors, friends and family that created the safety I needed to heal and rewrite my story. After I received my Master of Science in Counseling Psychology from Chaminade University in 2012, I worked in both the public and private school settings helping students with severe emotional disorders until 2017 when I launched my private practice part-time. Then in 2021, I made my "leap of faith" to pursue my private practice full-time.
I was raised on the garden island of Kauaʻi, lived and served on ʻOahu for 13 years and in 2022 I relocated to Daytona Beach, Florida with my wife and kids. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family, training Jiu-Jitsu, cooking, going to the beach, and playing music.
INVITING THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE INTO OUR WORK
Lastly, if you are a Christian seeking to integrate your faith with the counseling experience, the bible will be our living and active guide for wisdom and truth. John Calvin stated that “It is certain that man never achieves a clear knowledge of himself unless he has first looked upon God’s face, and then descends from contemplating Him to scrutinize himself.” (Institutes of the Christian Religion). Through the Word, God is revealed — we see His beauty, we see our deep need and we receive His mercy and grace.
I thank the Lord Jesus for giving me the opportunity to fulfill my calling. All glory goes to Him alone.
Services
We provide professional telehealth counseling. Since the COVID-19 Pandemic therapists all over the world have began to utilize telehealth services, changing the way we do counseling. Telehealth has increased accessibility for clients and increased the options available for quality providers.
State of Hawaii
We are licensed to provide services to anyone living in the state of Hawaii. Nate Beralas has 14 years of experience working with the people of 'Oahu.