About Me:
Ana María Paniagua, LCSW
Founder of The Healing Office
"REAL CONNECTION IS WHERE THE WORK BEGINS."
I created The Healing Office with the belief that therapy should feel human. Not performative. Not clinical. Just honest work between two real people. My approach is rooted in evidence-based care, but what matters most to me is the relationship, because that is where real change actually happens.
I was born and raised in Puerto Rico and have lived in New York for the past 11 years. I studied journalism before becoming a therapist, which is to say I have always been driven by curiosity about people, why they do what they do, and why they hurt the way they do. That curiosity never left. It just found a different home.
I work primarily with women navigating life transitions, anxiety, relationship changes, and periods when the way they've been living no longer feels like it fits. I also work with couples looking to better understand their patterns and find new ways of relating to each other. My style is warm, direct, and relational. We move at your pace, but we move.
A Few Things About Me
-
I am bilingual, born in Puerto Rico, now based in New York
-
I used to run a wellness blog called Cosechando Vida, focused on reflection and slow living
-
I love hiking, weightlifting, painting, and a good 1,000 piece puzzle on a rainy day
-
I am drawn to work that feels intentional, relational, and real
-
I believe healing should feel like it fits your life, not like one more thing to perform
Education & Training
-
MSW from Syracuse University
-
EMDR – foundational training completed in 2022
-
Attachment-Focused EMDR – completed in 2025
-
R-TEP & G-TEP EMDR Protocols – completed in 2023
-
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) – foundational training in 2021
-
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) – foundational training in 2024
-
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – through graduate education and clinical practice
-
Ongoing continuing education in trauma recovery, relational work, and somatic-based approaches
My work blends structure and intuition, science and compassion. I’ll meet you where you are and support you in building a life, relationships, and a stronger connection with yourself that actually feel like your own.
