Gabriel J. Santiago

At an early age I realized I had a natural tendency towards empathy and connection. Just like that I also found myself to be a particularly sensitive person, with a deeply curious and creative mind, and an appreciation for diverse thought and authentic expression. While I've had to learn how to navigate my own particular challenges (something I still work on a daily basis), these experiences shaped who I've become over the years. Eventually, I came to realize that my experience could be of great value to others. Growing up in a tropical environment, in Latin America, I was exposed to many influences, I've been involved with music for most of my life, both as a performer and a teacher. I then grew to understand that my connection to music had more to do with its healing nature than its entertaining quality, thus I decided to walk the path of helping others heal and grow through their own particular painful experiences while bringing my music background along in this path. Over the years then I've walked the path of my own healing. I've explored different traditions and have come to adopt and integrate the wisdom of these in my journey. As I decided to step into my professional role as a counselor, I've been driven by the believe in people's resilience and inherent capacity to grow through challenging times. Even more so, I know that recovering from our own trauma can result in a state of growth that can unleash unprecedented states of awareness and healing; these in turn are deeply empowering. My hope is that I can support my clients in achieving this state. Since I moved to Boulder, CO back in 2015 I've been engaged with the community working with different organizations on the areas of education, mental and behavioral health, relationship development, and spiritual inquiry, among others. In my free time you will find me laughing with friends, playing music, playing with Melody (my dog), reading, practicing Yoga, or going out in nature. Last thing, I'm a native Spanish speaker, born and raised in Puerto Rico, and I offer bilingual services if preferred.